How much can we apply for?
All successful applicants will receive a grant of £250,000 over five years (£50,000 per year). You don’t need to request a specific amount or submit a budget; we’ll award the same grant amount to every organisation we fund.
We provide counselling to survivors of domestic abuse but we are not a specialist domestic abuse organisation, can we still apply?
No, this fund is specifically for specialist domestic abuse organisations whose primary purpose is to support people who are experiencing or have experienced domestic abuse.
We provide counselling but less than 12 sessions worth, can we still apply?
This fund is focused on longer-term support. Unfortunately, if you don’t offer at least 12 sessions of counselling then you will not be eligible for this fund.
Our counsellors are volunteers and/or students, can we still apply?
Yes, your counsellors can be volunteers and/or students as long as they are a member or student/trainee member of BACP, UKCP or equivalent.
Can counselling service be delivered online?
Yes. Counselling can be delivered online, face-to-face or through a blended approach, where this is appropriate for the people you support.
We’re a current grant holder, can we apply?
If you currently hold a Henry Smith Foundation grant from the Domestic Abuse ‘led by and for’ Fund, then unfortunately you cannot apply.
If you hold any other Henry Smith Foundation grant, then you can apply for funding.
If you are unsure, please contact us at saferfutures@henrysmith.foundation
We are a national organisation, can we apply?
Yes, we are national organisations are eligible to apply for this Fund.
Do you fund work, projects or organisations that are new?
No. This fund is designed to support organisations with an established track record. To be eligible you must have:
- At least a year’s worth of accounts that have been audited or independently examined, and
- At least three years’ experience delivering specialist counselling to people who have experienced domestic abuse, and
- Have published your first set of annual accounts
We recognise the need for more specialist services across the UK, but this fund is focused on strengthening existing services and organisations, and ensuring their long-term sustainability.
Why do we need three years' experience?
We want to fund organisations with an established track record of delivering specialist counselling to people who have experienced domestic abuse.
Three years allows time to develop your service and fully understand the impact of your support.
We are a mosque/church/temple that conducts worship every week/day etc. and we also run a specialist domestic abuse service. Are we eligible?
We don’t fund organisations whose primary charitable objective is the advancement of religion, so we wouldn’t fund a mosque/church/temple.
We are happy to fund specialist domestic abuse services delivered by faith-based organisations, providing their primary purpose is supporting the community, not promotion of faith.
For example:
We would not fund a mosque delivering domestic abuse services, however we could fund a Muslim women’s group set up to support victim-survivors of domestic abuse, where worship was included in the support provided.
Are there specific age groups that funded organisations must support?
There are no age restrictions for this fund. Your organisation can work with any age group.
We will, however, be ring-fencing five grants for organisations that are working with children and/or young people. This is because we recognise that specialist support for children and young people affected by domestic abuse is often limited. By setting aside dedicated funding, we hope to strengthen and sustain provision for this group.
Do we have to work only with women to be eligible?
No, this fund is not gender specific. Your organisation can work with individuals of any gender.
We work with perpetrators of domestic abuse, would we be eligible?
Whilst the Foundation does fund organisations working with perpetrators of domestic abuse, this fund is specifically for organisations supporting people who have experienced, or are experiencing, domestic abuse.
If your organisation’s primary focus is working with perpetrators then you are not eligible for this fund. If your main focus is support for victim-survivors and a small amount of your services are targeted towards perpetrators, then you would be eligible to apply.
We work on preventing abuse, would we be eligible to apply?
No, this fund is for organisations who are supporting individuals who are experiencing, or have experienced, domestic abuse. We will not fund organisations that are primarily focused on preventing abuse.
How will you choose between equally fundable applications?
We will prioritise applications in order to fund organisations across as broad a range of geographical locations as possible.
What level of time commitment is expected from funded organisations, for example in relation to networking, convening or policy activities?
We would love to provide opportunities for funded organisations to learn, connect and share experiences, however this will not be a requirement of the grant. How much an organisation would like to engage with us or other grant holders is completely down to them.
We’re not sure if we meet the criteria, can we speak to someone?
Absolutely. If you’re unsure whether your organisation is a good fit, we’re happy to talk it through.
Call us on 020 7264 4970 or request a callback
You can also email us at saferfutures@henrysmith.foundation
We have applied to Henry Smith Foundation before but were declined, can we apply again?
Absolutely. If you’ve applied to the Foundation before but have been declined this will have no impact on your application. If you’re unsure or have concerns about applying again, we encourage you to have a conversation with us beforehand.
Call us on 020 7264 4970 or request a callback
You can also email us at saferfutures@henrysmith.foundation
Can I use AI to help with my application?
That’s up to you. We’re interested in understanding your work, your approach and the difference you’re making, so your application should reflect your voice and experience. If you choose to use AI, we recommend using it to support your thinking or structure not write it for you.
We have noticed that AI-generated applications can include errors, so always check the accuracy of any information it provides.
See more on AI in applications.
Will there be future funding opportunities for domestic abuse services beyond this current round?
Yes, under the Foundation’s Safer Futures funding priority, domestic abuse is a key area of focus and there will be more funding opportunities available in the future.