What we do
Supporting charities that make a measurable difference
The David Laing Foundation makes grants to UK registered charities and constituted voluntary or community organisations whose work aligns with our objectives and geographic interests. Our funding helps organisations grow their impact, strengthen their services and reach more people.
Our Funding Themes
We consider applications that support:
Youth Development & Opportunity
Projects that help young people build confidence, skills and resilience—including youth programmes, mentoring, training and amateur sport.
Arts, Culture & Creativity
Programmes that widen access to the arts, nurture creativity, protect cultural heritage or provide meaningful cultural experiences to communities.
Education, Employability & Skills
Activities that enhance learning, open pathways to employment, or build essential life and work skills.
Health, Wellbeing & Disability Inclusion
Initiatives that improve physical or mental wellbeing, provide accessible services, or support people living with illness, disability or disadvantage
Community Spaces, Heritage & Heritage Skills
Projects that preserve and revitalise community buildings, historic spaces and heritage crafts—reflecting David Laing CBE’s lifelong interest in protecting local history for future generations.
Poverty Relief & Hardship Support
Practical interventions that alleviate financial hardship and support vulnerable or marginalised individuals.
What We Look For in Applications
To remain faithful to David Laing’s intention to “shine the light,” we prioritise applications that:
– Reach a large number of people or provide deep benefit within a community
– Demonstrate clear need, strong governance and measurable outcomes
– Are delivered by organisations of an appropriate size and scale—large national bodies with substantial unrestricted reserves are unlikely to receive funding
– Contribute to longterm community benefit rather than shortterm or individualonly support
– Reflect values of compassion, inclusion and community spirit
Applicants are encouraged to review our Grant Guidelines before applying to ensure their project aligns with the Foundation’s priorities and approach.
How to Apply
We welcome applications from UK registered charities and constituted voluntary or community organisations whose work aligns with the Foundation’s objectives and geographic areas of interest. Before applying, please read our Grant Guidelines to ensure your project is eligible and appropriately aligned with our priorities.
Step 1
Check Your Eligibility
We support charitable projects that deliver clear, measurable and lasting community benefit, with priority given to initiatives that:
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Reach a significant number of people or deliver deep, meaningful impact within a clearly defined community.
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Demonstrate strong governance, a clear evidence of need, and realistic, measurable outcomes that can be sustained beyond the life of the grant.
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Are delivered by organisations of appropriate size and capability for the scale of work proposed, ensuring responsible stewardship and effective delivery.
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Build long-term value for local communities, rather than offering short-term or individual-only support.
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Align with one or more of our core themes, which reflect our ongoing commitment to strengthening community life:
youth development, wellbeing, disability inclusion, the arts and creativity, amateur sports, community spaces and heritage, education and skills, and poverty relief.
Please note that applications benefiting only one or two individuals are rarely supported, except in exceptional scholarship type cases, administered through an appropriate organisation. In addition, large national charities with substantial unrestricted reserves are less likely to receive funding, as we prioritise organisations with local relevance and community rooted impact
Step 2
Prepare Your Application
We ask applicants to provide:
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A clear summary of your organisation’s purpose and activities
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A brief description of the project, its aims and why it is needed
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Who will benefit and how many people you expect to reach
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A realistic budget, including any match funding or confirmed contributions
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Evidence of sound governance, safeguarding and financial management
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How you will measure the success and impact of your project
Providing concise, accurate information helps the Trustees assess your application fairly.
Step 3
Submit Your Application
Applications should be submitted online via the form on this website.
Should you require any support please do email dlf@hcrlaw.com or telephone 01604 233233 with your query.
Please ensure all supporting documents are uploaded before submission. You will receive email confirmation once your application has been successfully submitted.
Step 4
Trustee Review
Applications are reviewed collectively at Trustees’ meetings. Decisions are made with care, fairness and in keeping with the Foundation’s charitable objectives and David Laing CBE’s intention to “shine the light” on organisations doing meaningful work within their communities.
Applicants will be notified of the outcome by email following the relevant Trustees’ meeting.
If you are successful - congratulations!
Grant payments are normally made by bank transfer. We may ask for project updates, photographs, or impact reports so we can understand and celebrate the difference your work is making.
If Your Application Is Not Successful
We value the time and commitment behind every application. While we cannot fund all requests, applicants are welcome to reapply after 12–18 months if their project still aligns with our priorities.