Charles Hayward Foundation Grants

The Charles Hayward Foundation supports projects which help to prevent people entering the criminal justice system, and which support those in contact with the system to rebuild their lives.

UK registered charities with an annual income of between £350,000 and £4 million can apply for grants of between £15,000 and £25,000 per year over one to three years.

The funding is for projects that address the following:

• Targeted early intervention programmes aimed at reaching the most troubled and vulnerable families in a community.
• Tailored preventative and diversionary projects for young people at risk of offending, including interventions identifying and addressing the particular needs of girls and young women.
• Programmes combining prison-based and community interventions dealing with the rehabilitation of offenders, accommodation and support on release,     maintaining family relationships, mentoring, and creating pathways to employment.
• Schemes offering viable alternatives to custody, in particular for women and young people.
• Programmes of support that alleviate the consequences of domestic abuse.
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The trustees look for projects which:

• Address multiple and complex needs with a range of appropriate interventions.
• Are tailored to individual needs and local situations involving families and communities; these can be designed and delivered in partnership.
• Are of appropriate duration and intensity, have a clear rationale, and are properly monitored and evaluated.
• Have a plan for the future, including an ‘exit strategy’.

The Foundation is also open to creative and specialist approaches and trialling new solutions.

There is a two-stage application process. The deadline for Stage 1 applications is 19 September 2025.‍