The Weaver's Company Benevolent Fund

The Weaver's Company Benevolent Fund Grant is designed to support local organisations undertaking projects for young people who are vulnerable and at risk of becoming involved with crime.

The scheme aims to help vulnerable young people to stay out of trouble and to help with the rehabilitation of young offenders.

The scheme particularly wishes to fund projects for the following:

o Helping disadvantaged young people - The object of the fund is to support projects working with disadvantaged young people to ensure that they are given every possible chance to meet their full potential and to participate fully in society. Young people are normally defined as being aged from 5 to 30 years.
o Offenders and ex-offenders, particularly those under 30 years of age - Many offenders and ex-offenders suffer from a variety of difficult and complex problems and they are amongst the most vulnerable members of society. Funding is available for work that addresses the social and economic problems faced by this group and their families, and provide them with support, life skills training and a way back into education, training and/or employment, so that they may reintegrate and make a positive contribution to society.

Grants up to £15,000 are available per annum for up to 3 years.

UK registered charities or organisations in the process of applying for registration are eligible to apply.

Priority will be given to smaller organisations which offer direct services.

Local organisations such as those working in a village, estate or small town should normally have an income of less than about £100,000. Those working across the UK should normally have an income of not more than about £250,000.

Eligible expenditure includes:

o Pump-priming - particularly from small community-based organisations where the grant would form a major element of the funding.
o Project funding.
o Associated project costs - applicants should include the cost of any overheads associated with the work, such as office/secretarial support, so that the project is not under-funded.
o Core costs - such as general administration and training that enable an organisation to develop and maintain expertise. o Innovative or pioneering work - that could inspire similar work in other areas of the country.
o Continuation funding - ongoing funding for successful projects, which have proved their worth.
o Emergency or deficit funding - in exceptional circumstances.

Forthcoming application deadlines are:

o Tuesday 1 December 2015;
o Monday 28 March 2016; and
o Monday 1 August 2016. 

Any applications that arrive too late for consideration at one meeting are automatically rolled forward to the next.

Applicants must show that they have investigated other sources of funding and made plans for the future, which should include replacement funding if appropriate.

Application forms are available to download from the Trust's website and on request.

Contact details for the Weaver's Company are:

The Weaver's Company
Saddlers' House
Gutter Lane
London EC2V 6BR
Tel: 020 7606 1155
Email: charity@weavers.org.uk

(Source: GRIN)