In the build up to our Virtual Falkirk Funders Fayre this year, we’re spotlighting the funders who are attending the event for the first time ever.
This week’s spotlight focuses on TWO of our new funders: the Foyle Foundation and the Henry Smith Charity.
Both have significant funding programmes, and we would urge people to book into their sessions to find out about how they can access these, along with tips and recommendations on what they look for in applications.
The Foyle Foundation
The Foyle Foundation’s session takes place on Wednesday 9th March at 11am.
Background
The Foundation is an independent grantmaking trust that distributes grants to UK charities, welcoming applications from across the country, including Scotland!
Since it became operational in November 2001, the Foundation has disbursed £115.1 million in grants (up to 31st December 2020).
Grant Schemes
The Foundation supports charities in 3 main areas:
- Main Grants Scheme, supporting charities whose core work covers Arts and Learning
- the majority of both Main Grants are expected to be in the range of £10,000 – £50,000 for revenue projects, with some larger grants possible depending upon need and purpose
- The Foyle School Library Scheme, which accepts applications from state funded schools throughout the UK
- schools can apply for £1,000 – £10,000, with primary schools a priority
- Small Grants Scheme, supporting charities in all fields with a turnover of less than £150,000 per annum
- charities can apply for between £1,000 and £10,000
Applications to all schemes are accepted all year round, and there are no deadlines for submission. However, it may take up to 4 months (occasionally longer) to receive a decision from the Trustees, as the schemes are often oversubscribed. As a result, early application is advised.
Further information on all of the Foundation’s schemes is available by clicking on the linked titles above.
COVID-19
The Trustees of the Foundation are keeping its grant-making policy under constant review in the light of social and economic developments in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Foundation understands that charities (and schools, for the School Library Scheme) are now operating within very different circumstances since the March 2020 COVID-19 lockdown and during the gradual relaxation of social distancing restrictions. They are keen to be as flexible as possible in their support of charities during this difficult and constantly changing ongoing period.
The Foundation has consulted, listened to the needs of the sectors they support and reflected on how they can adapt our grant-making to be more flexible and relevant in their response during these unprecedented times. As a result, until further notice, they have revised our criteria for support to be more supportive.
For further information on the Foyle Foundation, please visit their website, or book your FREE ticket to their Falkirk Funders Fayre session via the Eventbrite page.
The Henry Smith Charity
The Henry Smith Charity was founded in 1628 and is now one of the largest grant-making charities in Britain, issuing grants to reduce social and economic disadvantage, with £39.7 million awarded in 2021 alone
Their session is also on Wednesday 9th March, taking place at 1pm.
Grant Schemes
“Our grant holders are at the core of our mission and work. For us, achieving results depends on their work and, as a grant making trust, we can only be as effective as the organisations that we fund.”
The Henry Smith Charity Grant Funding Strategy includes their values and principles as an organisation, and funding priorities for their 2 largest grant programmes:
- Improving Lives
- grants for small and medium sized organisations (including social enterprises!) in the UK to support projects and the running costs of organisations
- Strengthening Communities
- running costs grants for small, grass roots, community based organisations working in the most deprived areas of the UK
Applications to these grants are typically awarded £20,000 – £60,000 for 1-3 years, with a decision timescale of 6 months.
The Henry Smith Charity also provides funding through the Strategic Grants – Advocacy for People with Learning Disabilities and/or Autistic People Programme, and their Holiday Grants; further information is available via the What We Fund section of the website.
Additional Information
Further details on the life of Henry Smith, the Charity’s founder, is available on their About Us page.
In addition to their funding work, the Charity has network of over 40 Volunteer Visitors, who play a vital role in visiting organisations which have successfully reached the second stage of applying for funding through the Charity’s 2 main grant programmes, Improving Lives and Strengthening Communities.
The Virtual Falkirk Funders Fayre 2022 takes place Tuesday 8th March – Thursday 10th March, with 3 workshops each day; tickets are FREE, and can be booked via the Eventbrite page.
If you have any issue booking via Eventbrite, please contact us by phone: 07717600520, or email: info@cvsfalkirk.org.uk
The full event schedule is available below:
Tuesday 8th March
- 10:45am: CVS Falkirk Welcome and Introduction
- 11am: Tesco Community Grants
- 1pm: Falkirk Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP)
- 3pm: The Clothworkers’ Foundation
Wednesday 9th March
- 11am: The Foyle Foundation
- 1pm: The Henry Smith Charity
- 3pm: People’s Postcode Lottery
Thursday 10th March
- 11am: Foundation Scotland
- 1pm: The National Lottery Community Fund Scotland
- 3pm: Corra Foundation
Everyone is welcome, though the event is aimed at third sector groups and organisations (including charities, social enterprises, community and voluntary groups). Organisations from outwith the Falkirk area are also welcome to attend.
Please note: these sessions will be recorded to allow us to share the learning with other groups and organisations in the future; if you don’t want to be recorded then please contact us by email: info@cvsfalkirk.org.uk and we will let you know what needs to be done.
Let us know you’re coming! Tweet using @CVSFalkirk and #V3F22, or tag us on Facebook.
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