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Contents 3
Where we were
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The journey
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Where we are now
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Learning and impact
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Looking forward 2
Where we were Richmond Foundation has provided financial support to individuals and families in our area of benefit for many years through our Crisis Grants programme. These grants were designed to help bridge gaps for people experiencing an immediate crisis. Eligible individuals could receive £300, while families could receive up to £600. Grants could be awarded once every 12-month period to low-income individuals in our benefit area. Applications were submitted by referral partners on behalf of their service users, with Richmond Foundation assessing each application, making decisions and administering successful grants.
Over time, we noticed a pattern of applications being submitted for things that did not fit the traditional definition of a ‘crisis’ but would make a significant difference to the individual’s wellbeing and circumstances. At the same time, we were also exploring how we could shift power imbalances in our funding and provide partners with greater autonomy. We recognised that referrers, who have trusted relationships with their clients and have a deeper understanding of local need, were better placed to make funding decisions for individuals.
Four referral organisations held float budgets and distributed these Crisis Grants on our behalf but needed to follow the eligibility criteria and grant thresholds when doing so. We awarded these floats on an ad hoc basis. Where we were
Achieving for Children
The journey We spoke with organisations who provide grants to individuals to learn from their experience and to ensure our approach was evidence based.
Ruils
One of these was The Cripplegate Foundation who run a Catalyst Programme to support people on low incomes in Islington. This led us to pilot what is now our own Catalyst Grants programme with two local organisations: Riverbank Trust and Ruils.
over how the funding was used, including the awarded amount to each person, whether repeat grants could be made and how frequently, and what the grants were spent on.
We wanted to explore ways to support people on low incomes to improve their wellbeing and build greater resilience. The Catalyst approach was designed to support a wide range of activities, services or resources that positively impact an individual’s quality of life and long-term circumstances.
Advisers fed back that this approach encouraged them to think differently. Instead of awarding a standard amount, they worked with clients to identify the support that would have the greatest impact.
Each organisation received an upfront annual budget based on the average amount their service users had historically been awarded each year. They had full discretion
The personalised process felt empowering for both advisers and clients, while creating more space for creative, tailored support. For example, when a local decorator 4
offered a freezer, washing machine and furniture that would otherwise have been thrown away, a Catalyst Grant funded the delivery costs, allowing several clients to benefit in a cost-effective way. Feedback on language, was that ‘Crisis’ conveyed a problem rather than a solution, while the word ‘Catalyst’ was said to convey change; some said that the term ’Crisis’ made some clients fearful, while others felt they were not in crisis but still needed support.
Building on the positive feedback from pilot partners and the people they supported, we rebranded our individual grants programme as Catalyst and rolled out this approach to all our largest referral partners.
“Our clients are often frustrated with the system, and often mistrustful. It can take time for us to build rapport and trust. Being able to offer a grant offers a practical and immediate result for a client. This not only takes some of the pressure off them, but it helps to build trust as we have delivered something quickly that makes a difference. It is a rewarding experience for staff and helps them to stay motivated in roles that are stressful and emotionally draining.” Ruils The journey
Catalyst Café
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Where we are now ed a virtual budget, with Richmond Foundation taking on the administration of paying the individual.
Cally, Grants Manager, at the Catalyst Café
Our Catalyst Partners apply annually, setting out the cohort they will support and how they will manage the grant. This budget allows them to allocate unrestricted Catalyst grants of any amount, based on individual needs. We currently have 13 teams who manage Catalyst Grant budgets on our behalf to support their clients. These teams range from being registered charities, to teams in Richmond Council and in NHS Trusts. The majority of Catalyst Grant awards are made directly by the Catalyst Partner. Where the Partner does not have the infrastructure to make payments, they are allocat-
This approach is only possible through the leadership of our partners. Between July 2025 and June 2026, our Catalyst Partners awarded 435 grants, with the average grant amount being £303. The smallest grant awarded was £8 for a radar key and the largest was £1,730 to help with a British Citizenship application. The grants supported a diverse range of needs, including household bills, essential family items such as buggies and playpens, immigration and citizenship-related applications, and health and wellbeing activities such as psychotherapy and SEND provision, demonstrating the flexibility of Catalyst. One referrer reported that the Catalyst Grant has acted as a preventative and stabilising intervention, reducing the risk of escalation to crisis services by addressing urgent needs at a critical time.
Where we are now
“Our client’s ill-health is controlled with medication. However, the medication means she struggles with sleeping. Her GP has advised an exercise regime would be beneficial to enhance her health. Our client told us she would like to have a gym membership but is unable to afford one. She told us a concessionary gym membership is £310 for the year. We used the Catalyst Grant to pay for this.” Citizens Advice Richmond
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Learning and impact Catalyst has strengthened our relationships with partner organisations By aligning grants with the wraparound support already provided by them, individuals receive more holistic support tailored to their needs.
Embedding change can take time Some partners continued awarding grants similar in size to previous Crisis Grants, but confidence has grown as staff and volunteers realised they had genuine discretion to recommend what would make the biggest difference.
Trust-based funding empowers local expertise Partners are better equipped to determine grant parameters and how funding should be used locally. By trusting partners with this autonomy, support can be shaped around individual needs rather than our assumptions.
Catalyst shifts the conversation from “anything will help” to “what will help most” Advisers spend more time identifying the support that will create meaningful change.
Learning and Impact
Partners quickly established effective grant management and approval processes
Partners were cautious in the early stages, often using the fund more conservatively than under previous thresholds
Decisions are carefully considered through conversations, recognising unconscious bias and equitable decision-making.
Confidence increased over time, with most partners using their full budget by year-end.
Personalised support led to bespoke Grants
Knowing their annual budget in advance gave some partners confidence to make larger awards
Catalyst Partners who had indepth, longer-term relationships with service users and smaller caseloads found it easier to agree more bespoke Catalyst Grants.
It also enabled them to complement other grant programmes with more restrictive criteria.
Where we were unable to provide funding directly to an organisation, such as the Council, we developed alternative arrangements to ensure funding could still be directed to individuals. We held the funding in a ring-fenced budget and worked with these teams who were responsible for making grant decisions, while we administered and disbursed payments to individuals on their behalf. 10
Catalyst Partners submit case studies annually which demonstrates the impact of the grant to individuals and their families.
“This support has made a real difference to the family by allowing them to buy a safe, comfortable bed for their child, who previously did not have an appropriate place to sleep. Having a proper bed has improved the child’s rest and overall wellbeing, helping to create a more settled daily routine for everyone at home. It has also enabled the child to attend local SEND activities that support their social, emotional, and developmental needs. These sessions offer valuable opportunities for learning, interaction, and confidence building things the family could not previously afford. Together, these improvements have strengthened the child’s home environment and opened access to essential developmental opportunities, easing financial pressure and helping the family move forward with more stability.”
Learning and Impact
CENTRAL LONDON C O M M U N I T Y H E A LT H C A R E NHS TRUS T CASE S TUDY
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Stock Photo: Cottonbro Studio
Looking forward We will investigate if there are benefits to Catalyst Partners agreeing multi-year budgets. There is an increased emphasis on multi-year funding across the grant-making landscape. This reflects our existing practice, with the majority of our organisational grant partners already receiving multi-year funding. We will look at how we can continue to bring partners together to further progress our Catalyst model and to build the capacity of our partners. In April 2026, we hosted a Catalyst Cafe for partners to share learnings and challenges. There were valuable conversations and suggestions at this session, which benefitted both Richmond Foundation and our partners.
to make payments for individuals, who hold virtual annual budgets. All but one of the other Catalyst Partners also receive core grant funding from Richmond Foundation. Organisations who currently have a grant of over £40,000 can opt to use up to 10% of this budget for admin costs. We’ll consider the application process for additional Catalyst Partners if there is an evidenced need to support further cohorts or communities. Our Catalyst partners
While the Catalyst Grants enable caseworkers to support their service users, we know there is an administrative cost when processing and paying grants and we’ll continue to monitor this. We manage payments for those organisations who are not setup Looking forward
Catalyst Café
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Looking forward
Learning Lab Series: Vol. 02 Charity No: 200069
richmondfoundation.org.uk