The Austin and Hope Pilkington Trust gives small, targeted grants to UK-registered charities supporting people in the UK who face the greatest barriers and have the fewest opportunities. Its funding is highly theme-driven and changes by round, with recent priorities centered on homelessness prevention, practical life skills, unpaid adult carers, and support for people leaving prison, care, or the armed forces. The Trust appears to favor direct-service charities working with specific underserved groups rather than broad general-purpose organizations.
Focus Areas
Homelessness Prevention and SupportLife Skills and Financial CapabilityUnpaid Adult CarersSupport for People Leaving Prison, Care, or the Armed ForcesTherapeutic Activities for Vulnerable AdultsLoneliness Reduction for Older Adults
Giving Approach
Quarterly, application-based grant rounds with fixed amounts of £1,000 or £5,000. Awards are relatively small and highly program-specific, with separate eligibility thresholds for smaller and larger charities; priorities rotate by round and year.
How to approach this funder
Apply through the Trust’s annual round openings, typically 1–30 April and 1–30 September for £5,000 grants, and 1–28 February and 1–31 July for £1,000 grants. Make sure your charity is UK-registered and that your project matches the specific round theme exactly; for some rounds, eligibility depends on operating income/expenditure thresholds and proposals outside the current priority area are unlikely to be considered.
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Open Grant Opportunities
Current and upcoming funding from The Austin And Hope Pilkington Trust that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Opening soonCloses Jul 31, 2026Award: $1K – $5K
Annual Grant Rounds
homelessnessunpaid carersreducing loneliness+3 more
Who can apply: Only UK registered charities (or charities exempt from registration) are eligible. Charities must meet the income and expenditure thresholds for the relevant round: £100,000-£1,000,000 for £1,000 grants, and £1,000,000+ for £5,000 grants. The project must fit the current annual priorities and must not fall under the Trust's list of excluded activities.
Deadline: Grant Round 1: 1st-28th February (£1,000); Grant Round 2: 1st-30th April (£5,000); Grant Round 3: 1st-31st July (£1,000); Grant Round 4: 1st-30th September (£5,000).
Unpaid adult carers (18+)Therapeutic support (healthy eating, outdoor activities)
Who can apply: Applicant must be a UK-registered charity (or exempt) with operating income between £100,000 and £1,000,000 and operating expenditure between £100,000 and £1,000,000. Project must focus exclusively on the specified beneficiary group for the round and not be on the Trust's excluded list.
Deadline: Application period each year: 1st - 31st July
Unpaid carers (2026)Therapeutic supportFuture priorities include reducing loneliness for 60+ and mental health for young carers
Who can apply: Applicant must be a UK-registered charity (or exempt) with operating income and operating expenditure of at least £1,000,000. Project must fit the Trust's current priorities and not appear on the Trust's excluded list.
Deadline: Application period each year: 1st - 30th September
People experiencing or at risk of homelessnessLife skills (food education, healthy living, budgeting)Priority for people leaving armed forces, prison or care
Who can apply: Applicant must be a UK-registered charity (or exempt) with operating income between £100,000 and £1,000,000 and operating expenditure between £100,000 and £1,000,000. Project must fit the Trust's current priorities and not appear on the Trust's excluded list.
Deadline: Application period each year: 1st - 28th February
People experiencing or at risk of homelessnessLife skills (food education, healthy living, budgeting)
Who can apply: Applicant must be a UK-registered charity (or exempt) with operating income and operating expenditure of at least £1,000,000. Project must fit the Trust's current priorities and not appear on the Trust's excluded list.
Deadline: Application period each year: 1st - 30th April
Deadlines and eligibility are summarized from public sources and may change — always confirm the details on the funder's official application page before applying.