Deadline: 2-Dec-2025
The Paul Hamlyn Foundation’s Ideas and Pioneers Fund invites individuals, groups and small organisations to explore ideas for social change that are still taking shape and need space to grow.
It offers grants of up to £20,000, together with a flexible support package to help the idea evolve, even if the final outcome is not fully determined.
The fund is designed for people who bring both personal experience of the issues they are trying to address and the ambition to test fresh approaches. It welcomes those whose idea is emerging rather than fully formed and who are ready to experiment, learn and adapt as they go. It particularly encourages applications from people facing barriers to accessing funding and whose voices are often under-represented.
Applicants can be aged 18 or over, and while priority is given to the 18-30 age group, those older will also be considered. The idea should be one that challenges injustice, seeks to shift power and offers long-term potential beyond the lifetime of the funding. It might involve research, community-building, campaigning or other exploratory activity to build a new way of working.
The application process is kept as accessible as possible and offers support for those who find it difficult to apply through traditional routes. Successful grantees gain not only funding but access to mentoring, training and peer-networks, enabling them to connect with others working in similar spaces and to build their idea alongside others.
For anyone with a bold and brave vision for social change—an idea that is still forming but holds promise—the Ideas and Pioneers Fund offers a rare opportunity to experiment, test and learn while being supported both financially and through learning and networks.
For more information, visit Paul Hamlyn Foundation.
