Grants

As a general grant giving charity we will consider making small grants to any young or old person in need. We will also fund organisations working with the young or old. Helping individuals is the main focus of our grant giving. Normally recipients must live in or be based within 40 miles of Woodbridge. All our activities must fall into the remit of the charity and develop our work.

Our grant making aims are:

1. To fund individuals either young or old which enables them to achieve their aims who, without our help, would not be able to do.
2. To enrich the educational experiences of the young and enable older people to remain active learners.
3. To help assist projects that enable organisations to develop new, or enhance existing, services to the young people which enables them to fulfil their potential by accessing education or employment opportunities and/or diverts them away from crime, substance and alcohol abuse etc and anti-social behaviour.
4. To help assist projects that enable organisations to develop new, or enhance existing, services to the elderly which enable them to retain their independence, access leisure, social or education facilities or relieve hardship or distress.

Demand for our grants is high. Each application is therefore considered with care as often demand is greater than our supply can be. The majority of our awards, in terms of quantity, are made to individuals. Our annual grant budget is usually between £25,000 and £30,000. We very much focus on people rather than capital projects. We prefer to ensure our contribution will make the project or activity happen and therefore will not respond to general large fundraising appeals. We will however consider funding core staff and running costs.

Eligibility

Organisations making an application must be a charity or other non-profit making body. The organisation will normally be based, and have its main office, within a 40 mile radius of Woodbridge Shire Hall. The beneficiaries of the award must be 25 years old or less, or 50 years old or greater.

The organisation must not hold excessive free reserves of its own and must demonstrate user and community involvement.

If you wish to apply, please download the Grants Application Form.

Individuals must demonstrate financial need and be 25 or under, or 50 or over. A young person in receipt of educational maintenance allowance, if in education, will be sufficient evidence to demonstrate financial need. Otherwise proof of the individual's or family's annual income will be required. This can be in the form of a P60 if on low income, documentation of benefits received and any other supporting information which demonstrates financial need. In the case of older people those in residential care or in rented accommodation and in receipt of Housing Benefit.

If you wish to apply please write to us with an outline of what the funding is to be used for, enclosing a copy of your birth certificate.