Aims/priorities: Funding is available to organisations that are supporting children and young people of 18 years and under who are experiencing disadvantage through:
- Illness, distress, abuse or neglect.
- Any kind of disability.
- Behavioural or psychological difficulties.
- Living in poverty or situations of deprivation.
The funding is for projects that make differences in children’s lives that help prevent or overcome the effects of the disadvantages they face. Projects achieve these differences by either working directly with children or seeking to improve their social and physical environments. Applicants must have a clear plan for the activities and the differences these activities make for children and young people. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the funder has temporarily broadened the types of applications it is accepting. Currently funding is being offered that can be used more flexibly than usual.
Applications are encouraged for:
- Project delivery (including staffing and salary costs)
- Creative solutions to deliver much needed services
- Organisational costs to support stability and adaptation. (Including the day-to-day running costs of an organisation as opposed to specific project costs)
All applications will have to show how this funding will make a difference to children and young people’s lives during this crisis.
Applications are not limited to one specific project and a request can be made for organisational running costs. The funder is committed to supporting voluntary groups with these types of grants.
Who can apply? Registered not-for-profit organisations who work with disadvantaged children and young people of 18 years and under living in the UK, the Isle of Man or the Channel Islands are eligible to apply. The following organisations can apply:
- Community interest companies (CIC)
- Companies limited by guarantee (CLG) including social enterprises
- Housing associations
- Industrial and provident community benefit society
- Registered charities
- Religious institution
- Special schools (These are provisions for children with learning difficulties or disabilities which cannot be met within a mainstream setting.)
Applicants must be able to state why they are best placed to make a difference to the lives of disadvantaged children and young people, including:
- Their well-established links with young people.
- The skills and expertise they have for the work they are requesting funding for.
- Their track record delivering the work they are requesting funding for. This is especially important for applicants for the Main Grants Programme.
- How they work alongside other organisations in their local community.
To be eligible, applicants must
- Have a governing body, such as a Board of Trustees, with at least three members.
- Be able to provide a set of their most recent signed accounts in their organisation’s name.
Grant amount: Grants of over £10,000 per year are available to support projects for up to three years. The average grant is likely to be around £30,000 per year. Applications cannot be made for more than £40,000 per year. It is highly unlikely that grants exceeding £100,000 in total for three years will be awarded.
Application process: The online application form can be found on the BBC Children in Need website. Applicants should refer to the A-Z Guidance document before making an application.
Deadline: The Main Grants 2021 programme has reopened for applications and will close at 11.30am on 23 August 2021 for decisions in late January 2022.
Contact information: Tel: 0345 609 0015, Email: pudseygrants@bbc.co.uk
Website address: BBC Children in Need