NOEL BUXTON TRUST

The Noel Buxton Trust has a long-standing concern for the welfare of both families and prisoners, and its work in Great Britain continues to focus on these areas. In Africa, the Trust seeks to support community-led organisations working to build local sustainable livelihoods. In all three areas, the Trust has an interest in funding work which does not easily attract funding from other sources.  

The Trust has a particular interest in:

o Applications that support the needs of offenders who are over represented within the youth and criminal justice system; for example, black or minority ethnic groups;
o Offenders who have specific needs that are not met through mainstream provision, such as disabled or older offenders; and
o Projects that the Trust believes will help to break down the stigma and discrimination that many offenders face.

The Trust offers grants up to £5,000 for grassroots registered charities in Great Britain working in the following fields:

1. Family Grants - the maximum grant is £5,000 per year for up to three years, preferably outside of London and South East England.

The Trust's focus is on funding for families on the issue of domestic abuse. The Trust will consider projects that work with survivors and/or perpetrators of domestic abuse. 

2. Penal Grants - Funding is available for project and core costs, preferably for agencies outside of London and South East England. The kinds of grants the Trust expects to make are:

o One-off grants of up to £3,000 to pay for specific projects that help maintain relationships between prisoners and their families or for work that supports the contributions that volunteers make within the prison community;  and
o Grants of up to £4,000 per year over two to three years, particularly where a guaranteed on-going contribution is going to make a difference to the sustainability of a programme or activity.

The Trust supports local campaigning organisations, self help groups and service providers in their committment to the rehabilitation of offenders for the benefit of both the offender and society as a whole.

The areas of penal affairs activities that are funded include:

o Peer support and mentoring to provide offenders with appropriate support to help them through times of difficulty;
o Making social connections with friends, family or local community, eg opportunities for serving prisoners to stay in touch with their children or community circles of support for high risk ex-offenders within the community;
o Skill-based activities through volunteering or training; and/or
o Activities that both help rehabilitate offenders and help build bridges through various benefits to local communities.

3. Africa Grants - the maximum grant is £5,000 per year for up to three years.

The Trust will fund work in Africa, including Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Uganda, Sudan and South Sudan. Within these areas, priority will be given to work with communities living in urban slums and semi-arid regions where economic hardship is most extreme.

The Trust's Africa programme focus is on economic development rather than service provision. It  favours work such as small business support and training, and microfinance in both urban and rural settings. Applications in support of initiatives that are building sustainable futures in the semi arid areas of Africa are especially welcome. The Trust also welcome appeals that support and protect street children, and help them find safe and sustainable livelihoods.

The Trust like to see applications that enable successful practical solutions to be replicated or that aim to bring about relevant policy change through effective advocacy. It also likes applications that demonstrate a commitment to strengthening community based organisations and ensuring the voice of poor and marginalised women and men are properly heard and respected.

There is no requirement for match funding for any of the Trust’s funding areas.

The Trust prefers to support smaller, grassroots organisations and does not encourage applications from large and well-supported charities or branches of network organisations.

Funding is not available for the following:

o Academic research;
o Advice centres;
o Animal charities, including those running sanctuaries, rescue or adoption services;
o The arts for their own sake;
o Buildings;
o Conferences;
o Counselling for individuals;
o Expeditions, exchanges, holidays, study tours, visits;
o Housing and homelessness;
o Human rights;
o HIV/AIDS programmes;
o Individuals;
o Northern Ireland;
o Organisations set up primarily to treat medical conditions, physical disabilities or mental health issues;
o Playgrounds;
o Prizes;
o Race relations;
o Contributions to a specific salaried post;
o Schools, including school infrastructure and teaching equipment;
o Vehicles;
o Victims of crime, except those affected by domestic abuse and victims involved with restorative justice projects; or
o Videos and IT.

PLEASE NOTE: the following additional restrictions to grant support:

o Under the Africa Grants Programme funding is not available for any work outside the areas listed as the geographical focus.

o Under the Family Grants Programme funding is not available for older people or work in women’s or men's refuges.

o Under the Penal Grants Programme funding is not available for overseas projects or youth projects.

Applications may be submitted at any time.

There is no application form.

Applicants should submit a short letter (one to two pages) outlining the case for funding.

Applicants should view the Trust's website and mention this in their letter as well as showing how the organisation's work fits the Trust's guidelines.

The application should include:

o The charity registration number and the name of the organisation to which cheques should be made payable if different from that at the head of the appeal letter.
o A budget for the current and following year;
o Details of funding already received, promised or applied for from other sources; and the applicant's
o Latest annual report/accounts in the shortest available form.

For further information, visit the Noel Buxton Trust website.

Contact details for the Trust are:

The Noel Buxton Trust
PO Box 520
Fleet
GU51 9GX
(The Trust does not advertise a phone number or an email address.)

(Source: GRIN)