Deadline: 31 March 2020
The Weavers’s Company is currently seeking applications for its Benevolent Fund to support work in the following areas of interest:
- Young Offenders;
- Prisoners and Ex-prisoners;
- Young disadvantaged people, especially those at risk of criminal involvement.
The Weavers’ Company Benevolent Fund was set up in 1973 with funds from The Worshipful Company of Weavers, which is the oldest City of London Livery Company and has a history dating back before 1130 AD.
Priorities
- Supporting offenders and ex-offenders
- Many offenders and ex-offenders suffer from a variety of difficult and complex problems and they are amongst the most vulnerable members of society. They will fund work that addresses the social and economic problems faced by this group and their families, and provide them with support, life skills training and a way back into education, training and/or employment, so that they may reintegrate and make a positive contribution to society.
- Helping disadvantaged young people
- The Trustees are keen to support projects working with disadvantaged young people to ensure that they are given every possible chance to meet their full potential and to participate fully in society. They normally define young people as being aged from 5 to 30 years.
Funding Information
- Grants of up to £15,000 per annum may be awarded, but smaller applications are also welcomed;
- Grants are normally awarded for one year only. The Company can however exceptionally consider applications for multi-year funding, up to three years.
What will not fund
- Long-term support- Company will not normally provide long-term support.
- General appeals- Company will not support sponsorship, marketing or other fundraising activities.
- Endowment Funds- Company will not support endowment funds, nor bursaries or long-term capital projects.
- Grant-giving charities- Company will not provide grants to grant-giving charities.
- Retrospective funding- Company will not make grants for work that has been completed or will be completed while the application is being considered.
- Replacement funding- Company will not provide grants for work that should be covered by statutory funding.
- Building projects- Company will not fund building work, but may help with the cost of equipment or furnishings.
- Disability Discrimination Act- Company will not fund capital projects to provide access in compliance with the DDA.
- Personal Appeals- Company will not make grants to individuals.
- Umbrella bodies or large, established organisations- Company will not normally support projects in which the charity is collaborating or working in partnership with umbrella bodies or large, established organisations.
- Overseas- Company will not support organisations working outside the UK, nor overseas expeditions or travel.
Eligibility Criteria
- Though income is not a barrier to an application being considered, the Committee’s preference is to support small organisations. Local organisations such as those working in a village, estate or small town should normally have an income of less than about £100,000. For those working in larger cities and/or across the UK, income should not be more than £250,000.
- The company is especially interested in helping smaller organisations which offer direct services. Organisations must normally be registered charities or in the process of applying for registration;
- Applicants must show that they have investigated other sources of funding and made plans for the future, which should include replacement funding if appropriate;
- Company particularly welcome applications for pump-priming grants from small community-based organisations where grant would form a major element of the funding;
- Work that Company cannot normally support includes
- Work with children under 5 years of age;
- Universities or colleges;
- Medical charities or those involved in medical care;
- Organisations of and for people with disabilities, including learning and physical disabilities;
- Environmental projects;
- Work in promotion of religious or political causes.
For more information, visit http://www.weavers.org.uk/content/grant-application-guidelines