Aims/priorities: The funding is for projects that contribute to one or more of the following objectives:
- Access to justice
- Equality of opportunity
- Sustainable environment
Priority will be given to organisations:
- Based in London, and/or
- Those whose focus is on supporting the needs of vulnerable persons such as:
- People (particularly children) with disabilities
- Women in refuges
- Refugees and asylum seekers
- People with mental health difficulties
- Prisoners etc.
Who can apply? Applications will be accepted from organisations that meet all of the following four criteria:
- Have charitable or non-profit status.
- Registered with HMRC as an exempt charity / non-profit organisation (UK applications only).
- Has an income (from all sources, including grant income and trading income) of less than £500,000 per financial year.
- Have available financial resources of less than £500,000, e.g. money in the bank.
With a view to funding as wide a range of organisations as possible, priority will be given to those projects where the benefit can be most widely felt.
Grant amount: Two levels of funding are available:
- One-off grants of up to £6,500. (This grant is available for international applicants and those based in the UK but are not a registered charity.)
- Multi-year grants of up to £4,500 a year for up to three years.
A maximum of 60 applicants (including a maximum of four international applicants) will be awarded a grant each year. Please note, the Fund receives ‘thousands of enquiries each year’.
Application process: The criteria, terms and conditions and application form can be found on the Matrix Chambers website.
There are two funding cycles each year:
- Cycle 1: Applications are accepted between 1 January (10am) and 31 March (midday)
- Cycle 2: Applications are accepted between 1 July (10am) and 30 September (midday).
Each cycle will have a maximum of 30 applications accepted for funding, including a maximum of two applicants to organisations based outside of the UK i.e. a maximum of 60 applications per year including a maximum of four international grants.
Any applications submitted outside of the cycle windows will not be processed and should be resubmitted when the next cycle opens; they cannot be held on file.
Contact Matrix Chambers for further information.
Deadline: Tuesday 31 March (midday) for Cycle 1.
Contact information: matrixcausesfund@matrixlaw.co.uk
Website: Matrix Causes Fund - Matrix Chambers