THE ARMY BENEVOLENT FUND: GRANTS TO CHARITIES AND ORGANISATIONS
Grants, generally for up to £15,000, are available to UK charitable organisations, including registered charities and Community Interest Companies, for projects and activities that directly benefit the Armed Forces community.
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o Application deadline: TUESDAY 20th JANUARY 2026.
o Funder: The Army Benevolent Fund (ABF) The Soldiers’ Charity (founded 2012. Charity number 1146420. Total charitable expenditure for the year ended 31 March 2025: £15,993,849 (2024: £15,615,647; 2023: £14,675,195; 2022: £13,387,894)).
o Who can apply: UK registered charities, not-for-profit organisations, Community Interest Companies (CICs), community associations and housing associations.
o Key words: Army Community, Military and Ex-Service Personnel and their Families, Veterans, Independent Living, Care of the Elderly, Education, Employment, Mental Health, Family Support, Housing, Northern Ireland, Wales, England.
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Formerly known as ABF The Soldier’s Charity, the Army Benevolent Fund provides grants to individuals and organisatio
1. Education and employability.
2. Elderly care.
3. Families.
4. Housing.
5. Independent living, and
6. Mental health or fitness.
For the purposes of the Charity’s grant support, the term “Army Community” includes veterans, serving soldiers, their families and immediate dependants.
While there is no minimum or maximum award level, the vast majority of grants made to organisations are for less than £15,000, particularly for applicants with which the Charity has no previous grant-making relationship. For applicants with an established relationship, awards can be for higher amounts. The Charity normally expects a matched funding contribution from applicants.
During the year ended 31st March 2025, the Charity awarded grants to other charities and organisations totalling £4.3 million, while a further £1.8 million was spent supporting the military welfare ecosystem and £3.1 million was awarded to individuals.
A list of all grants awarded during the year to organisations can be viewed on pages 33-39 of the Charity’s Annual Report.
Funding is not available for:
o Core operating costs.
o Specific posts and salaries.
o Study trips, gap years, fundraising expeditions or sponsorship, or
o Umbrella and infrastructure organisations.
Further information, guidance and details about how to apply is available on the Charity’s website. Applications must be made by using the application form available on the Army Benevolent Fund’s website. Completed forms should be submitted by email using the address below.
Meetings to consider grant requests are normally held in February, June and November annually. The deadline for applications to the February 2026 meeting is Tuesday 20th January 2026.
Contact details for the Charity are:
The Army Benevolent Fund
Mountbarrow House
6-20 Elizabeth Street
London
SW1W 9RB
Tel: 020 7901 8900
Email: externalgrants@