McCarthy & Stone Charitable Foundation

The McCarthy & Stone Charitable Foundation, established in November 2020 by retirement housing developer McCarthy Stone, is dedicated to combating loneliness, isolation, and disconnection among people over 65, fostering a society where older adults are valued, connected, and engaged. Guided by values of transparency, accountability, connection, and community, it uniquely leverages the resources, staff, volunteers, and partners of McCarthy Stone to amplify grassroots impact, providing unrestricted core funding and project support exclusively to small charities and groups working directly with older people, especially in deprived or rural areas.

It prioritises volunteer-led initiatives delivering befriending, social activities, community transport, intergenerational programmes, dementia support like memory cafes, community regeneration, and activities promoting purpose in later life. Beneficiaries are always over-65s at risk of social exclusion, with grants enabling local events, respite clubs, arts groups, and transport schemes to build sustainable connections and wellbeing.

Eligible applicants include UK-registered charities, CICs, and constituted community groups with incomes under £250,000, operating in England, Wales, or Scotland—prioritising deprived areas with evidence of local need for over-65s. Core costs are available for charities (not CICs) focused solely on older adults. Typical grants range from £500 to £7,500 via a streamlined online form in annual rounds; the next opens 1 August 2025, closing 29 August 2025, with decisions by early October.

Exclusions cover general appeals, party-political or exclusively religious activities, statutory duties, animal welfare, past projects, grant-makers, and profit-seeking entities. Distinctively, it demands measurable impact reporting, deploys volunteers for hands-on support, and has disbursed over £1 million to 450+ causes since inception, setting it apart as a targeted enabler of grassroots anti-loneliness efforts.