The Masonic Charitable Foundation provides funding through its charity grants programme, with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) as one of its key priority areas. The fund supports organisations helping children and young people with SEND to achieve better outcomes and live more independent, fulfilling lives.
The programme sits within a wider focus on disadvantaged children and young people, alongside early years and domestic abuse support. They favour those that are exclusively delivering in these areas
What they fund
SEND grants support charities delivering:
- Specialist support for children and young people with SEND
- Interventions that improve education, wellbeing and life skills
- Projects that help families better support children with additional needs
- Structured programmes with clear outcomes and measurable impact
Grant programmes
Small Grants
- £1,000 – £5,000 per year (up to 3 years)
- Unrestricted (can support core costs)
- For charities with income £25,000 – £500,000
Large Grants
- Typically £10,000 – £60,000 total (over 1–3 years)
- Restricted to specific projects (staff, delivery, equipment, etc.)
- For charities with income £500,000 – £5 million
The fund has a strong preference for multi-year funding, which is a big advantage for sustainability.
Eligibility
- Registered charities only (no CICs)
- Must operate in England and Wales
- Applicants must go through a two-stage process (Expression of Interest → full application)
Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, with no fixed deadlines.
They look for structured, outcomes-driven work—you need to clearly show how your SEND support leads to tangible improvements (education, independence, family stability), not just activity delivery.
Website: https://mcf.org.uk/get-support/grants-to-charities/