Esmee Fairbairn Foundation – Grants

Total Value of Fund

The Foundation has made £49.3 million in main grants in 2025, across its three strategic aims, and typically spends around £45m – £50m per year in grant awards.

Amount that can be applied for

Minimum grant size is £30,000. The Foundation states it has no maximum grant size and can fund significantly larger awards for transformational work.

Percentage that can be applied for

The Foundation does not specify a fixed percentage of project costs it will fund. Rather, applicants propose the amount they need (above the £30,000 minimum) based on their organisational strategy and project plan.

Who can apply

• Constituted UK organisations with charitable purposes can apply, they must have a regular annual turnover of at least £100,000 and be properly constituted (e.g., registered charities or organisations doing charitable work).
• Organisations need not be a registered charity provided they are legally charitable and governed appropriately.

Aims of the fund

The Foundation’s strategy is focused on three main interrelated aims:
• Improving our natural world
• Securing a fairer future
• Strengthening the bonds in communities
Grants are made to organisations whose work aligns with one or more of these strategic aims and can deliver long-term systemic impact.

Timing

• Esmée Fairbairn grants are generally open on a rolling basis. Organisations can submit expressions of interest at any time.
• Applications proceed through an EOI → assessment call → full proposal pipeline, with decisions often made within several months of proposal submission.
• The Foundation accepts expressions of interest throughout the year, with no fixed annual deadlines unless a specific call (e.g., themed funds) is announced.

Examples of successful projects

Esmée Fairbairn supports high-value, long-term grants across its priority areas. Examples include:
• SCAN’s Cultivate programme, a £130,000 award to support contemporary art participation and professional development in Scotland over 2.5 years.
• Poole Communities Trust collaboration, a £200,000 grant supporting a multi-year community dance initiative.
• Youth-Led Creativity Funding Programme, a £1 million programme with up to £120,000 per grant to support young people’s creative initiatives.
 

Contact info

• Website: https://esmeefairbairn.org.uk/
• Email: info@esmeefairbairn.org.uk
• Phone: 020 7812 3700
• Address: 
Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, 
6th Floor, 210 Pentonville Road, 
London, 
N1 9JY