There is no deadline for the Main Grants Programme and applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
Before you apply:
Please note that the assessment process is thorough and it can take many months for a successful grant to be awarded. It is a good idea to send your initial application early as no ‘crisis’ or ‘fast-track’ grants are provided. The Foundation receives many more requests than can ever be granted, and like most grant-making organisations, has to turn down many of the applications received. Applicants are therefore encouraged to apply to multiple funding sources, and not just to this Foundation.
Stage 1:
- Submit your initial application letter following the instructions provided here
- You should receive a response from the Foundation within twelve weeks of contacting us (if you have included a stamped self-addressed envelope)
- We receive many initial applications, and relatively few of these will progress to stage 2
Stage 2:
- If the Foundation decides to progress your application to this stage we will contact you to inform you of this initial outcome
- At stage 2 we might:
- request further information or ask questions about your proposal
- organise for a representative of the Foundation to meet with you
- send you a detailed application form to complete
- Not all applicants will progress through the whole of stage 2, and an application can be declined at any point during the process
- There is no set time-scale for this although the average time for an application to pass to stage 3 is up to six months
Stage 3:
- This is the final stage of the assessment process, and means that your proposal will be considered by the Trustees at an upcoming meeting
- We will inform you of the date your application will be discussed; meetings are typically held twice a year, in June/July and November/December
- Successful and unsuccessful applicants are usually contacted in writing within two weeks of the meeting
- Difficult decisions have to be made at each meeting, and not all proposals will be approved by the Trustees
Stage 1 and 2 decisions are made by a combination of Foundation staff, Trustees, and Advisors. The Stage 3 decisions are made only by the Trustees. All decisions are final.