Headley Trust

Funding for registered charities in the UK for projects in the following areas: arts and heritage UK, cathedrals and major churches, parish churches, arts and heritage overseas, developing countries, education, and health and social welfare.

The Headley Trust Grant is provided and administered by The Sainsbury Family Charitable Trusts and is available to registered charities throughout the UK

Funding is available for registered charities in the UK or activities with clearly defined charitable purposes

Funding is available for work in the following areas:

• Arts and heritage UK:
  • Regional museums and galleries, with special consideration for curatorial support and acquisitions.
  • The display, study and acquisition of British ceramics.
  • Conservation of industrial, maritime and built heritage.
  • Archaeology.
  • Arts education/outreach and access to the arts for disabled and disadvantaged people.
  • Headley Museums Archaeological Acquisition Fund (intended to help museums secure and display notable finds).
• Cathedrals and major churches:
  • Restoration or repair work to the fabric of ancient cathedrals, parish church cathedrals and large churches of exceptional architectural merit that were built before 1850.
  • Conservation of monuments
  • Applications for energy efficient measures if they are part of a wider appeal for fabric conservation.
  • Applications for fire and burglar alarms.
  • Applications for solar panels and photovoltaic cells.
• Parish churches:
  • Fabric repairs to listed medieval parish churches in sparsely populated and less prosperous rural areas of England and Wales; and the provision of toilet facilities and disabled access within these churches. Applications may also be made for fire alarms, roof alarms, and electrical work if part of an overall scheme of work. NB Churches are considered by diocese on a rotational basis, twice a year in July and October - eligible churches will be invited to apply.
• Arts and heritage overseas:
  • Conservation and recording of heritage (including ecclesiastical and vernacular architecture, archaeology and cultural artefacts), primarily in South Eastern Europe (Slovenia, Croatia, Albania, Greece, Macedonia, Bulgaria, Romania, Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia-Herzegovina) as well as Ethiopia.
  • Raising awareness of heritage issues in these countries; supporting the capacity of new heritage NGOs; training the next generation of conservation and heritage professionals; engaging young people in their heritage.
  • Priority will be given to locally led organisations employing local experts.
• Developing countries: Development projects in sub-Saharan Anglophone Africa that test new approaches and core funding for organisations operating within these priority themes below:
  • Education (helping girls to continue their education beyond primary school, improving students’ access to secondary and tertiary education and projects to improve the quality of teaching).
  • Healthcare (trachoma prevention and treatment programmes in Ethiopia and care for mothers and infants across sub-Saharan Anglophone Africa).
  • Water (access to water, promoting better use of water resources and sanitation projects).
• Education:
  • Bursaries for UK graduate students in dance and postgraduate students in classical music.
  • Bursaries for vocational training in conservation and heritage skills.
• Health and social welfare:
  • Support for older people to live independently for as long as possible.
  • Projects to improve older people’s quality of life in residential care homes, including supporting people with dementia.
  • Support for carers of older people (local and national).
  • Support for disadvantaged families and young people.
  • Small grants providing practical aids for disabled people. This programme is only eligible for applicants who live in the UK and has a separate application process.