The Henry Smith Charity changed its name to the Henry Smith Foundation in June 2025 and published it new strategy, Elevate Your Impact (2025-2030), which ‘reaffirms its commitment to the people and organisations driving change across the UK’.

Over the next five years, the Foundation will focus on supporting people facing some of life’s toughest transitions.

It will offer flexible, long-term funding through its new funding programmes:

• Getting started – supporting families to give their young children a strong start
• Building independence – helping young people move into adulthood with confidence, skills and hope
• Safer futures – supporting people to rebuild their lives after abuse, displacement or prison.

Objectives of Fund

The funding helps to provide opportunities for children aged 13 years or younger who face financial hardship, systemic inequity or disability to go on a short recreational holiday or outing they would not otherwise have the opportunity to experience. Priority is given to fun and new experiences, such as camping, adventure activities, or visits to the seaside. Trips must take place within the UK, Isle of Man or Channel Islands.

Value Notes

Grants of between £500 and £3,000 per trip are available.

Match Funding Restrictions

Match funding may be required.

Who Can Apply

Youth groups and UK based non-profits with an organisational income below £2 million and schools in the UK are eligible to apply.

Priority will be given to projects that will benefit disadvantaged and disabled children in the most deprived areas in the UK. This means areas that fall within the bottom 20% according to the National Indices of Deprivation. For groups of children with disabilities, more flexibility will be given regarding the level of deprivation.

Restrictions

Funding is not available for the following:

• Organisations that cannot provide a copy of their most recent audited or independently inspected annual accounts. If you are a school, this means your latest school inspection report.
• Organisations whose main activity is providing holidays or trips for children. Support is not for the running costs of play or holiday schemes.
• Organisations (except schools) with an income or expenditure of over £2 million.
• Organisations that are for-profit or do not have charitable aims.
• Trips outside the four nations of the UK (England, Northern Ireland, Wales, Scotland).
• Trips to high-cost destinations such as expensive theme parks (ie, Alton Towers, Legoland, Thorpe Park) or sporting events. Note: consideration will be given to applications to low-cost theme parks like Diggerland or Blackpool Pleasure Beach.
• Trips that have already taken place.
• Trips that will happen in less than six weeks.
• Trips for children over the age of 13.
• Trips that are educational or meet curriculum aims.
• Trips where the main goal is to promote a particular religion or convert children to a faith.
• Trips that include families and not only children.
• Trips where some children might be excluded due to cost.
• Trips over multiple days to multiple venues.
• Trips that spend too much time travelling, the focus should be on the children’s fun experience.
• Organisations already funded or rejected by the Holiday Grants Programme in the same calendar year.
• Organisations that already have an active grant or a pending application with a different grant programme in The Henry Smith Charity.

Eligible Expenditure

Applications can be made for grants towards a single trip, which could be a day trip or a longer residential of up to seven days in length. This could be to a countryside or city location but must be outside the children’s immediate locality. Day trips should not involve a disproportionate amount of time spent travelling.

The funders will consider trips which are more local but these should have an emphasis on providing a new experience for the children and broadening their horizons. Examples include camping, trips to adventure activity centres or the seaside.

The funders will sometimes consider applications for groups of children living in deprived circumstances within more affluent areas. In this case, it is essential that the need for support is clearly explained.

Grants are only available to support children who are aged 13 and under.

How To Apply

This fund is open for applications three times a year and applications are accepted based on when the trip is happening.

Applications for trips between:

• 12 January and 30 April 2026 are open from 1 December 2025 to 19 March 2026
• 1 May and 30 September 2026 are open from 20 March to 19 August 2026
• 1 October and 31 December 2026 are open from 20 August to 19 November 2026.

Grants are made on a first come, first served basis until the available funding for that round has been fully allocated. All applications should be received at least six weeks before the date of the trip to allow for administrative processing and decision making.

To start the application process, groups need to complete a short eligibility quiz on the Foundation’s website. Those who are eligible will then have access to the full online application form.

Contact the Henry Smith Foundation for further information.