1001 CRITICAL DAYS:
CHARITY GRANTS

We partner with charities who share our passion for improving outcomes for babies during their first 1001 critical days.

learn more
apply for a grant

OUR CHARITY PARTNERS

  • The Oxford Parent Infant Project

    Based in Oxfordshire, OXPIP offers specialist parent-infant psychotherapy to strengthen the bond between parents and babies, supporting families facing trauma, postnatal depression, or disrupted attachment.

  • The For Baby's Sake Trust

    The For Baby’s Sake Trust provides parents with trauma-informed, therapeutic support to break the cycle of domestic abuse and give their baby the best start in life.

  • Dad Matters, powered by Home-Start UK

    Home-Start UK is receiving funding to establish the Dad Matters programme nationally, supporting fathers during the first 1001 days of their parenting journey. The programme offers tailored outreach services and drop-in sessions, supporting babies by supporting dads to build strong, fulfilling relationships with their families.

  • Literacy Volunteers

    Nottinghamshire-based Literacy Volunteers delivers early language and literacy programmes in deprived communities, helping babies and young children build confidence, communication skills and a love of books alongside their parents.

  • Thrive at Five

    Thrive at Five is a national charity working to improve outcomes for children under five. Our grant is helping them to pilot Video Interaction Guidance at a universal level, with the goal of improving parent-child interaction and school readiness.

  • Home-Start Edinburgh and Stepping Stones North Edinburgh

    Joint recipients of grant funding, Home-Start Edinburgh and Stepping Stones North Edinburgh have formed a partnership to offer support through a programme called Bump Start. Bump Start will provide holistic, relationship-based support from pregnancy throughout early childhood with the aim of reducing isolation and improving parental confidence and mental health.

CHARITY GRANT FUNDING: DELIVERING THE BEST OUTCOMES FOR BABIES 

We provide multi-year grants to charities that improve outcomes for babies by delivering services in family hubs and other "one stop shop" settings across the UK. 

We currently fund UK projects and our long-term aim is to expand our support for babies around the world.

OUR FUNDING FOCUS

We award grants to UK registered charities delivering work that supports babies during the 1001 critical days – from pregnancy to the age of two.

We prioritise projects and initiatives that deliver the greatest impact for babies, and we are focused on supporting work that measurably improves outcomes for babies.  

We only support work that takes place in family hubs and similar “one stop shop” settings. This is because these spaces are universally accessible and destigmatising, and having services under one roof improves the experience for babies and families. 

We hope to fund a variety of projects, reflecting the diverse ways in which babies and families might need additional support, from pregnancy and throughout the whole perinatal period.  

Projects could include: 

  • Infant feeding support  

  • Parenting programmes  

  • Parent-infant relationship support  

  • Perinatal mental health support  

  • Support for dads, carers and non-birthing partners 

  • Support for communities experiencing marginalisation or discrimination 

Charities can apply for up to £100,000 per year for up to five years and grants will typically range from £20,000 - £80,000 per year.   

Check out our guidelines for more information on our application process and what we are hoping to fund.  

Information and Resources

HOW TO APPLY

Our next funding round is now live!

You can apply by completing our Stage One online application form below. The deadline is 5pm on Friday 19th December 2025 and you can expect to hear the outcome by the end of January 2026.  

If your Stage One application is successful, we will invite you to complete a more detailed Stage Two form, which will help us to get to know your organisation and project better. 

APPLY NOW
watch the webinar

INFORMATION & RESOURCES

Before submitting your application, we recommend reviewing the below documents in full:

application guidance
lessons learned from round 1
family hub guidance
frequently asked questions
Template application form

WHY PARTNER WITH US?

Our team has a combined total of over 100 years of experience working in public policy, early development and at the highest levels of government and finance.

By building on our collective expertise, and through working collaboratively, we can bring about transformative change in the way support is delivered in the 1001 critical days across the UK and around the world.

We have a deep understanding of the unique needs of babies, and how to support parents and carers to give their baby the best start in life. That’s why we are the UK’s only grant-giving charity that is dedicated exclusively to babies from pregnancy to age two.

By partnering with us, we can bring about truly meaningful change in the way frontline services are delivered and help give more support to parents and carers to give their baby the best start in life.

Learn more about us

“ ”

  • “Over the past two decades, the importance of the 1001 Critical Days has been widely acknowledged. However, there is still a ‘baby blindspot’ in many children’s services and there is an urgent need for more research that demonstrates ‘what works’ in a cost-effective way. The 1001 Critical Days Foundation will provide funding for services and research that will shine a spotlight on ways in which to improve outcomes for all babies.”

    — Professor Jane Barlow, University of Oxford

  • “The Family Hubs and Start for Life programme has made a real and lasting difference to babies and their families here in Hull. It’s enabled us to create a welcoming space for every parent and baby, while also providing tailored support to those who need a little extra help. The programme really is helping us to support parents to give their babies the best start for life.”

    — Hull Family Hubs

  • “The work of the Charity is - I suspect - much needed, and I wish it every possible success.”

    — Sir John Major