W H Smith's Community Grants Scheme

W H Smith’s Community Grants scheme is funded by the 5p carrier bag levy and is available across the UK, with a preference for supporting community projects in areas where W H Smith has retail outlets. 

The W H Smith Group Charitable Trust is an independed registered charity (no. 1013782) based in Swindon, Wiltshire.

The Trust has the following charitable objectives:

o Support local charities in communities across the UK; and
o Promote literacy and a love of reading.  

Grants of up to £500 are available to:

o Registered or Exempt Charities;
o Constituted voluntary organisations;
o Community groups; and
o Schools and pre-schools.

There is no match funding requirement.

A wide range of community projects can be funded.

Although W H Smith outlets can be found in many town centres, the W H Smith Group Charitable Trust allocated grants totalling just £128,589 (2014: £122,549) during the year ending 31 December 2015.

Previous awards have included:

o Devizes Canoe Club;
o Friends of Dorchester School;
o Savernake Forest Scouts Group;
o Wiltshire Air Ambulance;
o Homestart; and
o Reminiscence Learning, the multi-award winning dementia charity based in Wellington, Somerset. 

The following are not eligible for a grant:

o Party political organisations;
o Religious organisations;
o Military organisations;
o Individuals;
o Expeditions; or
o Overseas travel.

The application periods each year are :

o 1 April to 30 September; and
o 1 October to 31 March.

A short application form can be completed online on the Trust’s website.

Contact details for the Trust are:

W H Smith Trust
Greenbridge Road
Swindon
SN3 3LD
Tel: 01793 562824
Email: communitygrants@whsmith.co.uk

(Source: GRIN)