|
See also
|
|
What we need:
blind category
The Trust awards grants to UK registered or exempt charities whose work
fulfils the criterion:
Care of blind people and the prevention and cure of
blindness.
In a typical year the Trust is able to respond positively to
around 1 in 3 eligible applications with around 19 charities supported with
grants varying from £3,000 to £30,000. Charities which exist primarily for
the care of blind and visually impaired people are most likely to succeed,
but the Trustees will consider others (for instance those who care for
people with multi-disabilities) where the projects are specifically aimed at
the blind or partially-sighted element of their work.
In this field only,
the Trustees will consider applications from charities whose work is abroad,
but are only likely to support a maximum of two such charities each year.
We are not necessarily looking for glossy professional bids and understand that
your application will vary according to the size of organisation and the
project. The following lists the areas that must be covered – if you fail to
do so we will not consider your application:
-
Organisation overview
1.1 Name and contact details including:
- Name, address,
charity number (state if exempt from requirement to register);
- name of main contact, telephone and email.
1.2 Background and overview to include:
- a very short history of the charity, when it was founded and why
for instance;
- overarching aims and objectives;
- if part of a
larger national, regional or international organisation, please
provide details;
- numbers and relevant information about
clients/beneficiaries (this might include geographic location, age
group etc); and
- numbers of staff; and volunteers (and an
indication of the areas in which they help).
-
Additionally for project grants
2.1 Project description
Explain what you
want a grant for/towards including:
- why it is necessary;
- who will benefit and how;
- how you will deliver it.
2.2 Give the total cost and:
- include a breakdown of the main items of expenditure,
including the VAT position (explain if reclaimable or not);
- tell us how you intend to raise the funding and how much
raised so far; and
- if you have other applications outstanding, tell us how many
and for how much.
2.3 Contingency plan. Explain what you intend to do
if you fail to raise all the funds.
2.4 Timetable. Tell us your timescale for raising funds and when you aim
to start and complete the project.
2.5 Annual accounts. You must include your latest audited accounts
and annual review (if you have one). If your financial reserves are
not clear in the accounts, please provide further details. If your
reserves are greatly under or over policy we would like to know why.
2.6 Other information. Please include any other
information which you feel will assist us in judging your
application. This could include for example a copy of your
newsletter, or short promotional/ advertising leaflets.
Additionally for unrestricted grant applications
3.1 Your need. Tell us why you need
unrestricted funding. Has income reduced? Has expenditure increased?
Please give us details and explain the reasons.
3.2 How you will use the
fund. While any grant will be unrestricted we know that such funding may
enable you to undertake a small project otherwise unaffordable and if
this is the case include brief details of the project and its cost.
3.3 Future funding. Our policy on awarding
unrestricted grants will be kept under review as we do not want to
encourage reliance on us for core funding, so please do tell us how
you plan to raise such funding in future years. We do however
recognise the current economic pressures on charities and will
continue to award unrestricted funding to charities who can justify
requests.
3.4 Accounts. We need a clear
understanding of the charity’s financial situation so please ensure
you include:
- latest audited accounts and annual review;
- draft accounts for last complete financial year (if
applicable and available);
- budget summary for the current year; and
- clear details
of free and designated (non-fixed asset) reserves and an explanation of
your reserves policy. The more adequate your reserves may appear, the
fuller the explanation should be as you will need a convincing case to
persuade us of your need.
3.5
Other information. Please include any other
information which you feel will assist us in judging your application.
This could include for example a copy of your newsletter, or short
promotional/ advertising leaflets.
If you wish to talk through a potential application then please
contact us in the Grants Office either by
email or by telephone on 020 8941 0450. It is only manned part time
so email is sometimes quicker. - Applications may be submitted as soon as you have all relevant information: see How to Apply
Examples of previous grants
£3,000 was awarded to a small charity to complete the funding needed
to provide independent living courses for the first time.
A local blind society was awarded £20,000 towards the £147,000 cost
of converting shop premises into a Support and Resource Drop-in centre.
£3,000 was awarded to a county blind society to complete the funding
needed for the purchase and installation of a new server for its offices.
A grant of £9,000 was awarded to a county association towards the
recruitment, set-up, equipment and initial salary cost of a new volunteer
co-ordinator.
A pan-disability charity was awarded £19,500 to fund the purchase of
software and equipment specifically for its visually impaired beneficiaries.
A national charity which supports people who are deafblind was given
a grant of £25,000 towards a £1.7m capital appeal to build a new Learning &
Development Centre.
A national charity which supports people who are blind/VI with
multiple disabilities was given £22,500 to fund a specialist publication
about eye care for people with learning disabilities.
A UK registered charity was given a £20,000 donation towards its work
programme treating people with cataracts and refractive error in rural
Ethiopia.
|
|
