Grants for charities

We provide grants and wider support to charities that can deliver innovative, practical skills and employment opportunities for individuals facing barriers to work.

The programmes we fund are often experimental in nature, and help prove that through taking a creative, targeted approach to widening talent pools and supporting harder to reach groups, we can build a better, fairer, more productive society.

We are currently focused on:

  • Helping prisoners gain skills and move into lasting employment on release
  • Removing barriers faced by refugees to develop skills and get meaningful work
  • Supporting people at Critical Transition Points in their lives and careers

The latest Charity partner stories on the City & Guilds Foundation website:

Celebrating the achievements of young people with Positive Youth Foundation

Celebrating the achievements of young people with Positive Youth Foundation

by | 21 Jan 2025 | , , , , ,

It was an absolute honour last week to address the graduating cohort from Positive Youth Foundation - a day brimming with celebration, inspiration, and pride. For those not familiar, Positive Youth Foundation (PYF) supports newly arrived young people to the UK, aged 16-25, in Coventry. Initially established in 2011 as a youth charity to support young people in the city, in 2015 PYF created its Involved Programme to support the integration of newly arrived refugee and asylum-seeking young...

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Funding for makers: Applications for QEST (Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust) Grants open until 10 Feb

Funding for makers: Applications for QEST (Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust) Grants open until 10 Feb

by | 9 Jan 2025 | , , ,

Sustaining vital skills in traditional and contemporary crafts QEST offers three grants to support makers and conservators at various career stages. Grants are available for education and training, with Scholarships of up to £18,000, Emerging Maker grants of up to £10,000, and up to £12,000 towards an apprentice’s salary. Since their founding in 1990, QEST have awarded £7 million to almost 900 individuals working across a broad range of disciplines including in glassblowing, thatching, guitar...

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Inspiration and innovation at HMP Pentonville with XO Bikes

Inspiration and innovation at HMP Pentonville with XO Bikes

by | 9 Oct 2024 | , , , , , , , ,

Since we created the City & Guilds Foundation in 2019, one of our key funding activities has been identifying and activating practical ways to support those who have been in Prison (or at risk of entering Prison) to build skills and secure, and sustain, employment. We know that there is a recognised and agreed need to reduce reoffending, and evidence shows that upskilling prisoners, together with stable accommodation and support is the most effective way to recidivism. Our £1m Big Idea...

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How Catch22 is supporting individuals into entry-level green sector roles

How Catch22 is supporting individuals into entry-level green sector roles

by | 7 Oct 2024 | , , , , ,

We know that the cost of training can be a huge obstacle to accessing the skills needed to get into work. This makes it even more challenging to those already facing barriers in society. That’s why over 20 years ago we established our bursary programme: to support those in financial need to access training and development which will lead to sustainable employment. We focus particularly on awarding funding in sectors where more skilled workers will be needed in the future. So when we heard that...

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Green Start: A transformative programme continuing to empower ex-offenders from Groundwork

Green Start: A transformative programme continuing to empower ex-offenders from Groundwork

by | 21 Jun 2024 | , , , ,

Last year, we reported on the inspiring work being carried out by Groundwork, a UK-wide alliance of charities that brings communities together to tackle poverty and environmental challenges. Committed to creating opportunities for all, they launched their Green Start programme in 2021 in partnership with the City & Guilds Foundation to equip prison leavers with construction, carbon literacy and green skills. The programme has exceeded expectations, with positive prisoner outcomes, a...

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Foundation & Friends Podcast: Unlocking Hidden Refugee Talent with Jessica Ridgewell from Breaking Barriers

Foundation & Friends Podcast: Unlocking Hidden Refugee Talent with Jessica Ridgewell from Breaking Barriers

by | 19 Jun 2024 | , , , ,

How employers can harness the potential of refugee candidates While many UK employers will be aware of the social value associated with supporting refugees, not all will be aware of how best to harness the talent and experience that refugees can bring to the workplace. In this podcast, host Lauren Roberts is joined by Jessica Ridgewell, Head of Corporate Partnerships, Breaking Barriers, who shares her experience of helping major UK businesses to access, integrate and benefit from refugee...

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Creating collective impact in the rehabilitation sector

Creating collective impact in the rehabilitation sector

by | 21 Mar 2024 | , , , ,

This is a guest post by Ian Bickers, Founder of Unlocking Justice and member of our Future Skills Commission for Prisons. When the City & Guilds Foundation organised a day bringing together the people they are partnering with in the rehabilitation space, I was delighted to be asked to speak at it and share some of my own learnings from 20 years of working in, and with, prisons. My first impression from the day was the sheer amount of knowledge and experience gathered in the room. From...

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What we learned about making applications more accessible – for refugee women and for all

What we learned about making applications more accessible – for refugee women and for all

by | 30 Jan 2024 | , , , ,

Access to training and learning opportunities is one of the barriers for refugee women with experience of seeking safety to start or progress their professional lives in the UK. This includes financial barriers, as well as other barriers related to accessing education. City & Guilds Foundation have therefore started a partnership with Routes, to support women in accessing opportunities through the City & Guilds bursary. A significant step in overcoming the financial barrier of the...

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Eliminating barriers to employment in the green sector

Eliminating barriers to employment in the green sector

by | 5 Sep 2023 | , , , , , ,

Creating and filling green jobs is crucial if the UK is to meet its target to deliver a net-zero economy by 2050 (Green Jobs Taskforce, 2021). Green jobs help to protect and restore the natural environment whilst also boosting economic growth, improving energy security, cutting household bills and promoting healthier communities. In essence, they benefit both people and the planet. However, the available workers and skill set required for these positions are increasingly falling short of what...

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