Young Women in Mind 2026–2028 Grant Programme: Up to £500,000 for Mental Health Services Supporting Young Women in the UK

The Young Women in Mind 2026–2028 funding programme is now open for applications, offering significant grant funding to charities delivering therapeutic mental health support for girls and young women across the United Kingdom.

Launched through a collaboration between the Pilgrim Trust, Prudence Trust, and Julia Rausing Trust, this major initiative will invest £5 million over three years to strengthen and expand mental health services specifically designed for young women aged 14–25.

The programme seeks to address the growing mental health challenges facing young women by supporting organizations that provide accessible, community-based, gender-specific therapeutic services.

About the Young Women in Mind Programme

Young Women in Mind 2026–2028 was developed in response to increasing concern over worsening mental health outcomes among young women in the UK. The programme recognizes that many young women struggle to access timely mental health care that reflects their lived experiences and responds effectively to their needs.

Through this collaborative funding initiative, the participating trusts aim to support charities that already provide therapeutic mental health services and help them:

• Expand existing services
• Strengthen operational capacity
• Adapt programmes to meet growing demand
• Improve accessibility and inclusivity
• Deliver timely interventions before mental health challenges become more severe

The programme places strong emphasis on community-based support and trusted environments where young women already seek help.

Funding Details

The Young Women in Mind programme offers substantial multi-year funding for eligible charities.

Grant Size

Successful organizations can receive:

• Between £200,000 and £500,000
• Distributed across a three-year period (2026–2028)

This long-term funding model is intended to provide charities with sustainability and flexibility to strengthen service delivery.

What the Funding Covers

The grant funding can support a wide range of operational and programme-related costs.

Eligible expenses include:

• Project delivery costs
• Staff salaries and staffing support
• Professional fees
• Advocacy activities
• Learning and evaluation costs
• Service adaptation and improvement
• Programme expansion and scaling

The funding is designed to help organizations build stronger and more effective therapeutic mental health support systems for young women.

Programme Focus Areas

The Young Women in Mind initiative specifically supports charities providing gender-specific therapeutic mental health services for girls and young women aged 14–25.

The programme acknowledges that young women often face unique social, emotional, and structural challenges that require specialized support approaches.

Organizations applying should already be delivering therapeutic mental health services and demonstrate how their work supports young women in meaningful and accessible ways.

Geographic Eligibility

Eligible organizations must operate within one or more of the following regions:

• Northern Ireland
• Scotland
• North East England
• North West England
• Yorkshire and Humber
• The Midlands

Additionally, organizations operating across the UK or throughout England are also eligible to apply if the proposed work aligns with the programme’s geographic priorities.

Target Age Group

Organizations must work with young people aged 14–25.

Applicants may support wider age ranges overall, but the funded work must clearly include services for girls and young women within the eligible age category.

Why This Funding Programme Matters

Mental health concerns among young women continue to rise across the UK, with increasing pressure on community organizations and therapeutic support services.

Young Women in Mind 2026–2028 aims to tackle these challenges by investing directly in organizations already making a difference in their communities.

The programme recognizes that:

• Early intervention is critical
• Gender-specific support improves outcomes
• Community-based services increase accessibility
• Long-term investment strengthens sustainability

By supporting charities with flexible and meaningful funding, the programme seeks to prevent mental health challenges from becoming deeply entrenched while improving access to trusted therapeutic care.

Key Principles of the Programme

The funding initiative emphasizes:

• Trauma-informed support
• Community trust and accessibility
• Gender-responsive care
• Therapeutic quality and effectiveness
• Long-term mental health outcomes
• Learning and evaluation

Organizations are encouraged to review the programme’s official guidance materials to better understand the principles shaping the funding priorities.

Application Process

Interested organizations should:

1. Review the official funding guidelines
2. Complete the eligibility quiz
3. Prepare and submit a stage one application
4. If shortlisted, proceed to stage two

Applicants are encouraged to carefully assess eligibility before applying.

Important Dates

Programme Opening Date

• 11 May 2026

Stage One Application Deadline

• 22 June 2026

Stage Two Application Deadline

• 24 August 2026

Notification of Decisions

• End of November 2026

Organizations are advised to begin preparing applications early due to the competitive nature of the programme.

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