Buckinghamshire Masonic Centenary Fund

A local grant fund established in 1991 by Buckinghamshire Freemasons, giving to non-Masonic charitable causes with a strong Buckinghamshire connection. It has made over 330 donations totalling more than £600,000, to hospitals and hospices, schools and pre-schools, scouts, guides and youth groups, residential and day-care centres, nursing services, blind and deaf charities, ex-service charities, victim support and individuals in desperate need. It funds specific projects or facilities, never general appeals or routine running costs, and national charities are not considered.

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

Non-Masonic charitable causes with a strong Buckinghamshire connection
The Fund will normally consider Buckinghamshire charities that deal solely with cases in Bucks, and Bucks charities that also have connections in adjacent areas
Individuals can also be funded: individual cases within Bucks, or individual cases outside Bucks where there is a strong Bucks connection — but these 'normally should come through, or be supported by, community welfare or health agencies because of the implications for the provision of State and other welfare benefits'
National charities are not considered
The Committee must be satisfied of the viability and financial prudence of the applicant, which in practice means an applicant needs an annual report and audited accounts
Applications cannot be considered for the same recipient or charity within three years of a previous grant

What it funds

Specific projects, facilities or activities — the Fund is explicit that it will not fund general appeals or requests to fund routine activities

Past giving has gone to hospitals and hospices, schools and pre-schools, scouts, guides and youth groups, residential homes, day-care centres, nursing services, charities for blind and deaf people, ex-service charities and the Red Cross, victim support charities, individuals in need, and occasional special ventures such as churches and mayoral appeals.

What it will not fund

General appeals
Routine activities and running costs
National charities (the Fund states these conduct their own fundraising and may have had Grand Charity grants)
Masonic causes (the Fund's purpose is non-Masonic giving)
Any recipient that has had a grant from the Fund within the previous three years

How to apply

If in doubt, discuss the application beforehand with the Centenary Fund Secretary
Send the application and supporting papers to the Centenary Fund Secretary (Andrew Hough, 01280 813922), or enquire via office@buckspgl.org
Applications must reach the Secretary at least two weeks before a Committee meeting

the Committee normally meets three times a year — the 4th Tuesday in January, the 2nd Tuesday in May and the 1st Monday in September

there is no application form published on the site; the guidance lists the information the Committee needs and applicants assemble it themselves

Have ready

A concise statement of the aims, objectives and organisation of the charity or cause
A named contact with postal address, phone numbers and email address
A copy of the latest Annual Report and Audited Accounts
A description of the specific project, facility or activity for which funding is sought
A detailed budget, itemising and costing each area of the project
A time-scale
A forecast of how and where the required funds will be raised and how much has been raised to date

any other relevant information, such as a website address, should be concise

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