Unrestricted grants of up to £25,000 per year for up to 3 years (ie up to £75,000 in total) are available to smaller registered charities, Charitable Incorporated Organisations and Community Interest Companies in England and Wales based and working outside London that are supporting people aged 18 and over experiencing economic injustice and discrimination due to their race or ethnicity.
The programme also includes tailored support aimed at helping strengthen charities and build the knowledge, skills and capabilities of staff and trustees. It is therefore for charities that are prioritising their development.
Applying organisations should be led by and working for communities experiencing inequity because of their race or ethnicity. At least 75% of their Directors/Trustees and at least 50% of staff should self-identify as belonging to the communities being supported.
The Foundation provided a similar programme in 2023, for which it received 256 applications. 185 (72%) of applications met the initial eligibility criteria and 39 (21%) organisations were awarded funding totalling almost £3 million.
For the 2024 round, the Foundation expects to award 42 grants. Applications from Wales, and Yorkshire and Humber, which were underrepresented in 2023’s awards, are likely to be prioritised for grant support.
Applicants will be expected to demonstrate a track record of directly delivering services for at least 12 months to people aged 18 and over from racially minoritised communities who are experiencing significant economic disadvantage by providing:
- In-depth services – delivering a range of services supporting individuals through a structured pathway over a prolonged period. This could include services to overcome immediate needs but will also lead to longer-term support, and/or
- Personal plans – working together with the people they support to understand the challenges they may be experiencing and agree on how to help them find a way to overcome them.
Services should aim to support people over the longer-term and enable them to to strengthen their immediate personal or financial circumstances, as well as helping them to make progress towards achieving their career aspirations and ambitions.
Further information, guidance, an initial Eligibility Quiz and details about how to apply can be found on the Foundation’s website.