Grants are available for charitable organisations across the UK that work with and provide services for blind and partially sighted people to improve resilience, responsiveness, and sustainability.
This fund aims to support improved resilience and responsiveness in organisations that support blind and partially sighted people and have been affected by an uncertain post-pandemic economic climate and the ongoing cost-of-living crisis.
Funding will enable groups across the sight-loss sector to continue to adapt and respond to ongoing needs and increased costs.
“Our social impact funding supports projects that are designed to improve the experience of being blind or partially sighted, or at risk of sight loss, in the UK. We are an evidence-led funder and base our programmes on where we feel our money can have the greatest impact.
We recognise applying for funding can be challenging, time consuming and stressful. Please get in touch with our team by emailing [email protected] if you have ideas but are not sure if they fit our criteria, or if you would like any help with our application process.
Our grantmaking principles
Reflect our vision, values and strategy
Be intelligent and evidence-based
Be courageous and impact driven
Encourage collaboration and be empowering
Be meaningful and effective
Offer stability but encourage sustainability.
Our next funding round has 2 elements:
A National Resilience Fund open to organisations across the UK, who can apply for up to £10,000 of unrestricted funding.
A London-specific programme dedicated to reducing the levels of loneliness and/or isolation experienced by blind and partially sighted people living, working or visiting London. This programme has been made possible through our partnership with the City Bridge Foundation.
Across both funding streams, we’re particularly keen to support organisations who demonstrate a strong commitment to involving experts by experience, i.e. blind and partially sighted people or people at particular risk of sight loss, in their work.
National Resilience Fund
Organisations across the country have risen valiantly to meet the challenges of an uncertain post-pandemic climate. But the current cost of living crisis poses a threat to the sustainability of many organisations providing support to blind and partially sighted people: a group who have been disproportionately affected by the ways that Covid19 changed how we live and work.
We also know that blind and partially sighted people in parts of the UK lack access to basic support services and that organisations operating in these areas struggle to remain sustainable and resilient. Our funding is therefore intended to support improved resilience and responsiveness of the sector as a whole.”
The funding might be used to manage increases in core costs: the funding can be used for up to 12 months, covering any core (running) costs including contributions to rent, salaries, or strengthening operational systems and processes. Alternatively, the funding might be used to fund work to combine/merge organisations.
We’re particularly keen to hear from grassroots organisations and organisations in parts of the country where there are significant gaps in support for blind and partially sighted people.
Our Community Grants programme is all about supporting local charities, Cooperatives and Community Land Trusts to find local solutions to tackle the housing crisis. These organisations can apply for grants of up to £60,000 to fund projects which help people in housing need.
We divide the UK up into 11 regions, each with its own Community Board made up of Nationwide members and colleagues from that region.
All applications for grants are assessed by our in-house team and a shortlist is then shared with our Community Board members. Through discussion and shared perspectives, expertise and experience, our Community Boards decide which projects should be funded.
We cap the number of applications in each region to 40. This means one in five applications will be successful. So when our application window opens, be sure to get yours in as soon as you can. Why not take a look at our Useful Information documents and find out which questions we’ll ask in the application?
To download the application form please visit their website.
Supported by UK Research and Innovation, Community Grants help eligible community groups to organise events and activities for their audiences during British Science Week (8-17 March 2024), expanding the number of people who enjoy and take part in science.
For British Science Week 2024, we’re offering grants of £500 and £1000 to community groups that work with people who are typically underrepresented in science, and which set out to deliver an event or activity that involves the local community, challenges science stereotypes and inspires ongoing science engagement.
Please check the Community Grant guidelines to find all the information you need on how to apply, and whether your community group is eligible. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at [email protected]. The deadline for applications is 11.59pm on Monday 6 November 2023, so be sure to complete your form in good time!
Why not take a look at our Community Grant case studies to discover how previous grant recipients used the funding for their own British Science Week projects?
We are looking for a Service Engagement Manager to join our team.
This is an exciting and varied role, reflecting CARA’s significant growth over the last few years. We are looking for a proactive post holder who will manage two key aspects of CARA’s service provision:
New referrals into our service, overseeing the work of our team of First Contact Navigators and our Information and Referrals Co-ordinator.
Managing our counselling waiting lists and the allocation of clients to a counsellor, overseeing the work of our Allocations Team.
This role will lead a talented and committed team, supporting their work and assisting them to develop their key roles. As well as overseeing day-to-day operations of the team, the post holder will be part of CARA’s management team and will have the opportunity to play a key role in CARA’s wider development, working closely with the CEO and Head of Operations. The post holder will also be the main lead and point of contact for managing CARA’s client database and resolving any data queries.
For a full job description and person specification, please click here.
This post is restricted to women applicants under the Equality Act 2010, Schedule 9, Part 1.
Service Development Coordinator
We are looking for a Service Development Coordinator to join our team. This new and varied role provides an exciting opportunity to develop and enhance CARA’s work with a particular focus on Equality Diversity and Inclusion, and Survivor involvement. The post holder will work closely with CARA’s service users, CEO, Head of Operations, five team managers and the wider CARA team to ensure best practice is embedded across the organisation.
For a full job description and person specification, please click here.
Healthwatch Essex are currently gathering lived experiences around menopause and perimenopause support/advice in west Essex. We are interested to hear from anyone who has input that they would be happy to share with us.
As part of this work, we would be very grateful if people could take a few minutes of their time to complete the attached simple survey. Responses are completely anonymous unless someone indicates that they would be interested in talking to one of our team in a little more depth about their experiences, and then their details will be used solely for the purpose of making contact to discuss.
The Public Health Accelerator Bids (PHAB) programme will fund new projects that help people in Essex to live a healthy life.
The £7.5 million grant programme will run for three years.
PHAB will make a difference to the lives of many vulnerable residents across Essex. The programme focuses on closing the health inequalities experienced in the county.
The programme consists of two grants:
small grants of between £500 and £15,000. Applications open on Monday 4 September 2023
major grants from £15,000 with no upper limit. Round two of the expressions of interest opens on Monday 6 November 2023 and closes on Friday 1 December 2023.
Essex County Council reserve the right to cap the upper limit of funding dependent on availability to provide proportionate universalism at any time.
The High Sheriff of Essex, Charles Bishop, is encouraging charities and voluntary groups to apply for funding from the High Sheriffs’ Fund to support their work tackling crime and community safety.
Grants of up to £5,000 are available to support organisations working across Essex, Southend and Thurrock for a wide range of work and projects. These include helping victims of crime, working with young people and informing them about the dangers of drugs, alcohol, gangs and anti-social behaviour, and initiatives that contribute to keeping elderly residents safe in their homes and the wider community.
Previously supported projects included self-defence training for young women, sessions that increase awareness of modern slavery, a programme helping people experiencing homelessness to find accommodation and drama performances in schools that teach students about the dangers of alcohol misuse.
The independent charitable trust, Essex Community Foundation (ECF) has managed the High Sheriffs’ Fund since 1997 and since then, grants totalling £700,000 have been given to a wide range of charities. In addition, successive High Sheriffs who have fundraised during their year of office, combined with donations made by Essex Police from the Proceeds of Crime Matched Funding Scheme, have helped to grow the endowed High Sheriffs’ Fund which provides an annual programme of grants.
Charles has already visited many charities and voluntary groups across the county, meeting volunteers and seeing first-hand the difference these organisations are making.
He said: “It is a privilege to recognise the important work of volunteers and local charities that are making such a difference in our communities. Providing support from the High Sheriffs’ Fund is just one way of showing thanks and appreciation, so I very much encourage groups to apply for funding to support their vital work.”
Andy Payne Worpole, Head of Programmes at ECF, said: “We are delighted to work with successive High Sheriffs to ensure the money they raise tackles important issues at a local level. We also have other charitable funds that can support community safety initiatives so please call our dedicated grants team who will give you support and guidance.”
The deadline for applications is 10 November. Click here to apply or call the grants team on 01245 355947.
Welcome to the London Stansted Airport Community Fund Application Portal. From here you will be able to register your organisation and apply for one of our grants.
Organisations can apply for a Community Grant of up to £5,000 or apply for our Flagship Award of up to £50,000
Who can apply?
Applications will be welcomed from community or other not for profit groups, charities, Town Councils and Parish Councils. Grants will not be available to organisations which should be entitled to statutory core funding in respect of the project or to individuals.
What will you fund?
We are keen to support many aspects of community life and give grant support to many diverse parts of the community.
We will consider applications for capital projects which protect and enhance the social, economic and environmental well-being of the community.
Examples of projects which we are keen to fund are:
• Projects which are of special help to specific social groups. For example, voluntary youth groups (scouts, guides, youth clubs), the elderly or disabled.
• Projects which support community life in general such as improvements to facilities such as village halls.
• Infrastructure which supports community use.
• Projects that support community drama, art, music and sporting/leisure activities.
• Environmental and conservation schemes that support access to the countryside / outdoors.
Where will you fund projects?
Grants will only be awarded to projects that are operated, or to be operated, by applicants who are located, or which operate predominately, within our Area of Benefit.
What is the Area of Benefit?
The Area of Benefit is a 10-mile radius of the airport with extensions to reflect areas directly affected by operations at London Stansted Airport.
No. However, projects with additional / match funding will be favoured for the Flagship Award.
How often can we apply?
Applicants will not be considered for further funding for 2 years from the date of their last successful application.
Must we complete the application on-line?
No, should you require a printed copy of the application form, please email [email protected]
Will there be more opportunities to apply for a grant?
Yes, please do not worry if you do not have a project which is eligible for funding at the moment. London Stansted Airport has committed £150,000 per year to this fund for the next 10 years. There will be plenty of opportunities to apply for funding in the very near future.
The Government’s Multiply programme is focused on raising participation in learning and attainment in Maths for adults aged 19 and over.
ECC has submitted an investment plan seeking the maximum allocation of £7.9m, which is the largest of any county in England. Allocation of fund for 2022/23 has been awarded.
This will help address the crucial skills gaps in Essex, which ranked 114 out of 151 local authorities in England – the 38th lowest – in terms of the proportion of 16-64 year olds with an NVQ3 or above.
As a result, Essex has secured the fifth largest funding allocation in the country and the largest allocation for a single local authority.
Essex Multiply Project
Multiply aims to raise participation in learning and attainment in Maths up to NVQ2 for adults aged 19 and over. Failure to attain this level of Maths is often a barrier to progressions to higher learning and in work. Attainment at Entry Level 3 can even bar access into technical apprenticeships at NVQ2. The Multiply scheme will go beyond traditional maths and will also focus on everyday numeracy skills to help adults with household budgeting, debt management, bargain hunting, and with their children’s homework, etc.
The project aims to offer short courses and support that will help adults to cope with the cost of living, to help their children with their schoolwork, to access employment, and to progress in work. The project aims to whet Essex adults’ appetite for learning through short practical courses that offer maths tools that are useful to residents and families in their everyday lives.
The Government has confirmed the initial grant of £2.4m to ECC to deliver 3,450 opportunities by March 2023. By March 2025, 14,200 residents will participate in education/training: supporting businesses to upskill their workforces, helping parents to support their children’s learning and to offer adults more effective tools with which to manage their money better.
Multiply will support ECC’s objectives as set out in the Everyone’s Essex strategy to support Good Jobs and Future Growth by increasing the skills of Essex residents and workers. It will also support ECCs Levelling Up Essex White Paper which aims to level up priority places and disadvantaged cohorts across Essex. Multiply will also deliver bespoke modules to meet the skills needs of employers in sectors which are set to grow as set out in our Sector Development Strategy and those that are struggling with skills shortages.
The closing date for this funding is Friday 20th October 2023. Your project can be up to £10,000 in value and will run for 6 months.
Join us for our next cost-of-living data briefing on 10 October, 11am – 12pm. This event will be hosted virtually during the Labour Party Conference. Clare Moriarty, our Chief Executive, and Tom MacInnes, our Data Analyst will be speaking live from Citizens Advice Liverpool. Panellists will be announced soon.
Our September event debated which policy levers we need to use to tackle the cost-of-living crisis. This event will develop this discussion to talk about how we might pull them, and how we conduct effective policy making.
Half of the people coming to us in debt have a negative budget (spending more on essentials than they have coming in) and we’re supporting more and more people who haven’t come to us before, like mortgage holders and those in full time employment. We’re also helping record numbers of people access food banks. Policy changes and Government support have helped bring these numbers down slightly, but they’re still alarmingly high. So what’s the answer and how do we fix it?