We map our grants and social investments against our funding priorities. This helps us monitor and learn from our funding over time. It allows us to spot and understand emerging trends in the underlying sector and will also help guide our decisions around exit.
The Charity exists and operates for public benefit. Through our grantmaking we aim to improve life chances for people in the UK.
The Trustees have referred to the Charity Commission’s general guidance on public benefit when reviewing the Charity’s aims and objectives and in planning future activities and setting grantmaking policy for the year.
These are large grants are awarded every three years. They are made for a 2-3 year period to between 5-7 charities to support a particular project.
The purpose of Strategic grants is to provide meaningful support for specific project or core costs for a minimum of three (and maximum of six) years. The total value of Strategic grants awarded will be about £1.8-2.1m per annum although this level will be reviewed in each cycle. The next cycle of Strategic grants is scheduled to be awarded in November 2022 for payment in June 2023.
‘Intermediate’ grants are mid-level grants, typically £150,000, awarded every three years. They are made for a 2-3 year period to between 8-12 charities to support a particular project.
The aim of the Intermediate grants is to help smaller or medium sized charities by providing secure funding for three years. This may enable them to promote a new project, seek matching funding or match existing funding. If there is a successful partnership with the charity, it may be invited to apply for a Strategic grant at the end of the term.
The total value of Intermediate grants is around £400,000 per annum. The next cycle of Intermediate grants is scheduled to be awarded in May 2024 for payment in December 2024.
Discretionary grants are one-off unrestricted payments of up to £25,000. The Trustees will fund up to £130,000 of Discretionary grants each year.
The aim of the Discretionary grants is to help smaller charities without imposing a burden on them. Recipients of Discretionary grants may be considered for Intermediate grants in future but there is no guarantee of further support. No reports are required.
The Charity does not accept unsolicited applications. The Trustees seek out Charities they wish to support and will invite those charities to apply for a grant.
If a charity is invited to apply for funding for a discretionary grant there is a form which must be used for this application (Discretionary grant application form). The Board member who has proposed the recipient must be mentioned in the application. The form can be submitted by email and or by post to the Charity Administrator.
Intermediate or Strategic grants are generally for particular projects. At least one trustee will make contact with the applicant and would normally visit the proposed project too. The proposed applicant would be asked to provide a full written application, by email and/or post, setting out the proposal and use of the funds requested over the period of the grant. The timing for the receipt of the proposal will be agreed so that it can be considered by the Board.
All proposals are considered by the Board at their meetings, usually in the Autumn. Following this, the proposed recipients will be invited in to present their application to the Board. If they are successful, they will be informed and any paperwork will be circulated for completion.
The Charity is happy to be included in publications and if needed the appropriate logo for this can be requested from the General Manager or Administrator. Details of the use of the logo can be found on our Grantholders page
Trustees will normally follow up an Intermediate or Strategic grant with at least one visit to the project and encourage recipients to remain in contact throughout the term of the project.