Grants are at the heart of what LCRF does. We do not work directly with refugees and asylum seekers but we make small grants to support the front line charities who do. Typically, our grants are used for hardship funds to buy travel cards, phone top-ups, food, hygiene packs or to help with English language classes.
Image: Wikimedia Commons, public domain
In 2019 the Fund received £29,436 in donations. With Gift Aid, interest and the sale of Christmas cards, our total income was £34,385. We made grants of £33,850 (up by a little less than £3,000 on 2018) and incurred just £490 in printing and other costs. That left us with a surplus of £45 on the year.
In 2019 we helped the 31 different organisations listed on the right, five of which were first-time applicants, with grants of up to £700. The amount was limited by the funds we had available.
In the rare cases when we reject an application it is normally because it is not felt to contribute directly to the relief of destitution among refugees and asylum seekers in London.
Organisations we supported in 2019:
Action for Refugees in Lewisham
African Refugee Community
Akwaaba
Article 1 Charitable Trust
Barnet Refugee Service
Black Women's Rape Action Project
C4WS Homeless Project
Children's Society
Croydon Refugee Day Centre
Freedom from Torture
Hackney Migrant Centre
Happy Baby Community
Haringey Migrant Support Centre
Housing Justice
Islington Centre for Refugees and Migrants
Jesuit Refugee Service
Jewish Council for Racial Equality
Lewisham Refugee and Migrant Network
London Catholic Worker - Refugee Shelter
London Jesus Centre
Migrant Voice
Migrants Organise
New N.London Synagogue Dest Asylum Seekers Drop-In
Notre Dame Refugee Centre
Praxis Community Projects
Refugee Council
Room to Heal
Samphire
St James' Church, Piccadilly
Sufra NW London
West London Welcome
How to apply
Please note that LCRF is a ‘small grants’ fund with typical awards between £300 - £1,000 each round, payable to charities / organisations (we do not pay money direct to individuals).
For Autumn 2021 applications, the maximum grant you can apply for is £1,000. As before, applications may be scaled back if resources are insufficient. The Fund’s Objects require us to support only work with destitute refugees and asylum-seekers in the London area.
Please download and read the Guidance Notes and Terms & Conditions carefully before completing your downloaded application form.
Round 31 (Autumn 2021) is now OPEN, with a closing date of Friday 29th October. The forms can be accessed below and you must use our latest form to apply. Please note the revised requirement regarding Safeguarding Policies which we now require to receive for review at least every TWO years.
Applications should be emailed to [email protected], as shown also on the form.
Dear Friend
On behalf of the London Churches Refugee Fund, I am pleased to invite organisations to apply for funds to support your work with asylum seekers and refugees. All applications must be made on the form that you can download from this site, and in accordance with our Terms & Conditions.
The Trustees are appreciative of the hugely difficult but valuable work that charities and community groups continue to perform and hope that the Fund will develop in such a way that it becomes a constant and reliable source of support.
With every good wish,
Revd Chris Brice
Chair of Trustees