The Garfield Weston Foundation is a large UK-based family foundation focused on helping charities deliver practical, measurable benefit across the UK and UK Overseas Territories. It funds a very broad mix of work, but its patterns show strong interest in community welfare, youth, arts and culture, environmental projects, and education, with support ranging from small local charities to major capital and core funding for larger institutions. It is especially distinctive for offering flexible, rolling access through its grants portal and for backing both operating costs and large-scale projects.
Annual Giving$100M
Focus Areas
Community Welfare and Local CharitiesYouth and Family SupportArts, Theatre, and Cultural InstitutionsEnvironmental and Marine ConservationEducation and SkillsCapital Projects and Community Buildings
Giving Approach
Rolling, year-round grantmaking through an online portal, with both small and very large awards. Typical support includes core/operating grants, project grants, and capital grants; many awards are modest relative to project cost, while major grants of £100,000+ are considered separately via an expression of interest. Decisions are generally made within 4–6 months, and larger project or capital requests usually need significant co-funding already secured.
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How to approach this funder
Apply through the Foundation’s Grants Portal; regular grants are reviewed on a rolling basis and there is no fixed deadline. For project, capital, or major grants, be ready to show substantial matched funding or fundraising progress, and use the separate Major Grants EOI process for requests of £100,000 or more.
Notable grantees:
• Tara Theatre
• V&A
• Blood Cancer UK
• Art Fund
• Blue Marine
Open Grant Opportunities
Current and upcoming funding from Garfield Weston Foundation that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Open nowRolling / open intakeAward: Varies
Regular Grant
charitable servicescommunity benefiteducation+5 more
Who can apply: Open to UK registered charities, CIOs, and exempt/excepted organisations under Charity Commission guidance. Applicants must have at least one year of annual accounts as an eligible charity. The foundation does not fund one-off or annual events, sponsorship, feasibility studies, generic fundraising appeals, overseas activity, monuments/public works of art, endowments, campaigning/lobbying as a main activity, rescue/emergency organisations, salaries for specific posts, new organisations without a track record and accounts, or animal welfare charities. Work must take place in the UK or UK Overseas Territories; only one application at a time is allowed, and applicants must wait 12 months after a decision before reapplying.
Deadline: Applications are reviewed in the order received; decisions are typically returned within 4–6 months.
major grantscapital projectslarge-scale projects+1 more
Who can apply: For major grants, requests must be £100,000 or more and the total cost must be at least £1 million. For core costs, annual income must be £1 million or over. Applicants must also meet the foundation’s general eligibility rules and submit an expression of interest before any invitation to proceed.
Deadline: No fixed deadline stated; expression of interest process appears to be open on an ongoing basis.
Who can apply: Must be a UK-registered charity, CIO or exempt/excepted organisation; must have at least one year of annual accounts (audited/examined) or a Charity Commission annual return; work must take place in the UK or UKOTs; organisations cannot have received a decision (grant or declination) from the Foundation in the past 12 months.
Deadline: Rolling intake; decisions currently targeted within 4–6 months due to volume, reviewed in order received.
Who can apply: As per Foundation eligibility (charity status, accounts, UK/UKOT activity); hospices are generally not eligible for operating/core cost funding except in limited circumstances (focus on capital/discrete projects).
Deadline: No fixed deadline; part of the rolling Regular Grants intake.
time-limited projectsservice deliveryoutreach+1 more
Who can apply: Project must not have finished by the time a decision is expected (currently decisions within ~4–6 months). Standard Foundation eligibility applies (charity status, accounts, UK/UKOT activity).
Deadline: Rolling intake via the Grants Portal; recommended to have around half the project funding secured prior to application.
capital projectsmajor project fundingorganisational core funding at scale
Who can apply: To apply for a major grant: for core costs the organisation’s annual income must be £1m+; for capital/project funding the total project cost must be at least £1m. Complete eligibility quiz; must meet standard Foundation eligibility (charity status, accounts, UK/UKOT activity).
Deadline: EOIs accepted via portal; no published fixed deadline (case-by-case).
Who can apply: Planning / faculty permissions should be secured where relevant; if organisation does not own building, at least 20 years remaining on lease is expected; applicants should evidence up-to-date quotes and contingency; standard Foundation eligibility applies.
Deadline: Rolling intake via the Grants Portal; recommended ~50% of project funds raised before applying.
Deadlines and eligibility are summarized from public sources and may change — always confirm the details on the funder's official application page before applying.