Gibbs Trust
Funds innovative undertakings by Methodist churches and organisations, Other Christian Causes, especially of an ecumenical nature, and a wider category within the fields of the creative arts, education, social and international concerns, a few international initiatives.
Jill Franklin Charitable Trust
Grants support refugees, self-help mental health groups, churches for restoration, respite holidays prisoners education. Grants ranging from £500 to £1000.
Tesco’s Bags of Help scheme, administered by Groundwork and funded by the proceeds of the government’s carrier bag levy, is now open for applications all year round. Community groups are invited to apply for grants to help improve their local community spaces for projects such as creating allotments and community gardens, forest school sessions for schools, helping to set up a Britain in Bloom project and supporting practical training for young people learning horticultural skills. Three local community projects will be voted on in Tesco stores each month throughout England, Scotland and Wales. In each region, the project that received the most votes from all stores in their region will receive a grant of up to £5,000 with the second placed project receiving up to £2,000 and third placed up to £1,000. Every year, over 7000 projects will receive funding through this scheme.
New focus on young people leaving care
Esmée Fairbairn has launched a new £10m fund for charities working with young people leaving care, with the grantmaker taking a more targeted and “evidence-based” approach to funding. The five-year programme, Young People Leaving Care, aims to invest £2m per year in projects that support young people leaving care to make the transition to adult hood. Esmée said it expects most support to be made in the form of grants but will consider social investments as well. There is no limit on the size of grant and guidance for applications can be found on the charity’s website.
Co-op Launches Local Community Fund (UK)
The Co-op has launched a new Local Community Fund. A total of £8 million is available to support three community projects for each of the Co-op’s 1,500 food stores and funeral homes in the UK. In particular, the C-op is looking to support projects led by small, locally based organisations that benefit the local community centred around Co-op food stores and funeral homes; have the greatest possible benefit to their community; and make maximum use of the amount of funding available. Preference will be given to organisations with annual incomes of less than £1million. The fund is open to applications from registered charities, churches that are an ‘excepted’ charity and scout and guide groups. The closing date for applications is the 16th December 2016