The Foundation's main grants programme provides support for places. These grants are for capital initiatives, i.e. buildings (new build or refurbishment) and equipment.
Key Criteria
They fund a broad range of organisations working across the fields of education, science and medicine, health and disability, places of worship, heritage, and arts and humanities. Each category has its own specific funding criteria:
Charities working with disability:
Projects should:
- be for a new building, refurbishment work or equipment
- include capital costs of at least £50,000
- have a shortfall in capital funding of at least £25,000
Projects should also address at least one of the following aims:
- increased access to services for new and existing users
- improved quality and range of services
- improved future sustainability of the organisation
Charities working in mental health
Projects should:
- be for a new building, refurbishment work or equipment
- include capital costs of at least £50,000
- have a shortfall in capital funding of at least £25,000
Projects should also address at least one of the following aims:
- Increased access to services for new and existing users
- Improved quality and range of services
- Improved future sustainability of the organisation
Charities working with older people
Projects should:
- be for a new building, refurbishment work or equipment
- include capital costs of at least £50,000
- have a shortfall in capital funding of at least £25,000
Projects should also address at least one of the following aims:
- Increased access to services for new and existing users
- Improved quality and range of services
- Improved future sustainability of the organisation
Historic buildings & landscapes
Projects should involve one or more of the following elements:
- restoration or conservation work to the historic fabric of the building
- excellent interpretation of historic buildings, landscapes and collections
Projects should have at least one of the following aims:
- increased numbers of visitors to historic sites
- better public engagement with and understanding of sites of historical and cultural significance
- improved future sustainability of the organisation
Hospices & palliative care organisations
Projects should:
- be for a new building, refurbishment work or equipment
- include capital costs of at least £50,000
- have a shortfall in capital funding of at least £25,000
Projects should also address at least one of the following aims:
- Increased access to services for new and existing users
- Improved quality and range of services
- Improved future sustainability of the organisation
Projects should have at least one of the following aims:
- Enhanced care of collections of national significance
- Better public engagement with and understanding of collections
- Increased numbers of visitors to libraries and archives
- Improved future sustainability of the organisation
- Conservation of architectural heritage
Projects should have at least one of the following aims:
- Excellent interpretation of permanent collections of national significance
- Better public engagement with and understanding of collections
- Increased numbers of visitors to museums and galleries
- Improved future sustainability of the organisation
- Conservation of architectural heritage.
Projects should be focussed on improving the quality of training and education facilities and represent a strategic priority for the organisation.
It should also have one or more of the following additional aims:
- Better engagement with audiences
- Increased numbers of participants
- Improved future sustainability of the organisation
- Conservation of architectural heritage
Applications from training organisations or large- to mid-scale venues, and projects that concern dedicated facilities for education will be prioritised.
Public engagement with science organisations
- Projects should have at least one of the following aims:
- Increased numbers of visitors and engagement of new audiences
- Improved educational experience and understanding of science
- Improved future sustainability of the organisation.
Secondary schools & sixth form colleges
Projects must:
- cost at least £25,000
- be for new build, refurbishment work or technical equipment
- be focussed on the teaching of one or more of the following subjects at GCSE and A-Level: science, computer science, design & technology, art, languages, music and performing arts.
Projects should have one or more of the following aims:
- improved quality of teaching and learning spaces for subjects which require specialist facilities and technical equipment
- increased numbers of students taking these subjects
- improved learning outcomes for students taking these subjects.
Special needs schools & colleges
Projects should:
- be for a new building, refurbishment work or equipment
- include capital costs of at least £50,000
- have a shortfall in capital funding of at least £25,000
Projects should also address at least one of the following aims:
- Increased access to services for new and existing users at secondary/post-16 level
- Improved quality and range of services
- Improved future sustainability of the organisation
Universities & research institutions
Projects should have at least one of the following aims:
- Expansion of high-quality research into new fields or increased output from existing research (including new collaborations)
- Improved quality of research
- Production of work with a clear impact, benefitting either the academic community or the public.
