Grants to organisations

Our responsive programme

 

Approximately £500,000 is awarded from our responsive programme each year. Grants within this category cover education, relief and recreation.

 

Our themed grants programmes

 

An additional £500,000 per year is available from our themed grants programmes. These enable us to focus resources on topics of particular interest which still fit within our three objects of education, relief and recreation. Our aim is to increase the impact and benefits of our funding through specific, targeted interventions. Each of the themed programmes has its own specific criteria and all projects funded through this programme must be able to demonstrate the potential to influence policy and practice in the field or be replicated in other locations.

 

We reviewed our themed programmes following the publication of Sinking and Swimming – understanding Britain’s unmet needs,  a report by the Young Foundation which the Charity co-funded.

 

As a result, we have maintained one of our previous programmes and launched three new themed programmes based on the report’s recommendations. Our new programmes are broader in scope than the old ones, with the aim of being accessible to a wider range of Bedford projects.

 

The programme we have maintained is:

  • The Education Challenge Fund
    This is a partnership programme for state schools in the Borough of Bedford wishing to conduct research in school. Please contact the Grants Manager for more information.

The three new programmes are:

  • Transitions
    This programme is for projects which provide preparation, bridges and support for people undergoing difficult life transitions in Bedford.
  • Resilience or Psychological Fitness
    This programme is for projects which will help Bedford residents manage and cope with traumatic changes positively, learning to adapt and prosper despite setbacks. 
  • Isolation
    A programme for projects which reduce loneliness and lack of social networks amongst Bedford’s most vulnerable residents.

For detailed information about each programme and examples of the type of project it might fund, please contact the Grants Manager.