The Austin Bailey Foundation is a UK-based family foundation that splits its giving between local support in South Wales and longer-term international partnerships in the developing world. Locally, it prioritizes rapid-response help for young people, small community charities, and churches, especially where grants can remove barriers to education, employment, wellbeing, and youth participation. Internationally, it favors practical, self-sustaining projects in poverty reduction, agriculture, water/sanitation, renewable energy, and youth livelihoods, often through YMCA-linked or similar trusted partners.
Focus Areas
Youth Education and Employment SupportChurch Youth Work and Social OutreachCommunity Wellbeing and Family SupportSustainable Agriculture and Food SecurityWater, Sanitation, and Renewable EnergyInternational Youth Livelihoods and Vocational Training
Giving Approach
Mixed giving model: small rapid-response local grants, periodic trustee-reviewed community and church grants, and larger multi-year international flagship partnerships selected on a three-year cycle. Grant sizes range from very small individual awards up to about £2,000 locally, with flagship overseas partnerships typically around £12,000-£24,000 over three years; some international standard grants are small fixed awards. Local grants are reviewed at set trustee meetings, while individual young-person grants are rolling and fast-turnaround.
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How to approach this funder
Match your request to the correct stream: individual young people and local groups in Swansea/Neath Port Talbot can apply on a rolling basis or through trustee-meeting deadlines, while churches and local charities should submit about one month before the April, September, or December trustee meetings. International applicants should usually be UK-registered charities working in Africa, Asia, or Latin America with practical, sustainable interventions and strong local partnerships; larger flagship partnerships are selected only every three years, so early contact is important.
Notable grantees:
• Ripple Effect (formerly Send a Cow)
• Renewable World
• Y Care International
• Pump Aid / Beyond Water
• YMCA partners including Jericho YMCA and Ramallah YMCA
Open Grant Opportunities
Current and upcoming funding from The Austin Bailey Foundation that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Open nowCloses Jul 31, 2026Award: $1K – $24K
Overseas Grants
poverty reliefhealthyoung people+5 more
Who can apply: Applicants for international grants must be UK registered charities operating in the developing world. The foundation prefers small organisations, self-sustaining work, and projects that involve and educate beneficiaries. It tends to avoid developed countries including Eastern Europe and BRIC countries. Re-applications within 12 months are unlikely to succeed.
Deadline: Applications are normally cut off about 10 weeks before each trustee meeting. The site shows a next meeting on 8th September 2026 and a deadline of 31st July 2026.
Who can apply: Applicants should be local charities, CICs, CIOs, or community groups. If not based in the area of giving, applicants must demonstrate strong local involvement. Unconstituted groups must work with Swansea Council of Voluntary Services or Neath Port Talbot Council of Voluntary Services before applying. The foundation prefers specific project/need support over salary costs and favors self-sustaining or self-help work.
Deadline: Meetings normally occur three times per year; applications are due one month before each meeting. The site also shows a next meeting of 8th September 2026 with a deadline of 31st July 2026.
Who can apply: Churches seeking support for mission and ministry. The foundation prefers to be a significant contributor to a missional initiative rather than a very small part of a large project. Larger flagship funding is generally for churches with an existing relationship with the foundation.
Deadline: The site shows the next meeting on 8th September 2026 with a deadline of 31st July 2026 for local charity and church applications.
Bridging the Gap (Large Grants for Groups of Young People)
young peopleeducationemployment+5 more
Who can apply: For groups of young people and applicable organisations supporting young people under 25 in Swansea and Neath Port Talbot. Grants are intended to remove barriers to education or employment and improve wellbeing and engagement with school, college or work.
Deadline: No explicit deadline stated on the page; applications appear to be accepted online and reviewed quickly. Separate application forms are linked for the program.
Bridging the Gap - Large Grants for groups of young people
young people (under 25)education supportemployment readiness+1 more
Who can apply: Organisations supporting young people under 25 in Swansea and Neath Port Talbot. For larger requests (>£2,000) contact trustees first.
Deadline: Applications are reviewed with a rapid turnaround; no fixed periodic deadline—applications are processed to decide and pay within days where possible.
International / Overseas Grants (standard small grants)
poverty reliefhealthyouth opportunities+1 more
Who can apply: Applicants must be UK-registered charities operating in the developing world. The foundation tends to avoid applications for high-profile disasters and developed/BRIC countries.
Deadline: Trustees meet in April, September and December; deadline is one month before each meeting. Site notes that they often impose an early cut-off due to volume; current published international deadline: 31 July 2026.
Deadlines and eligibility are summarized from public sources and may change — always confirm the details on the funder's official application page before applying.