This is a livery company focused on being a philanthropic force for good. They provide grants to organisations that advocate for disadvantaged people and communities.

Approximately £10 million is distributed each year across programmes to charitable causes focused on relieving disadvantage in London, Lincolnshire, Norfolk and the North East of England.

Their people-focused programmes are:

• Young People and Education
• Older People and Housing
• Church and Communities
• Heritage & Arts. 

They expect to support 180 individual charities annually to improve lives, strengthen organisations and contribute to societal change. Over the past five years they have awarded £49.7 million to over 400 organisations across our people-focused programmes and priority funding areas.  

The programme for Young People and Education is for groups in Greater London only. Its priorities are to help young people achieve a good start in life, have strong mental health and feel supported through challenging transitions. The focus is on Early Years, Literacy and Transitions from Secondary School, Mental Health and Wellbeing, and Associated Schools & Colleges/ School Leadership. There are specific application periods for this theme.

The Older People and Housing seeks to fund organisations which support older people faced with loneliness and poverty.  Expressions of interest can be submitted at any time.

The Church and Communities programme aims to support community and faith-based organisations to build stronger communities (disadvantaged communities, support for refugees and homeless) and deliver better outcomes for families and carers.  Expressions of interest can be submitted at any time.

The Heritage and Arts programme is a research-based initiative and they will identify organisations that meet their aims and invite them to put forward proposals for funding.

For more details on all the programmes, visit The Mercers’ Company funding webpage.