GrantRadar

John James Bristol Foundation

John James Bristol Foundation grants

John James Bristol Foundation (registered charity 288417) gives grants for core, project and small capital costs to organisations whose work directly benefits residents of Bristol (typically BS1-BS16). Its priorities are disadvantaged children and young people, community spaces, health, older people and social welfare. Priority goes to small Bristol-based organisations and those that use volunteers. Most core or project awards are £500-£5,000, and most capital awards are about £1,000-£20,000. Trustees meet monthly except January and August. The Foundation paid £2.4m in grants to 320 organisations in 2025 (context only).

Apply on the funder’s site
You could get
Amount not specified
no fixed round
Deadline
Rolling
apply any time
Effort
Moderate
full application with documents

Who can apply

  • Charities, CIOs, community interest companies, community benefit societies and (by invitation only at present) schools, for work that directly benefits Bristol residents (typically BS1-BS16)
  • Voluntary and community organisations can apply for small capital projects
  • Priority goes to Bristol-based organisations, small organisations, local branches of national charities based in the city, and organisations that use volunteers
  • Organisations must have existed for more than a year, and charities and CICs must have filed a set of accounts
  • CICs need at least two unrelated directors and must earn at least 25% of their income from trading
  • All applicants need a bank account in the organisation's name with at least two unrelated signatories and two-stage payment authorisation
  • Unregistered not-for-profit groups also need a committee of at least three unpaid members (mostly unrelated) and a written constitution
  • A safeguarding policy is required
  • Unsuccessful applicants must wait 12 months before reapplying

What it funds

Core and project costs for well-managed organisations working in Bristol, especially work with a sustainable or transformative impact. The Foundation prefers not to fund salaries. It also funds capital projects, mostly community projects of about £1,000-£20,000. Larger capital requests are possible after contacting the Foundation: £50,000-£100,000 is considered in May and November, and over £100,000 only in November. Applicants must contribute to costs and have other pledges in place. Priority areas are:

  • Disadvantaged children and young people
  • Community centres, cultural venues, city farms and small community capital projects
  • Health (children needing medical help, terminal or life-shortening and long-term conditions, carers)
  • Older people (reducing isolation)
  • Social welfare (alleviating poverty, and supporting homeless people, ex-offenders, asylum seekers and refugees)

Match funding is offered.

Grants are usually for a single year, with occasional multi-year awards.

What it will not fund

  • Individuals
  • Religious organisations with no, or limited, secular activity
  • Animal welfare charities
  • Work the Trustees believe is the responsibility of the state
  • Work which will already have taken place before a grant is agreed (no retrospective awards)
  • Purchases of land or buildings
  • For larger capital projects: professional fees, building surveys, planning applications and feasibility studies
  • Heritage or conservation projects with no or limited community benefit
  • Sports projects with no or limited community benefit
  • Medical and other research projects
  • Website development
  • Publications
  • Individual sponsorship
  • Contributions to other grant-making bodies
  • Pilot projects

The Foundation is not currently accepting direct applications from schools, or from providers wanting to work with schools or pupils. Secondary schools are invited to apply in the Spring term

It is unlikely to fund organisations with unrestricted reserves under three months, and will not fund those with free reserves over twelve months of operating costs unless there is a compelling reason

Programmes delivered locally by national organisations are less likely to be supported

How to apply

  1. Check the eligibility criteria, what the Foundation funds, its areas of priority and the FAQs
  2. Optionally contact the Foundation to discuss your application (recommended for larger capital projects)
  3. Complete the correct online form: one for charities and CICs, another for community and voluntary non-profit organisations. Use 'save progress' as you go
  4. Submit, review, then click 'confirm' to send it. You will get an automated confirmation email
  5. Applications received by the 21st of the month are normally considered at the next monthly Trustee meeting. For larger requests, staff and a Trustee may visit
  6. If successful, agree the terms. New grantees send a bank statement extract signed and dated by two Trustees

Unsubmitted forms are deleted after two months

The separate scheme of parties, events and theatre tickets for older people's clubs is not currently accepting new applications

Have ready

  • Most recent filed/published accounts
  • Statement of current financial position and reserves if the accounts are over fifteen months old
  • Safeguarding policy

If successful, new applicants provide an extract from a recent bank statement signed and dated by two Trustees

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