The Hilden Charitable Fund has announced that its UK funding programme is now open for applications.  Funding is available to support small UK charities working with asylum seekers and refugees, or in penal affairs.

Grants are usually between £5,000 and £7,000 per year, for up to two years. The fund has a UK programme budget of around £400,000 and will prioritise smaller organisations with strong governance, relevant experience and meaningful involvement of people with lived experience.

Eligible applicants must be UK-based registered charities, CIOs, charitable companies or excepted charities with annual income of no more than £200,000. Funding can be unrestricted or for project costs, including full-cost recovery.

The programme will support:

• essential services for asylum seekers and refugees;
• work helping refugees participate in the wider community;
• prison-based projects, especially supporting women;
• post-release work that supports resettlement, family bonds and reduced reoffending.

Examples of the type of projects that could be funded include:

• A refugee integration project offering English conversation, community orientation, digital skills, volunteering support and social activities.
• A small specialist employment project helping refugees with the right to work to prepare CVs, understand UK workplace expectations, access training and apply for jobs.
• A prison-based programme for women that supports wellbeing, confidence, parenting, family contact or preparation for release.
• A “through the gate” resettlement service helping people leaving prison with housing, appointments, benefits, family links and community support.
• A family-bonding project for prisoners, such as supported visits, parenting sessions, letter-writing support or post-release family mediation.

Applications must be made online after completing an eligibility checklist. The deadline is 3pm on Thursday 27 August 2026, with decisions expected by late October or early November 2026.