New finance and funding information

Tags: Funding Sources | sustainability

Every so often we provide you with information on new sources of funding and other related financial titbits, and so here is your latest dose.

Santander to raise cash for local charities

Banking group Santander has launched a scheme to donate £250,000 to local charities across the country. The Spanish retail and commercial bank is asking its customers in the UK to vote for the local charities they think should receive funding to mark the rebranding of Abbey and Bradford & Bingley to Santander.

Each of the 1,000 branches will be allocated part of the Community Chest Fund and asked to nominate three local causes, which will be voted for by customers visiting braches of the bank between 11 January and 26 February. So, if there is a charity in your area that deserves a bit of recognition and a helping hand then make sure you pop by a branch.

Dulverton Trust

The Dulverton Trust awards grant funding to charitable organisations in the UK working in the following areas: youth and education; general welfare; conservation; preservation; peace and humanitarian support; Africa.

The Trust offers two types of grant: Major Grants with no fixed limit are available to charities with an annual income below £50 million and that operate nationally or across the geographical regions of the UK.  Minor Grants up to a maximum of £3,500 are available to smaller charities with an annual income below £400,000 that are usually working at a local or county level.

Applications can be made at any time, and for more information, click here.

Hedley Foundation

The Hedley Foundation awards grants to registered charities in the UK. Its main objective is to support projects concerned with the education, training and health and welfare of young people in the UK. It also funds projects providing support for carers of disabled people and the terminally ill, and provides funding for the purchase of specialist medical equipment.

The average grant awarded is £3,000. Grants are awarded on a one-off basis and may only be used to cover project costs rather than core, revenue, salary or transport costs.

The Trustees meet six times a year to consider grant applications. The 2010 meeting dates are as follows: 27 January 2010, 17 March 2010, 19 May 2010, 21 July 2010, 29 September 2010, 24 November 2010. Applications must be received at least three weeks prior to a meeting to be eligible for consideration. To learn more, click here.

John Ellerman Foundation

The John Ellerman Foundation annually awards around £5 million in grant funding to organisations working in the following areas of interest: health and disability; social welfare; arts; conservation.

Applications are invited from registered charities with a UK office involved in delivering projects throughout the United Kingdom. The Foundation is particularly interested in supporting small or medium-sized charities with an annual income of less than £25 million. Applications can be made at any time. Further details are available from e-mail barbara@ellerman.org.uk and from the website, here.

Children in Need

Children in Need has launched a new Small Grants programme with the aim of seeking applications from organisations that have not applied to Children in Need before. Grants of up to £10,000 a year for up to three years will be available to organisations across the UK working with young people and children.

They are keen to get applications from smaller organisations across the UK that have not previously made an approach to them. There will be four application rounds a year. Any not-for-profit organisation working with young people and children aged under 18 can apply. Children in Need hopes to make decisions within 14 weeks of the closing date for each round. The next closing dates are 15 April, 15 July and 15 October 2010.

More information can be found here.

E.On Sustainable Energy Fund

The E.ON Sustainable Energy Fund, which supports community energy projects, has announced new deadlines for 2010. Community groups, charities and not-for-profit organisations that benefit education groups, vulnerable people or people in fuel poverty can apply for grants of up to £20,000, for up to 90 per cent of costs, to implement sustainable energy projects in community buildings. The new deadlines for applications are 2 April and 8 October 2010.

Click here for more information.

Helping community organisations get online donations

Local giving is a new website to funnel donations to local charitable organisations which is being developed with the support of the Community Foundation Network. It is due to launch nationally summer 2010. See more at www.localgiving.com or listen to NAVCA's podcast with the CFN chief executive at www.navca.org.uk/news/cfnpodcast, of particular interest to local support organisations.

Don't forget to check out our Sustainability weblinks page for more funding sources.