Grants of up to £5,000 are available to UK registered charities within the genetic condition community as a contribution towards their organisation's running costs.
The Jeans for Genes Campaign encourages children and adults to wear their jeans to school, work or at home in exchange for a small donation. These monies are then distributed within the genetic condition community to charitable organisations that support individuals and families affected by a genetic disorder, via the Jeans for Genes grant programme.
Jeans for Genes Week in 2025 is scheduled for Monday 15t to Sunday 21 September 2025.
Genetic conditions occur when a mutation (a harmful change to a gene, also known as a pathogenic variant) affects a person's genes or when they have the wrong amount of genetic material. The most common types of genetic disorder/condition in the UK are:
- Cystic Fibrosis
- Down Syndrome
- Duchenne's Muscular Dystrophy
- Huntington's Disease
- Sickle Cell Anaemia
- Tay-Sachs Disease
- Thalassemia
This programme didn't run in 2024, but we're pleased to see that it's back for 2025. Grants of up to £5,000 are available for core costs.
Applicants must:
- Be a genetic condition specific charity or a charity whose beneficiaries are solely those with genetic conditions and/or their families.
- Be at least 18 months old and have published their first set of annual accounts.
- Be based in and delivering their work in the UK.
- Have an annual income of between £20,000 and £300,000 (as reported in their most recent set of accounts filed with The Charity Commission), and
- Have appropriate safeguarding policies in place.
They also offer Project Grants of up to £20,000 to front line, genetic condition charities so that individuals living with a genetic condition and their families can access the right support at the right time.
Further information, guidance and other useful resources are available on the Jeans for Genes website.
The deadline for applications, which should be submitted by email, is Friday 14 March 2025. Awards are expected to be confirmed in May 2025.