History of Allen Lane Foundation
The Allen Lane Foundation is a family trust, established in 1966 by Sir Allen Lane, who founded the publishing company Penguin Books.
OUR FUNDING
We make grants towards particular beneficiary groups.
HOW TO APPLY
Find out about our criteria and the application process.
CASE STUDIES
View a selection of the grants we have made over the years.
Meet the Trustees & Staff
The trustees bring a wide range of expertise and experience to the Foundation and include three family members of Sir Allen Lane.
Allen Lane Lectures
The foundation has held a number of lectures over the years from well known and respected figures from within the charity sector.
Annual Reports
The Foundation produces an Annual Report and Accounts and also works with 360Giving to publish grants information.
£752,526
2024/2025 Grants agreed
141
Charities supported in 2025
£25 Million
Donated since the Foundation began
59 Years
Funding charities
Working towards a brighter future
How we focus our funding.
Within our programmes, our overall aims are to: make a lasting difference to people’s lives; reduce isolation, stigma and discrimination; and to encourage or enable marginalised groups to share in the life of the whole community.
OUR SEVEN FUNDING PROGRAMMES
Our focus is on funding specific groups that experience marginalisation and/or discrimination.
We fund charities and charitable organisations – NOT individuals.
We focus on smaller charities across the UK – NOT in London.
ASYLUM SEEKERS AND REFUGEES
We fund work to benefit refugees, asylum seekers and refused asylum seekers, including those held in detention. Our focus is on women only.
PEOPLE AFFECTED BY VIOLENCE OR ABUSE
We focus funding on work that supports people who are, or have in the past been, affected by violence or abuse.
OFFENDERS AND EX-OFFENDERS
We are a keen supporter of penal reform, and fund groups working with offenders in prisons and out in the community. This programme has a focus on women.
GYPSY, ROMA & TRAVELLER COMMUNITIES
We support groups from within the Gypsy, Roma & Traveller communities, and organisations that work to benefit them.
OLDER PEOPLE
Our funding is focused on projects that benefit isolated elderly people (generally aged 70+) including those with dementia.
PEOPLE WITH MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES
We fund mental health charities & projects that benefit people with moderate or severe mental health issues.
YOUNG PEOPLE
We support young people aged 12-21 who are persistently absent from school; school leavers with no qualifications; and young people in/leaving care.
