The Henry Smith Charity is an independent grant making trust. We aim to use our resources to help people and communities at a time of need and to bring about positive change.
The charity was founded in 1628 by Henry Smith, a businessman working in the City of London. Since then, we have honoured the spirit of Henry Smith’s will, working to combat disadvantage and meet the challenges and opportunities facing people in need throughout the UK. Today, The Henry Smith Charity is amongst the largest independent grant makers in the UK, distributing over £31 million in 2018.
Our grant holders are at the core of our mission and work. Our Volunteer Visitors play a vital role in visiting organisations applying for funding through our main grants programme who have successfully reached the second stage of our assessment process. The visit is an important part of our assessment process as it provides the opportunity to learn about their work in more detail and find out more about the organisation and the people they work with. Our Volunteer Visitors meet with a wide range of extraordinary organisations working to reduce social and economic disadvantage.
