Paul Hamlyn Foundation
Paul Hamlyn Foundation is one of the largest independent grant-makers in the UK. Our vision is a just society in which everyone, especially young people, can realise their full potential and enjoy fulfilling and creative lives. Our mission is to be an effective and independent funder, using all our resources to create opportunities and support social change. We partner with inspiring organisations and individuals to make sure that people facing disadvantage are at the heart of leading change and designing solutions to overcome inequality.
Overview
Total reviews: 31
Median 22.5 hours
Latest Reviews
May 18, 2023
Funded for greater amount - applied in 2022
Be open-minded. Take time to look at the information available on the website as this gives really good insight into the various funds and opportunities. Sign up to take part in webinars which help explain the fund and the criteria etc. Further support is available from grants advisors too and this is really helpful.
Pros
Positive leader in the field
Gives more than money
Risk taker
Culturally sensitive
Insightful
Friendly
Builds relationships
Likes site visits
Openminded
Responsive
Cons
What is your relationship with the funder for this experience?
Current or former grantee
If you were funded tell us the outcome
Funded for greater amount
What year was this experience?
2022
How would you rate this funder's accessibility?
Excellent
PHF is a fabulous funder to work with, they are genuinely interested in the projects they fund and it is more of a partnership rather than an arms length relationship. Very valuable experience to be involved in.
How successfully do you think this funder is accomplishing its goals as a funder?
Excellent
Tell us one thing that this funder does really well
Ongoing support, training for project participants, visits to projects, support for evaluation.
How was your relationship overall with the funder?
Excellent
If you believe the contents of this review are inappropriate please contact us via email.
Reply from Paul Hamlyn Foundation
Feb 6, 2024
Thanks for your review, we’re pleased to hear you had a positive experience applying for funding and we appreciate your time and insight.
Jan 10, 2022
Other - applied in 2019
The first stage application asks lots of organisational questions. There was no request for a business case, or elements there of, yet feedback given was that there was no project information.
Pros
Culturally sensitive
Understands nonprofits and issues
Cons
What is your relationship with the funder for this experience?
Applied and not funded
If you were funded tell us the outcome
Other
What year was this experience?
2019
How would you rate this funder's accessibility?
Average
How successfully do you think this funder is accomplishing its goals as a funder?
Excellent
Tell us one thing that this funder does really well
Funds quality artistic programmes
If you had one piece of advice to give to this funder (about grantmaking or anything else), what would it be?
Decrease the length of time between initial discussion and response.
How was your relationship overall with the funder?
Excellent
Is there anything else that's be useful for others to know to understand this funder?
The funds are incredibly competitive and the turn around time is long. Because the fund is so oversubscribed, they can be incredibly precise about what they want to fund.
If you believe the contents of this review are inappropriate please contact us via email.
Dec 20, 2021
Funded for amount requested - applied in 2018
Be clear about the impact of your ask.
What is your relationship with the funder for this experience?
Applied and not funded
If you were funded tell us the outcome
Funded for amount requested
What year was this experience?
2018
How would you rate this funder's accessibility?
Excellent
How successfully do you think this funder is accomplishing its goals as a funder?
Excellent
Tell us one thing that this funder does really well
Genuinely insightful and constructive feedback.
If you believe the contents of this review are inappropriate please contact us via email.
Oct 13, 2021
applied in 2019
Do not get your hopes up. It is a very long process. I had thought in getting through to Stage 2 my chances were high and it would be like working with HLF where there is a lot of hand holding and development to get the application over the line. There was some advice and they were lovely, but the advice was not clear enough (ie, ask for what you need, use clear language, give examples of your work) and the feedback was more specific than the advice session. I spent a year on working the partnerships up, speaking to communities and developing the project.
What is your relationship with the funder for this experience?
Applied and not funded
If you were funded tell us the outcome
What year was this experience?
2019
How would you rate this funder's accessibility?
Average
The PHF process of application is just not clear enough. Deciding on which programme to apply into at the start is an issue. Navigating the website and the process is challenging.
How successfully do you think this funder is accomplishing its goals as a funder?
Average
This is hard to say. We are a smaller organisation working at the coal face on issues of social injustice which is where PHF want to go but their process has taken so much time out of our development hours. Pursuing this application meant we did not pursue others due to a lack of our own capacity.
Tell us one thing that this funder does really well
Good feedback that I can take forward.
If you had one piece of advice to give to this funder (about grantmaking or anything else), what would it be?
It was a huge blow to the confidence of myself and the organisation to miss out. This happens with funding but the fact you are not able to reapply within 12 months means that all that energy, all that will and all that skill is mothballed. I would really like to see, like with HLF or ACE, the ability to tweak and resubmit while energy and investment in the project from the partners is still high.
Is there anything else that's be useful for others to know to understand this funder?
They like development and exploration, testing etc more than a project with an outcome. But I think that is clear from the start.
If you believe the contents of this review are inappropriate please contact us via email.
May 25, 2021
applied in 2019
You can request an enquiry call in advance, which will clarify the guidelines and the intention for funding. They are very approachable and helpful.
Pros
Gives more than money
Friendly
Builds relationships
Responsive
Cons
What is your relationship with the funder for this experience?
Applied and not funded
If you were funded tell us the outcome
What year was this experience?
2019
How would you rate this funder's accessibility?
Excellent
How successfully do you think this funder is accomplishing its goals as a funder?
Excellent
Tell us one thing that this funder does really well
Caring, meaningful support, no time restrictions. Deep listening to see how else they can help.
If you had one piece of advice to give to this funder (about grantmaking or anything else), what would it be?
N/A
How was your relationship overall with the funder?
Excellent
Is there anything else that's be useful for others to know to understand this funder?
N/A
If you believe the contents of this review are inappropriate please contact us via email.
May 18, 2023
Funded for greater amount - applied in 2022
Be open-minded. Take time to look at the information available on the website as this gives really good insight into the various funds and opportunities. Sign up to take part in webinars which help explain the fund and the criteria etc. Further support is available from grants advisors too and this is really helpful.
Pros
Positive leader in the field
Gives more than money
Risk taker
Culturally sensitive
Insightful
Friendly
Builds relationships
Likes site visits
Openminded
Responsive
Cons
Pros
Cons
What is your relationship with the funder for this experience?
Current or former grantee
If you were funded tell us the outcome
Funded for greater amount
What year was this experience?
2022
How would you rate this funder's accessibility?
Excellent
PHF is a fabulous funder to work with, they are genuinely interested in the projects they fund and it is more of a partnership rather than an arms length relationship. Very valuable experience to be involved in.
How successfully do you think this funder is accomplishing its goals as a funder?
Excellent
Tell us one thing that this funder does really well
Ongoing support, training for project participants, visits to projects, support for evaluation.
How was your relationship overall with the funder?
Excellent
Reply from Paul Hamlyn Foundation
Feb 6, 2024
Thanks for your review, we’re pleased to hear you had a positive experience applying for funding and we appreciate your time and insight.
Jan 10, 2022
Other - applied in 2019
The first stage application asks lots of organisational questions. There was no request for a business case, or elements there of, yet feedback given was that there was no project information.
Pros
Culturally sensitive
Understands nonprofits and issues
Cons
Pros
Cons
What is your relationship with the funder for this experience?
Applied and not funded
If you were funded tell us the outcome
Other
What year was this experience?
2019
How would you rate this funder's accessibility?
Average
How successfully do you think this funder is accomplishing its goals as a funder?
Excellent
Tell us one thing that this funder does really well
Funds quality artistic programmes
If you had one piece of advice to give to this funder (about grantmaking or anything else), what would it be?
Decrease the length of time between initial discussion and response.
How was your relationship overall with the funder?
Excellent
Is there anything else that's be useful for others to know to understand this funder?
The funds are incredibly competitive and the turn around time is long. Because the fund is so oversubscribed, they can be incredibly precise about what they want to fund.
Dec 20, 2021
Funded for amount requested - applied in 2018
Be clear about the impact of your ask.
What is your relationship with the funder for this experience?
Applied and not funded
If you were funded tell us the outcome
Funded for amount requested
What year was this experience?
2018
How would you rate this funder's accessibility?
Excellent
How successfully do you think this funder is accomplishing its goals as a funder?
Excellent
Tell us one thing that this funder does really well
Genuinely insightful and constructive feedback.
Oct 13, 2021
applied in 2019
Do not get your hopes up. It is a very long process. I had thought in getting through to Stage 2 my chances were high and it would be like working with HLF where there is a lot of hand holding and development to get the application over the line. There was some advice and they were lovely, but the advice was not clear enough (ie, ask for what you need, use clear language, give examples of your work) and the feedback was more specific than the advice session. I spent a year on working the partnerships up, speaking to communities and developing the project.
What is your relationship with the funder for this experience?
Applied and not funded
If you were funded tell us the outcome
What year was this experience?
2019
How would you rate this funder's accessibility?
Average
The PHF process of application is just not clear enough. Deciding on which programme to apply into at the start is an issue. Navigating the website and the process is challenging.
How successfully do you think this funder is accomplishing its goals as a funder?
Average
This is hard to say. We are a smaller organisation working at the coal face on issues of social injustice which is where PHF want to go but their process has taken so much time out of our development hours. Pursuing this application meant we did not pursue others due to a lack of our own capacity.
Tell us one thing that this funder does really well
Good feedback that I can take forward.
If you had one piece of advice to give to this funder (about grantmaking or anything else), what would it be?
It was a huge blow to the confidence of myself and the organisation to miss out. This happens with funding but the fact you are not able to reapply within 12 months means that all that energy, all that will and all that skill is mothballed. I would really like to see, like with HLF or ACE, the ability to tweak and resubmit while energy and investment in the project from the partners is still high.
Is there anything else that's be useful for others to know to understand this funder?
They like development and exploration, testing etc more than a project with an outcome. But I think that is clear from the start.
May 25, 2021
applied in 2019
You can request an enquiry call in advance, which will clarify the guidelines and the intention for funding. They are very approachable and helpful.
Pros
Gives more than money
Friendly
Builds relationships
Responsive
Cons
Pros
Cons
What is your relationship with the funder for this experience?
Applied and not funded
If you were funded tell us the outcome
What year was this experience?
2019
How would you rate this funder's accessibility?
Excellent
How successfully do you think this funder is accomplishing its goals as a funder?
Excellent
Tell us one thing that this funder does really well
Caring, meaningful support, no time restrictions. Deep listening to see how else they can help.
If you had one piece of advice to give to this funder (about grantmaking or anything else), what would it be?
N/A
How was your relationship overall with the funder?
Excellent
Is there anything else that's be useful for others to know to understand this funder?
N/A