Families raising young children in the UK’s most underserved communities are getting a new source of support, thanks to the Henry Smith Foundation’s latest initiative—the Together We Begin Fund.
This new fund is part of the Foundation’s commitment to giving children the best possible start in life, especially those growing up in environments shaped by poverty, stress, or social isolation. It follows a season of renewal for the Foundation itself, which earlier this year rebranded from the Henry Smith Charity and released a new strategic plan titled “Elevate Your Impact (2025–2030).”
The Together We Begin Fund falls under the Foundation’s “Getting Started” funding stream, which focuses on early intervention for families during the critical early years of childhood development. The goal? To help local charities strengthen parenting, reduce family stress, and connect families with the communities around them.
What the Fund Aims to Achieve
Raising children isn’t easy—especially when families are navigating limited income, isolation, or lack of access to early support services. The Together We Begin Fund is designed to address these real challenges in practical ways.
The initiative is built around three main goals:
- Strengthening parenting skills so families can nurture healthy development from birth onward.
- Boosting parental confidence while reducing stress in the home—because a calm, supported parent often leads to a thriving child.
- Building stronger ties between families and their communities, creating support systems that make parenting less lonely and more sustainable.
These aren’t abstract goals. They reflect research-backed insights into what makes the biggest difference in a child’s early years. Stable homes, strong relationships, and confident caregivers are proven to have long-term positive impacts on education, health, and emotional wellbeing.
The fund is particularly focused on families facing financial hardship or social isolation, where even small, thoughtful interventions can lead to meaningful change.
Who Can Apply for Funding?
To make sure the funding reaches the communities that need it most, the Foundation has set clear eligibility criteria.
Non-profit organizations applying for support must:
- Be registered charities or not-for-profits operating in the UK
- Have an annual income of under £1 million
- Serve families with children from pregnancy up to age five
- Focus on households experiencing financial hardship or social isolation
There’s also a specific geographic requirement: organizations must work in areas where at least 24.9% of children live in poverty, based on local authority data. This ensures that resources go directly to neighborhoods where early childhood support is most urgently needed.
By focusing on small, community-driven organizations in high-need areas, the Foundation is backing people who already understand the local context—and who are often best positioned to drive real change on the ground.
What Kind of Support is Available?
The Together We Begin Fund offers more than just a financial boost—it provides multi-year, flexible funding that helps organizations plan, grow, and sustain their work.
Successful applicants can receive £40,000 to £50,000 every year for up to three years. This amounts to a total of £150,000.
This long-term model recognizes that meaningful support for families doesn’t happen overnight. It takes time to build trust, deliver consistent programming, and see results in children’s wellbeing.
The Foundation expects to award around 40 grants in this funding round. That number reflects a balanced approach. Wide enough to make a national impact, but focused enough to ensure each grant goes to high-quality, deeply rooted programs.
Accessibility Support for the Application Process
The Henry Smith Foundation recognizes that not every organisation has the same level of access to administration or application support. So they are also offering accessibility grants to help break down barriers to entry.
These supplementary funds can help cover the cost of:
- British Sign Language (BSL) interpreters
- Scribes for teams needing writing assistance
- Translation services for applicants whose first language isn’t English
- Assistive technology
- Support workers to help complete the application
Two levels of support are available:
- £250 during the Expression of Interest (EOI) stage
- An additional £500 for those invited to submit a full application
This approach ensures that support is available throughout the process—not just at the start.
How to Learn More and Apply
To help organizations understand what the fund offers and how to apply, the Foundation’s Grants team will be hosting a free webinar on July 30, 2025, from 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM.
Interested organizations must register in advance to attend. A recording of the session will also be available afterward, making it easy for applicants to catch up even if they can’t attend live.
The application process officially opens with the Expression of Interest period, starting on July 31, 2025 and closing on August 28, 2025. This gives organizations almost a full month to prepare and submit their initial proposals.
All the necessary information, including eligibility checklists, downloadable application forms, and FAQs can be found on the Henry Smith Foundation’s website at https://henrysmith.foundation/grants/together-we-begin/
The Together We Begin Fund is more than just a grant. It’s an investment in the future of the UK’s children. By backing small, locally grounded organizations with multi-year support, the Henry Smith Foundation is helping create stronger, more resilient communities, starting where it matters most: the early years.
Whether you’re a charity worker on the frontlines of family support, or a small organization with a big idea for early childhood impact, this fund could be the opportunity to grow your reach and deepen your impact
