GrantRadar

Cumbria Community Foundation

Beeby Family Fund

Grants of up to £5,000 over one year (multi-year funding may be considered) from Cumbria Community Foundation, given by the Beeby family, for charitable, not-for-profit organisations improving the lives and opportunities of children and young people, mainly in Wigton and the surrounding area. It favours projects that build life skills, confidence, personal development and employability, and early help that stops problems developing later. Groups elsewhere in Cumbria are considered only in exceptional need.

Apply on the funder’s site
You could get
Up to £5,000
no fixed round
Deadline
Rolling
apply any time
Effort
Moderate
full application with documents

Who can apply

  • Charitable, not-for-profit organisations working with children and young people, primarily in Wigton and the surrounding area (former Allerdale district, now Cumberland)
  • Applications from elsewhere in Cumbria may be considered only in exceptional need
  • Individuals cannot apply
  • You do not have to be a registered charity, but the work must be legally charitable
  • Cumbria Community Foundation's general requirements apply: voluntary groups, charities and CIOs need a management committee of at least three unrelated members, a bank account in the group's name with two unrelated signatories, a signed set of annual accounts (independently examined if income is over £25,000), charitable aims in the governing document, and Charity Commission registration if based in England or Wales with income over £5,000
  • CICs and other social enterprises need at least three unrelated directors (mostly unpaid, equal voting rights), an asset lock and full management accounts, and must meet trading-income tests (at least 30% of income from trading if under 5 years old, 50% if older, unless within the first two years of trading)
  • Groups should hold no more than 12 months' running costs in unrestricted reserves and have a registered address or local management committee in Cumbria
  • Previous grantees must have returned outstanding monitoring reports, and anyone with three or more successful applications in the last 12 months must speak to a Grants Officer first
  • Large UK-wide charities are not normally funded

What it funds

  • Projects that support and improve the lives and opportunities of children and young people, primarily those living in Wigton and the surrounding areas
  • The fund supports groups which encourage personal development, confidence building and employability skills in young people, and activities that prevent children and young people developing problems that lead to difficulties later in life
  • Priority goes to projects that promote life skills, support young people to fulfil their potential and encourage personal development
  • Grants are normally up to £5,000 over one year; multiple-year funding may be considered

What it will not fund

  • Individuals
  • Businesses and personal profit
  • Deficit funding
  • Activities that are normally the responsibility of central or local government
  • Repeat requests for the same project, service, activity or costs within 12 months
  • More than one award from the same fund in a 12-month period
  • Projects that duplicate an existing service in the area
  • Research-related costs, including activity mainly to gather information, evidence or feedback
  • Retrospective funding (activities that have already started)
  • General large appeals, fundraisers, fundraising events and fundraising consultants
  • Animal welfare
  • Contact boxing
  • Medical equipment
  • Purchase of a vehicle
  • Beautification projects
  • Theatre production costs, unless donor-advised
  • Advancement of religion, including buildings solely for religious purposes, except where donor-advised
  • Party political activities
  • Gifts for participants
  • Youth organised trips and expeditions
  • National organisations without a local presence in Cumbria
  • Statutory bodies such as schools (PTAs and friends-of groups can apply)
  • Groups that have not returned a monitoring form from a previous grant

How to apply

  1. Read the fund page and Cumbria Community Foundation's 'Am I Eligible?' criteria; call the grants team on 01900 825760 if unsure
  2. View the general group application questions in advance (Word document linked from the How to Apply page)
  3. Create an account on (or log in to) the Foundation's online applicant portal (https://cumbriacommunityfoundation.my.site.com/s/) and complete the general group application form - the Foundation matches it to the best-fitting fund
  4. Upload the supporting documents listed in the form and submit before the relevant grants panel closing date

Applications can be made at any time but are decided at quarterly panels. Projects in the former Allerdale and Copeland districts (which includes Wigton) go to the West Cumbria Grants Committee: next closing date 2 October 2026 (committee 4 November 2026), then 8 November 2026 (committee 3 February 2027), 2 April 2027 and 2 July 2027.

Apply at least three months before your project starts - the Foundation cannot fund activities that have already started.

A paper application form can be requested by calling 01900 825760.

Have ready

  • Constitution or rules of the organisation (not needed for registered charities that give their charity number, exempt faith groups, or listed uniformed groups)
  • Most recent annual accounts (or an income and expenditure spreadsheet if running for less than a year)
  • Last month's bank statement for every account in the organisation's name
  • Safeguarding policy and procedures that meet the Foundation's standards
  • Quotes from at least two suppliers for items to be bought (one if there is a unique supplier)
  • Job description or contract, if applicable
  • Digital photos of the project, if applicable
  • Evidence of planning permission or consent, if applicable

CICs must also supply Articles of Association, a community benefit statement, their CIC 34 report if available, and a business plan or evidence of how they will generate income.

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