This is an annual grant programme and will reopen in 2026.
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.
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
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.