Hardship grants
Hardship grants are one-off payments of up to £500, delivered alongside a holistic signposting service to support you through life’s unexpected challenges
The RCN Foundation is an independent charity and we are not linked to any trade union activity. Our purpose is to support and strengthen nursing and midwifery to improve the health and wellbeing of the public. We do this by:
- Providing grants to nurses, midwives and healthcare support workers for hardship and education
- Providing research and innovations grants to organisations
- Our grants are accessible to all nursing and midwifery professionals - you do not have to be a member of the RCN to receive our support
Be the difference this Christmas
Even though she’s too poorly to be at home this year, the magic of Christmas hasn’t left Janice. She’ll be spending it surrounded by family and the nursing and healthcare staff that care for her, every day of the year.
This year we were able to provide financial support to 1 in 6 that applied for a hardship grant, and 1 in 10 that applied for an education grant. By making a donation to the RCN Foundation, you will help us continue our work and reach more nursing and midwifery professionals when they need us most.
Impact
In 2024, we provided 705 grants amounting to £1,363,895. These included 698 grants to individuals for benevolent and education purposes, and 7 to organisations undertaking research and innovation studies. Learn more about our impact here or download our 2024 Impact Report.
Our grants
The RCN Foundation are here to help.
Education grants
Apply for a professional development or student grant.
Research & practice development grants
We invest in the nursing and midwifery professions and improve patient care.
How you can support us
The nursing and midwifery community needs your support now more than ever. Your generosity will help us care for those who care for us at a time when the nursing and midwifery community need us most.
Make a donation
Donate online and support nurses, midwives, and healthcare support workers facing financial hardship
Leave a gift in your Will
And support nursing and midwifery teams for generations
Fundraise for us
There are endless ways to fundraise and support nursing and midwifery professionals across the UK. However you’d like to fundraise, we'll support you all the way
Recent news and events from the RCN Foundation
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Be the difference this Christmas
Even though she’s too poorly to be at home this year, the magic of Christmas hasn’t left 73-year-old Janice. She’ll be spending it surrounded by family and the nursing and healthcare staff that care for her, every day of the year
RCN Foundation awarded prestigious Chief Nurse Adult Social Care Award
We’re delighted to have been recognised by Professor Deborah Sturdy, Chief Nurse for Adult Social Care, for our contributions to adult social care nursing
“Compassion is the most important intervention we have available to us in healthcare.”
On 22 September we held our Annual Lecture where Professor Michael West CBE presented on Compassionate Leadership