Wandsworth Grant Fund in the UK

Deadline: 3-Apr-23

The Wandsworth Grant Fund (WGF) is seeking applications to provide all small grants (£500 to £10,000) for community and voluntary sector organisations in the borough to undertake activities for up to 12 months.

Objectives

• Through these themes, activities will contribute towards the Council’s key objectives of being:
  • A fairer Wandsworth
  • A compassionate Wandsworth
  • A more sustainable Wandsworth

Themes

• They aim to support projects under six themes:
  • Arts and culture
  • Environment and attractive neighbourhoods
  • Children and young people
  • Citizenship and civic engagement
  • Achieving aspirations and potential
  • Health and wellbeing
  • Recovering from the impact of COVID-19.

Categories

• There are 3 categories of grant available:
  • Small Grant
  • Intermediate Grant
  • Large Grant

Funding Information

• Small Grant: £500 – £1,000
• Intermediate Grant: £1,001 – £5,000.
• Large Grant: £5,001 – £10,000.

Eligibility Criteria

• They will only fund organisations that have a signed governing document in place appropriate to the legal structure which includes an asset lock (or equivalent), and the purpose of all funded activities must be charitable (not for profit).
  • Providing services or activities that benefit the residents of the London Borough of Wandsworth. Organisations with a regional or national remit may apply, but they will only fund services or activities that benefit Wandsworth residents.
  • Registered charities, Excepted charities, CIO’s, social enterprises and Companies Limited by Guarantee. Companies Limited by Shares are not eligible.
  • Trustees/Directors: The organisation must have at least three unrelated Trustees or Directors who are legally responsible for the governance of the organisation. (Note: This is separate from any management committee that sits a board of Trustees/Directors).
  • Structured community groups of residents which have clearly defined aims and objectives and can demonstrate that the funding will be paid into a bank account in the group’s name.
  • Bank Account: Organisations must have a bank account in the group’s name authorised by at least two unrelated members’ signatories who also live at different addresses.
  • Constituted, with at least three unrelated Trustees or Directors.
  • Accounts: Organisations must have at least a year’s (12 months) operational experience and have an independently verified statement of financial activities and/or bank statements.
  • Unincorporated Associations/ Groups of individuals: who must have an association agreement allied to an organisation bank account with two unrelated signatories who live at different addresses. (This could be in conjunction with a parent body such as a residents’ association).
  • Policies: You must have appropriate policies and procedures in place appropriate for your organisation, all of which have been reviewed in the last two years. Specifically, all applicants (including Arts professionals) must have their own Safeguarding policies and procedures appropriate for their work.
  • Public Liability Insurance: You must have appropriate insurance in place by the start of the grant period.
  • Registration: If your organisations income for charitable purposes is more than £5,000 annually, you must be registered with the Charity Commission or the relevant regulator (e.g., Companies House, CIC regulator, or equivalent). You can seek guidance on setting up a charity at Charity Commission. .

What they do not fund

• Core staffing costs that form part of an organisation’s existing work.
• Any work or activities that any other person/organisation has a statutory duty to provide or undertake.
• Large capital or revenue fundraising appeals are low priority
• Existing projects that form part of your group or organisation’s ongoing work. This includes extending existing projects and projects which are in receipt of a current grant award. Second year funding for the same project or to develop a WGF funded project is rarely provided.
• Faith-based groups or organisations where the monies will be used for activities that in any way promote religious views or purposes. Projects should benefit the wider community and not just the membership.
• Projects where the monies will be used to promote political views or purposes
• Individuals, higher education fees or personal household items.
• Applications which are general fundraising in nature.
• Development of websites and associated costs.
• Contingency costs, refreshments/food costs when a major part of the budget, application writing costs, recoverable VAT.
• Retrospective costs: being any aspects of your project or activity which has been undertaken prior to any grant award being agreed by the Council’s Executive committee.
• Work which is not charitable and does not benefit Wandsworth residents.
• Individual sponsorship or redistribution of a grant to individuals or other organisations.
• Organisations must not have more than one late submission to the Charity Commission/Companies House or other relevant regulatory body within the last two completed financial years.

For more information, visit Wandsworth Grant Fund.