Who and what we fund
Who and what we fund
Introduction
We fund UK adult citizens from all areas of society to develop new solutions for UK issues, based on successful innovations and best practice from overseas.
We cover practical topics in every area of UK life, through our universal theme framework and our evolving Fellowship programmes which focus on topical issues and refresh every few years.
We will fund you to spend between 4-8 weeks meeting the innovators in your field anywhere in the world, in person or online, and then we will help you to make a difference in your community or sector in the UK.
"The most benevolent and interested funding organisation I have ever come across." – Pam Schweitzer, Fellow
Who we fund
Churchill Fellowships are open to all UK resident citizens aged 18 or above, regardless of their background, professional experience, qualifications or age. We are looking for people with the passion and potential to make a real difference to their community or professional sector, and we assess on future possibilities not past achievements.
Fellows bring lived or learned experience of the issue they want to address and we recognise the authority and insight this brings. We prioritise those who would not receive funding from any other source.
We encourage applications from people who are disabled, who are neurodivergent, who have mental health problems, and we will do our best to provide any additional support you may need.
What we fund
We offer Fellowships within our grants framework of universal themes which cover every aspect of society. Within each of these themes, we offer Fellowship programmes that address particular topical issues or challenges in the UK. Applicants should apply into one of these programmes. These programmes are refreshed every few years.
A successful application must show us:
- A clearly stated need or issue in UK society
- Why learning from specific locations overseas would enable you to develop your idea.
- That you have the potential to make change happen.
- A clear sense of how you will translate your idea into practical action in the UK.
Please note that we do not fund any of these:
- An idea that will only benefit the applicant, not wider UK society.
- An application from more than one person or from a team.
- A project that already has, or hopes to have, a large number of funders.
- Academic studies, dissertations for undergraduate degrees, degree placements, medical electives, student grants, internships, or courses of any kind.
- Postgraduate studies, unless they can show wider, practical benefits to others in the UK.
- Gap year activities, unless the application is for a stand-alone project that satisfies the criteria above.
- Art projects that will result only in an exhibition and have no public benefit beyond raising the profile and expertise of the applicant.
- Artists’ residencies.
- Research for fiction, unless it clearly has a wider public benefit.
- Volunteering.
"The most benevolent and interested funding organisation I have ever come across." – Pam Schweitzer, Fellow
Who we fund
Churchill Fellowships are open to all UK resident citizens aged 18 or above, regardless of their background, professional experience, qualifications or age. We are looking for people with the passion and potential to make a real difference to their community or professional sector, and we assess on future possibilities not past achievements.
Fellows bring lived or learned experience of the issue they want to address and we recognise the authority and insight this brings. We prioritise those who would not receive funding from any other source.
We encourage applications from people who are disabled, who are neurodivergent, who have mental health problems, and we will do our best to provide any additional support you may need.
What we fund
We offer Fellowships within our grants framework of universal themes which cover every aspect of society. Within each of these themes, we offer Fellowship programmes that address particular topical issues or challenges in the UK. Applicants should apply into one of these programmes. These programmes are refreshed every few years.
A successful application must show us:
- A clearly stated need or issue in UK society
- Why learning from specific locations overseas would enable you to develop your idea.
- That you have the potential to make change happen.
- A clear sense of how you will translate your idea into practical action in the UK.
Please note that we do not fund any of these:
- An idea that will only benefit the applicant, not wider UK society.
- An application from more than one person or from a team.
- A project that already has, or hopes to have, a large number of funders.
- Academic studies, dissertations for undergraduate degrees, degree placements, medical electives, student grants, internships, or courses of any kind.
- Postgraduate studies, unless they can show wider, practical benefits to others in the UK.
- Gap year activities, unless the application is for a stand-alone project that satisfies the criteria above.
- Art projects that will result only in an exhibition and have no public benefit beyond raising the profile and expertise of the applicant.
- Artists’ residencies.
- Research for fiction, unless it clearly has a wider public benefit.
- Volunteering.