Charity Pot Funding Guidelines

'Charity Pot' is a Lush body lotion where 75% of the sales price (minus local taxes) is donated to fund activism in the areas of human rights, environment and animal protection.

What does Charity Pot fund?

Charity Pot funds small, grassroots groups. Not just because they are often best placed to make a real difference with limited resources; but also, because they often struggle to find funding.  Almost all the groups funded by Charity Pot have an annual income of less than £350,000 (most are substantially less) and run entirely or predominantly by volunteers. 

Charity Pot aims to fund organisations and projects working to create long-term change – because it’s crucially important to prevent and address the root cause of the problem. That’s why, for example, priority would be given to a project that aims to stop deforestation (e.g. by challenging the palm oil industry) over one that aims to plant trees to restore an area that’s already deforested. 

Charity Pot grants will support ‘non-violent direct action’ groups, i.e. those which have no intention of physically harming others or threatening to do so.  This includes protests, demonstrations, non-cooperation, non-violent interventions, or, occasionally, facilitating (e.g. communication costs) peaceful civil disobedience; because Lush recognises that these non-violent actions can play an important part in bringing about social change.  However, although free speech is a core Charity Pot value; groups or projects that support, incite or promote violence, aggression or oppression towards others would not be funded.  Charity Pot grants do not fund or facilitate law-breaking.  

Charity Pot grants also recognise that there is an absolute need for delivering basic life needs and care to those in need (people, animals or the planet).  So, projects that provide aid and support, such as animal shelters and refugee support and advice groups, have also been funded.  However, those groups providing welfare that reaches beyond basic life needs, such as therapies, community social groups, and counselling, would not be prioritised.

Charity Pot grants do not fund animal farming projects, culling for conservation, the captivity of wild animals (incl. captive breeding programs), or overseas rehoming of animals.  However, Charity Pot grants have funded vegan, vegetarian and animal rights campaigning, anti-vivisection groups, Trap, Neuter, Release (TNR) projects, wildlife sanctuaries that home animals no longer able to be released, and animal sanctuaries with a no-destruction policy and where the animals are not ‘used’ (e.g. in animal assisted therapies, being ridden, or as part of a petting zoo etc).  Charity Pot will therefore only fund food costs where these are vegan. 

Environmental responsibility is central to Lush, so Charity Pot grants only fund printed materials where recycled resources are used unless there is a justifiable reason that prevents it (e.g. availability in certain countries is limited).   Similarly, flights aren’t funded, however, alternative travel costs would be considered.   Charity Pot grants do not support market-based solutions to climate change, such as carbon trading, carbon offsetting, clean development mechanism or Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD). 

Significant asset purchases (e.g. land) would generally not be considered, and applications for legal challenges are only very occasionally successful.  If applying for a legal challenge you will be required to demonstrate the national importance of the case and provide evidence of a favourable barrister’s opinion.  

If you wish to apply for an arts-based project, it must be campaigning-focussed and demonstrate it will actively engage the audience’s participation in campaigns within the sectors funded.  If successful, this would be a donation, and not an investment, and the production would need to be not-for-profit.

Similarly, events and parades would only be considered where there is a clear campaigning goal, and, as Charity Pot grants are prioritised to projects in most need of funding, large attendance events, which have a greater audience and funding opportunity, would be less of a priority. 

Charity Pot grants are generally directed towards campaigning project costs; however, core costs are occasionally considered where a detailed budget and explanation is provided. 

Charity Pot funding is not available for student expeditions, schools, councils, volunteer-tourism projects, academic studies, sponsored activities (e.g. walks, runs, challenges etc), fundraising initiatives, or event sponsorship.

Who can apply?

Charity Pot funds organisations that take on issues that others don't, those that push the boundaries and challenge the mainstream opinion. 

To be eligible, your group should have annual incomes of less than £350,000 and be run entirely or predominantly by volunteers. You don’t have to be UK based, but, in the case of overseas projects, these should be run by local people and with their direction.

Charity Pot does not fund individuals, only organisations and groups. Your group does not need to be a registered charity, Charity Pot supports all kinds of groups, including new organisations and start-ups. However, your group should be not-for-profit. Applications from non-secular, religious or military organisations are not accepted.

Charity Pot grants prioritises those projects or organisations that best match the Lush values and ethics. This means applications are NOT accepted from organisations that:

• Deny the human rights of others
• Are involved in cruelty/subjugation of animals (incl. farming, testing or research)
• Coerces or forces others to change their beliefs or proselytizes
• Harbour racism or prejudice
• Prevents or impedes the free-speech of others 
• Judge others on anything other than their actions
• Have not made every effort to be environmentally responsible
• Promote/support violence, aggression or oppression towards others (direct action groups are only supported if they are non-violent)

Charity Pot grants try to direct funding towards causes that are often overlooked by other funders.  This means less popular issues, which are more difficult to raise funds for, are likely to be prioritised over an organisation that has, for example, many supporters, corporate sponsors, or has sufficient profile to be able to secure mainstream funding such as government grants.  Typical popular causes tend to be health charities (medical research, hospices etc.), social welfare, religious causes, children/ young people and military-related causes, so that would normally make these less of a priority for a Charity Pot grant.

Charity Pot Grants

Charity Pot grants range from £100, up to a maximum of £10,000 per project/application.  The average Charity Pot grant is between £2,000 - £4,000.  It is unusual to award the maximum of £10,000, as this reduces the range of projects that can be supported.

What do I need?

Organisation Details

You will need to tell us a bit about your group.  Some basic information, such as the group's name, email, address and charitable status etc., as well as some detailed information, such as your total annual income and expenses, if you have staff, how many you have, and your groups’ background and mission statement.  If you are a new organisation, you should provide a background for the main individuals in the organisation. 

Project Details

Think carefully about what you are planning, as you will need to submit a clear, focused and well-defined project plan.  You will need to know how much funding you need, and when you need it by, and whether you could accept a partial award, if Charity Pot was unable to fund the full amount.  You will also need to tell us what you want to do, why you think it’s needed, where and when your project is going to take place, and who or what your project benefits, and to think about what other groups you might be overlapping with or working alongside.  You can also include any web address links to any supporting documentation - for example, film trailers, photo's, online articles.

Budget

You will need to submit a budget for your project in pounds sterling (UK currency) that clearly demonstrates in detail how you will spend the funds.   Your budget should match the amount you are asking for, and clearly show the individual costs you would like Lush to fund.  If you are providing extra budget details (e.g. costs that are not being applied for), ensure that these are clearly separated and identified as not to be considered).

Avoid generalised costs, for example ‘admin costs’ or ‘campaigning costs’ - this needs to be broken down into the constituent costs that make up this total (e.g. £300 for the printing of 5000 leaflets, £50 postage of legal documents to service users).  If you are budgeting to purchase an asset (e.g. a heater, a tent, a bicycle) indicate how many you are buying, and what will happen to all assets once your project is complete.  If you are purchasing travel, indicate who is traveling, why and to where, and how (e.g. train, car etc.). 

You will not be able to send your budget as a separate document.  Instead you will need to type it in the relevant answer box on the application form.  Use a new line for each line in your budget.

Bank Account

Grants cannot be paid into personal bank accounts, for example, an account held in the name of an individual (Mr. B Smith). Grants can only be paid into an organisations' bank account.  This is an audit requirement and demonstrates your commitment as a group/project. 

However, as an alternative if your group does not have its own bank account, Charity Pot does accept nominated 3rd party bank accounts (fiscal sponsors), as long as they are held in the name of another not-for-profit organisation, normally working in a similar sector. The bank account could not be held in the name of an individual, a profit-making organisation, or an organisation that did not meet our ethical guidelines. But you would in effect be nominating their account to receive the funds on your behalf.

If you should decide to provide the bank account of a 'fiscal sponsor', any transfer of funds from the 3rd party bank account to yourself is a private arrangement, and this means you would need to be confident that they would pay any monies across to yourself.

You will need to take extra care inputting the details for your bank account, as errors can significantly delay your application, and can result in failed payments, or application rejection.

Referees

Each application must be submitted with the full details of two referees.   A referee must be independent of you/your group, but able to comment with experience and expertise on the activities, successes, and challenges your group faces.  Your referee cannot be a funder, employee, volunteer, founder, or trustee in your group.  Their email address should be an organisational one (e.g. @greenpeace.org), and not a private email address (e.g. @gmail.com, @yahoo.co.uk).  They also cannot be financially dependent on your group or know you only because of providing funding.  However, providing referees from groups working in a similar field who have a good vision of your work, is a wonderful opportunity to demonstrate how connected your group is to the wider community. 

If your group is not based in the UK, at least one of your referees must be an international NGO. Examples of international NGOs include - International Rivers, Amazon Watch, Friends of the Earth International (including member groups), Indigenous Environmental Network, Rainforest Foundation, Survival International, War on Want, Global Justice Now, Oil Watch, World Society for the Protection of Animals, International Animal Rescue.  Their email address should be an organisational one (e.g. @greenpeace.org), and not a private email address (e.g. @gmail.com, @yahoo.co.uk).

When can I apply?

Applications are accepted at any time, and there are no cut-offs. However, you should allow at least 3 months from application to when you need the funds.  Applications are assessed on a first-come-first-served basis, however, if your funding is exceptionally urgent please email [email protected] for advice.

How do I apply?

Once you have read these guidelines, if you'd like to apply, you can click here to access our online application form (or, here for a sneak peek of what the form looks like). [These links will go live on 1 November 2026.]

What happens when I apply?

When you submit your application form it is processed and checked for any missing information or additional details. It is then submitted for panel review.  Our funding panel assesses applications on a rolling basis and a decision is usually made within 8-12 weeks. However, sometimes a funding decision may take longer.

You may be contacted at any time during the process, should additional details or clarifications be needed for a decision to be made.  Decisions are made by a panel made up of campaigners, activists, and experts.  The panels assess and shortlist the applications to those that most closely meet the Charity Pot grant guidelines, prioritising grassroots campaigning.  If your application is shortlisted your referees will be contacted, and their feedback will contribute towards a final decision.

If your application is not successful, you will be emailed and informed.  Unfortunately, given the application volumes, it is not possible to offer feedback on rejected applications.  However, a rejection does not prevent you from re-applying (see below), as it may be funding was over-subscribed and other projects have been prioritised. 

If your application is shortlisted your references will be contacted, and their feedback will contribute towards a final decision.  

Please consider letting your referees know that the speed of their response directly impacts the time it takes to make a final decision.  However, if successful, you will be emailed a confirmation together with the value of your grant.  Payment is then usually made within 7-10 days. 

Please note, if your project is overseas and close to a regional Lush Charity Pot team, your application may be referred to a more local team.  Lush have Charity Pot teams working across Europe, the Americas and Asia-Pacific region for more information check your local Lush website.

What is required if I am successful?

If successful, your group name, project description, and website link will be listed on our website, to provide transparency to Lush customers and staff.  The value of a grant is not publicised.  If you are concerned about this, please contact [email protected] to discuss.

You will be required to provide feedback on your project, either when it is completed or within a year of receiving the funds (whichever is soonest).  You should be prepared to provide links to any supporting documents such as news articles, local press, social media videos or receipts for significant assets.  A link to the report format will be provided once your funding is agreed, or you can access it here. [This link will go live on 1 November 2026]

Finally, if successful, Lush prefers any grants not to be publicly acknowledged or promoted.  As a result, Lush does not do logo placements and does not offer sponsorships or partnerships.  Any platforms you have access to should be utilised to talk about your project, rather than any funding Charity Pot has provided.   If you have questions about using the Lush logo, please email [email protected].

FAQs

Can I apply for more than one project?

Yes. However, as groups can only be funded once per year, you will need to submit all the projects within the same application form, ensuring that each has a detailed budget, and the total is under £10,000.  Funding panels may then decide to fund all or only some of the projects you’ve submitted.

Can I apply again if I have been unsuccessful?

Yes. Charity Pot grants are often over-subscribed, therefore if your application has been rejected, it may be indicative that other projects better fit the funding criteria. If you wish to reapply for the same project, you should consider demonstrating a sufficient change in your project to better fit the funding criteria. 

Can I apply for a second grant?

Yes. A group can be funded up to once per year (allowing a full 12 months between funding). Review of subsequent applications would also factor in the success of prior projects and feedback.  You must submit a full report from your prior grant before applying again.  This can be completed here. [This link will go live on 1 November 2026.]

Can I apply for partial funding?

Yes. You can apply for partial funding of up to £10,000 where a project budget exceeds £10,000.  You would need to evidence your plans to raise any remaining required funds, and if you are seeking significant additional funders, you might be asked to wait until these funds have been secured.  However, typically, smaller projects would be prioritised.

Who can I contact to ask a question?

You can contact the Charity Pot grants administration team at [email protected].

Charity Pot Events

Every Lush shop has the opportunity to run in-store events with local grassroots campaigning groups, charities and nonprofit organisations that are working to protect animals, people and the planet. 

These events are a way for Lush to help platform and raise awareness about local organisations and their amazing work, as well as raise vital funds to support them through sales of Charity Pot lotion. During a Charity Pot event, 75% of the sales (after tax) from all Charity Pot sold during the event is donated to the featured organisation. 

As well as meeting all the general Charity Pot funding criteria, to be eligible for a Charity Pot event an organisation must be based and working locally to the shop itself. Charity Pot events are not possible for supporting charities with international reach or projects based in other countries, as these events are designed to spotlight local causes and issues that are impacting local communities, animals and the environment.

To make sure our shops can support a range of local groups, they are able to hold a Charity Pot event for the same organisation once every 5-6 months. An organisation must complete an application form to be considered for a Charity Pot event which is then reviewed by the Lush Charity Pot team to ensure a group is suitable under our funding guidelines. 

If you are interested in a Charity Pot event contact your local Lush shop.