The Henry Smith Charity - Improving Lives (formerly Revenue Grants)

Archived Active citizenship Addiction and substance misuse Age Aged 26 - 59 years Aged 60+ Black and minority ethnic Communities Community and neighbourhood development Community development Dependants and carers Family and parenting Gender equality and sexual orientation good relations Health promotion Health, wellbeing and sport Housing and homelessness Human rights and equality Multiculturalism Offenders and ex-offenders People with disabilities Poverty and deprivation Racial equality Refugees and asylum seekers Social welfare and poverty Un/Employed Victims and survivors volunteering Young people (13-25) Antrim & Newtownabbey Ards & North Down Armagh City, Banbridge & Craigavon Belfast City Causeway Coast and Glens Derry City and Strabane England Fermanagh and Omagh Great Britain Lisburn and Castlereagh Mid and East Antrim Mid Ulster Newry, Mourne and Down Northern Ireland Scotland Wales Medium (up to £60,000)

Track grant Notes

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Overview

They support established organisations delivering services directly to beneficiaries and are looking for services which can demonstrate a track record of success, and evidence the effectiveness of the work. This is their largest grants programme, through which the majority of their funds are distributed.

Key grant details

Grant size: £20k – £70k per year (see FAQs for how much to apply for)

Length: 1-3 years (most grants are for 3 years)

Decision timescale: Within 6 Months

Deadlines: None

Who can apply for a grant?

Nearly all their grants in this programme are made to organisations with an annual income of between £50k and £3m. In exceptional circumstances we will consider applications from organisations with income of up to £5m. If your organisation has an income of over £3m and you wish to apply you will need to demonstrate that your organisation is uniquely well placed to deliver the work and that you are unable to source funding from elsewhere. If you are in this category, please contact them before making an application
They fund established organisations (by this they mean at least 18 months old and have published their first set of annual accounts) that have a track record. They are looking for applicants that have the necessary expertise and experience and are well placed to deliver the work for which funding is sought
They make grants to fund charitable work. They primarily fund registered charities but are willing to make grants to other types of not for profit organisations, such as Community Interest Companies (CICs) or constituted community groups if they can explain how you would use their funding for charitable purposes.

Please note: if your organisation is not a registered charity, they require you to submit a constitution, which shows your charitable purpose. If you are a CIC they require you to provide details of how your constitution prevents funds being removed from the organisation (asset lock)

Qualifying Criteria

Please only apply for this grant if you meet the following criteria:

Organisation size: £50k – £3m (in exceptional circumstances up to £5m)
Location of work: UK only
Funding covers: Running costs, salaries and projects
Organisation type: Charities and not-for-profit organisations, including social enterprises

Priority Areas

They have six funding priorities that describe the work they support and how they want to bring about change for the most disadvantaged people in the greatest need.

Their application form asks you to identify which priority (or priorities) your work meets. All the grants they make must meet one of the priorities. Some applications may fit within several priority areas, but you don’t need to address more than one. Applications will be assessed on the quality of the work rather than the number of priority areas they are working towards.

1) Help at a critical moment

Helping people to rebuild their lives following a crisis, critical moment, trauma or abuse.

They want to fund services that support people to overcome a crisis, critical moment, trauma or abuse and move on with their lives. Work that they support in this area is likely to be holistic and reasonably intensive.

Outcomes:

People are supported at a time of crisis, critical moment, trauma or abuse, and helped to move on positively with their lives.
There is an improvement in how people feel about themselves e.g. improved confidence, self-esteem, resilience, or well-being.
People have improved mental health and/or ability to cope.

High need groups

Victims/survivors of domestic abuse
Refugees and asylum seekers
Children who have been sexually exploited
Those in mental health crisis
Those involved in sex work and those who are victims of trafficking
Victims of hate crime

2) Positive Choices

Helping people, whose actions or behaviours have led to negative consequences for themselves and others, to make positive choices.

They want to fund services that work to reduce harmful behaviours such as offending and/or drug/alcohol misuse. They are looking to support interventions that are relatively intensive and treat individuals holistically while challenging harmful attitudes and behaviours.

Outcomes:

People have access to quality specialist rehabilitation services that enable them to move on positively with their lives.
There is a change in people’s ability to cope that results in them being less likely to engage in harmful behaviours.
A reduction in harmful behaviours over time (e.g. a reduction in offending or alcohol/drug consumption).

High need groups:

Young people at risk of offending
Substance misusers
Perpetrators of domestic abuse
Prisoners and ex-offenders

3) Accommodation / housing support

Enabling people to work towards or maintain accommodation.

They want to help people who are homeless, at risk of homelessness or who are vulnerably housed. Many organisations working with this client group will also address the underlying reasons for homelessness (e.g. mental health crisis, lack of employment, lack of support networks, lack of financial understanding, substance misuse) and are therefore likely to meet outcomes in a number of their other priority areas.

Outcomes:

People have access to support enabling them to gain and/or sustain stable accommodation.
People have gained the skills needed to live independently and maintain a home.
Vulnerable people in need of housing are given support to remain safe and gain the skills to live with greater independence.

High need groups:

Refugees and asylum seekers
Young people
Victims/survivors of domestic abuse
People with substance misuse issues
People with mental health issues

4) Employment and training

Supporting people to move towards or gain employment. They wish to fund support and training for those who are the furthest from the job market giving them the opportunity to build their confidence, identity and self-worth and reach their personal potential to work.

Outcomes:

People have improved soft skills, are moving towards employment and/or being work ready.
People have developed appropriate technical skills (including literacy, numeracy and job-specific qualifications) and are more likely to gain employment as a result.
People have engaged in training to reach their personal potential to work or volunteer.

High need groups:

Young people
Ex-offenders
People experiencing homelessness
People with a disability
Refugees

5) Financial inclusion, rights and entitlements

Supporting people to overcome their financial problems and ensure that they are able to claim their rights and entitlements. They want to fund work that helps people to make the right choices about financial issues. Financial pressures exacerbate poverty and are a key factor in wider social exclusion. Being informed about financial options, money management, debt repayment and saving money all contribute to stable living arrangements and an ability to plan ahead.

Outcomes:

People have the support, information and advice to address their financial issues.
People are able to navigate the benefits, migration and asylum systems and claim their rights and entitlements.
People have improved financial literacy, are more able to understand their finances and have greater confidence when budgeting and managing their money.

High need groups:

Low income households
People with disabilities
People experiencing homelessness
Refugees and asylum seekers

6) Support networks and family

Working with people to develop improved support networks and family relationships. They want to fund work that helps people to develop positive social networks and/or family relationships. They want to help people cultivate relationships that provide emotional and practical support, increase resilience and foster a sense of connectedness.

Outcomes:

An individual and/or family enjoys positive and constructive relationships with others; feeling and being socially connected.
An individual and/or family has the skills, understanding and emotional capacity to maintain and manage positive relationships.
An individual, family or carer receives support that increases their resilience, independence and/or reduces mental health issues and isolation.

High need groups:

Early years work with parents and children
Older people
Learning disability
Care leavers
People with mental health issues
Carers

Full guidelines are available for each priority area on the website Examples of past projects are also provided too.

Please note that they can only provide funding for unrestricted running costs if all an organisation’s activities fall within their guidelines and priorities. Where some elements fall outside guidelines e.g. campaigning work, or training for professionals, they will only be able to consider applications towards a specific project.

Please contact them if you have a question - 020 7264 4970