Applying for a grant for
your organisation
The purpose of these guidelines is to assist organisations considering making an application to our Improving Lives Fund. We appreciate the time and effort that goes into fundraising, so we hope that this guidance on the criteria provides clear and explicit information, enabling you to be as informed as possible in making an application.
If, after reading these guidelines, you are still unsure about your organisation’s eligibility or the application process, we encourage you to contact the National Benevolent Charity to discuss your proposed application.
Please note we only accept applications from organisations with beneficiaries living in Bristol, Gloucestershire, Swindon & Wiltshire.
What is the aim of our grant making?
Our aim is to make grants to a wide range of organisations in Bristol, Gloucestershire, or Swindon & Wiltshire which can demonstrate that their beneficiaries are experiencing poverty (or hardship) and that their project, programme, or organisation aims to alleviate that poverty.
Who can apply?
We are particularly looking to fund infrastructure or frontline organisations working with marginalised people. We will consider proposals from national organisations for specific work or projects in our geographical areas of interest where there are strong local partnerships and where the outcomes have potential to achieve a substantial impact to the local community. As a registered charity, we can only make grants to support activity which is charitable by law. Organisations do not have to be registered charities to apply, however they do need to be a not-for-profit and have an agreed constitution. We will consider supporting social enterprises with general start-up or expansion costs (where there is a sound business plan), but we would not normally support ongoing running costs which should be financed by the sale of goods and services in line with the governance model they have chosen.
Please see our latest Impact Report for some examples of recent grants to organisations.
What do we fund?
Our grantee partners are the experts on the ground, and we trust that they will utilise funding in the most valuable way to their beneficiaries. Therefore, we provide flexible, unrestricted funding.
We will consider funding core costs such as salaries and general running costs, and we remain open to single or multi-year funding and in exceptional circumstances interim funding.
What do we not fund?
We make grants to organisations whose activities fall within and are consistent with the Charity's objects. Grant requests which we do not normally support are:
- Projects that exclusively serve religious purposes.
- Political campaigns and legislative lobbying efforts.
- Organisations established solely for the relief or benefit of animals or plants.
- Retrospective or deficit funding.
- One-off conferences or events, except where these fall within a wider context that aligns with our charitable objects.
What is our application process for Bristol?
We are committed to working with our existing partners until the end of 2023, therefore we are no longer inviting new applications.
However, we invite Bristol organisations which can demonstrate that their work aims to alleviate poverty (hardship) to contact us for an informal discussion about future funding opportunities.
What is our application process for Gloucestershire?
You may apply to us directly using the short application form below together with supporting information. There are guidelines on what you may like to include in this document. If you prefer you may submit a video or a presentation which shows your organisation, and the beneficiary needs clearly.
The application deadlines for 2023 are 14th April, 18th August & 15th December, however you are advised to apply as soon as possible.
Alternatively you may apply through Gloucestershire Funders.
Gloucestershire Funders is a collaboration of funders who came together in response to the uncertainty faced by charities and communities during the Covid-19 pandemic. Applications made through Gloucestershire Funders are reviewed regularly however they will still be subject to our internal panel deadlines. If you choose to apply via Gloucestershire Funders your application will be reviewed by all members of Gloucestershire Funders,so you may receive funding from another funder.
Please contact our Organisation Grants Manager for further advice and support on the application process.
What is our application process for
Swindon & Wiltshire?
You may apply to us directly using the short application form below together with supporting information. There are guidelines on what you may like to include in this document. If you prefer you may submit a video or a presentation which shows your organisation and the beneficiary needs clearly.
The application deadlines for 2023 are 14th April, 18th August & 15th December, however you are advised to apply as soon as possible.Please contact our Organisation Grants Manager for further advice and support on your application
How much do we award?
The maximum we will award in Gloucestershire, Wiltshire & Swindon is £10,000 per organisation, per year.
How do we make decisions?
Within a few weeks of receiving an application, applicants will be asked to have a phone call with our Grants Manager to discuss the application.
Following the phone call applications will be assessed against a framework to ensure consistency in the evaluation process and to also ensure alignment with our charitable objects. Applications will not be reviewed based on grammar or writing style.
All unsuccessful applicants will receive feedback – via email and/or phone call. There is no right of appeal.
How long do we take to make a decision?
For grants for up to £2,000, we aim to respond within two months from the application deadline.
For grants over £2,000 it may take up to three months from the application deadline.
What happens once we approve a grant?
Once a grant is approved, we will notify you via email and will ensure that we have all the relevant details for electronic banking.
For awards over £2,000 we will also send a grant agreement setting out standard conditions of the grant such as purpose/expenditure of funds, accounts, and reporting, return of funding, publicity and acknowledgement, legal compliance, and appropriate policies.
What type of reporting do we expect of grantees?
We aim for proportionate reporting that is as light touch as possible. Reporting requirements will be agreed with our grantee partner at the time of making the grant and we will provide clear communication on these expectations within our grant offer letter.
We see the value in open, honest communications, so we may consider a conversation via a phone call or zoom, or a project visit rather than a grant monitoring form. We will also consider using existing grantee reporting frameworks or some simple guiding and open-ended questions so that we can ensure that reporting is not too onerous on our grantee partners. However, we may ask grantee partners for photographs and stories for use in our own impact reporting.
