Mental health
Mental health problems affect one in four people at some point in their lives
As well as dealing with the impact of living with these problems, many people also have to cope with stigma, discrimination and social exclusion, and can find it hard to get their voices heard in the decisions that affect their lives.
This programme aims to ensure people with mental health problems get access to the services they need, their rights are respected, and their voices heard. It also aims to reduce the stigma and discrimination surrounding mental health.
We believe that change will be most effective if it’s led by those with personal experience. In most cases we will look for organisations to be user-led, i.e. a majority of people with direct experience of mental health problems make up the trustee board. Where this is not the case, we will expect organisations to show how they are actively and meaningfully involving people with mental health problems in running the project (e.g. through a steering group). Where appropriate, we may also want them show a commitment to becoming more user-led over time.
As part of our user-led ethos, we will fund a range of advocacy models or campaigning work. We are particularly keen to reach those who face difficulties in accessing appropriate services or experience additional discrimination, such as people from black and minority ethnic communities and older people.
Your work will need to deliver one or more of the following outcomes:
- Greater involvement of people with mental health problems in decisions that affect their lives
- A reduction in stigma and discrimination, and a positive change in people’s attitudes towards mental health
- More inclusive and accessible mental health services and organisations, in particular, for people from black and minority ethnic communities
- We will NOT fund therapeutic interventions (such as counselling) or helplines under this programme
- We will NOT fund services for carers or people with learning disabilities or dementia under this programme
You can apply for all or some of your project costs, but we encourage you to get some of your funding from other sources if you can. We will not generally fund the full cost of applications made by charities with an annual income over £10 million. Our grants usually vary between £25,000 and £40,000 per year for a maximum of three years, and rarely exceed this upper limit.
If your work is national or provides a model that could be replicated, we may be able to fund at a higher level. Please call us to discuss this before you submit an application.
You should also read our UK Grants Strategy
The Mental Health programme is open for applications from 10th April until midday on 29th June.