Large grants
Our large grants are between £5,000 and £100,000, with most applications being under £50,000.
During 2011/2012, we awarded £400,000 in grants, and we expect to award a similar amount in 2012/2013. We give preference to applications from organisations whose headquarters are in our Area of Benefit, and to projects that require seed funding but will become self-funding in subsequent years. In such cases, we will consider a tapering grant over two or three years.
Projects must provide support and opportunities to people in need, significantly improving their lives. The focus for 2012/13 will be Inclusivity, for example projects that inspire and enable disadvantaged children and young people to fulfil their potential, projects that help adults get off welfare and into work, and projects that tackle loneliness and help people to participate fully in community life. Overall, we are looking for a creative response to need.
The deadline has now passed for submission of Expressions of Interest for our Large Grants programme in 2012/13. Our Large Grants programme for 2012/3 is therefore closed to further submissions.Those applications being taken to the second stage have been informed and final decisions will be made in January 2012.
Projects we funded in 2011/12
Borough Music School – £18,250
Providing 100 pupils with bursary support and funding a community music and development manager.
Bloomfield Learning – £9,375
Educational bursaries for dyslexic children from disadvantaged families in Southwark, enabling them to receive one to one tuition for a year with the aim that they attain their chronological reading age.
Bede House – £35,543
Bicycle recycling workshops to teach young people how to restore, maintain and recycle bike parts in making new ones. Music workshops will engage a group of young people giving them a sense of ownership of the project.
Guidelines to application
In response to a suggestion by applicants, for 2012/13 we asked organisations to submit a short initial expression of interest. Schemes were shortlisted back in November 2011 and a final decision on Large Grant awards for 2012 should be made on Monday 30 January 2012.