Proud Homes Fund FAQs

The Proud Homes Fund provides long-term development grants to generalist homelessness organisations to embed safer, culturally competent and affirming practice for LGBT+ young people aged 16-25.

The fund supports work that improves safety, consistency, dignity, and inclusive practice for LGBT+ young people—often through training, organisational development, partnerships, and strengthening internal systems. We fund generalist providers such as housing advice teams, hostels, and supported accommodation that already support young people facing or experiencing homelessness.

LGBT+ young people are overrepresented in homelessness data and often report experiencing unsafe or exclusionary practice in generalist settings.

The fund will support up to 6 UK based homelessness organisations that want to improve their inclusive practice that:

• Deliver generalist support for young people (e.g., hostels, supported accommodation, outreach)
• Have a track record of working with young people
• Are committed to engaging youth voice

We will also fund 1-2 organisations who are already demonstrating exemplary or strong practice in supporting LGBT+ young people facing or experiencing homelessness.

Young people are the experts on their own lives. Centring youth voice means young people’s own words, experiences and priorities drive the work that supports them, not assumptions made on their behalf. This can happen through ongoing, meaningful engagement such as roundtables, youth boards, research, and more.

A trusted adult is a consistent, supportive and non-judgmental person in a young person’s life who provides safe guidance and help them navigate life’s challenges, especially important during the transition into adulthood. This could be a parent, carer, teacher, mentor, relative, social worker, coach or any adult the young person feels safe turning to.

This refers to the direct, personal knowledge and understanding gained through navigating life’s challenges firsthand. Similar to centring youth voice, this means that those who have personally experienced the issues you work on are active contributors to shaping the support, decisions and/or direction of what you do.

Most grants will support organisations that recognise gaps in their current practice and want to strengthen how they support LGBT+ young people (development grants). A small number of grants will support organisations already demonstrating strong inclusive practice that can share learning with others (established practice grants).

We don’t expect you to label yourself perfectly. We’re more interested in honest reflection on where you are now, what you want to improve, and how you can contribute to shared learning.

You do not need to select a category at Expression of Interest stage. If invited to submit a full application, we may ask slightly different questions depending on whether your organisation is at an earlier stage of development or already demonstrates strong inclusive practice.

The core expectations around safeguarding, governance and organisational change apply to all grants. The distinction simply helps us understand your starting point and how you can contribute to shared learning.

Grants are typically £200,000 over 4 years (£50,000 per year) and can include core costs such as salaries, rent, utilities, and staff wellbeing.

Your organisation must:

• Be a registered charity, CIC, or community benefit society
• Have at least one year of audited or independently examined accounts
• Have an annual income between £250,000 and £3 million
• Be based in and delivering services in the UK

You must already meet baseline safeguarding, governance and financial standards. Proud Homes can support you to strengthen and embed inclusive practice, but it cannot be used to address serious safeguarding failures or to bring organisations up to a basic standard.

At full application stage, we will explore your safeguarding policies, leadership oversight and how you respond to identity-based harm. Organisations do not need to be perfect, but they must demonstrate safe systems and clear leadership accountability.

The fund will not support:

• Work benefiting people outside the UK
• Retrospective work
• Work solely for individuals or families
• Statutory responsibilities
• Activities that proselytise

Applicants should explain how their work makes a difference. Indicators may include:

• Changes to safeguarding, assessment and placement policies
• Improvements in staff confidence, supervision and reflective practice
• Feedback from LGBT+ young people about their experience
• Young people reporting improved wellbeing, confidence, and stability

What is the application process?

The process includes:

1. Eligibility quiz
2. Expression of Interest
3. Full application (if invited)
4. A conversation with the team
5. Grant decision

The fund opens on 6 May 2026 at 9am.

• EOI deadline: 3 June 2026 at 5pm
• Full application deadline: 24 July 2026 at 5pm

• Unsuccessful EOI applicants may not receive detailed feedback.
• If you are invited to submit a full application but we decide not to fund you, we will offer a feedback call.

You will be asked for:

• A detailed application
• A call with the grants team
• Background checks

You will need to:

• Provide recent bank details
• Submit annual and final reports
• Join an annual  learning call
• Host a mid-grant visit

Yes—if the proposed work clearly aligns with the aims of this fund. However, an additional grant must fund a different area of work and must not duplicate existing funding.

Yes. Organisations can request:

• Up to £250 at EOI stage
• Up to £500 at full application stage
  This can cover BSL interpreters, translation, scribes, assistive tech, and more.

You can contact the team by phone on 020 7264 4970 or email, or request a callback before submitting your EOI.