Richmond Foundation

Richmond Foundation Organisation Grants

Grants to organisations working in a tightly drawn benefit area — the part of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames east of the Thames, covering postcodes TW9, TW10, SW13 and SW14 only. Four streams scale with track record: Gateway for newer partners or pilots (usually £15,000 or less over 12 months), Project (up to £90,000 over three years), Core (£30,000 to £180,000 over three years) and Partnership for consortia. Funding priorities are support and advice, inequalities in education, health outcomes and community cohesion. The same page also carries three grant schemes for individuals.

Apply on the funder’s site

You could get: Up to £180,000
Deadline: Not published; no closing date given
Effort: Heavy; budgets, references, often several stages

Who can apply

Registered charities, community interest companies, schools and other properly constituted not-for-profit organisations, working with people who live in the benefit area — the part of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames east of the Thames, from Kew in the north to Ham in the south, including Richmond town centre, Mortlake, East Sheen and Barnes, covering postcodes TW9, TW10, SW13 and SW14
Which stream you can apply to depends on your history with the Foundation
Gateway is for organisations new to the Foundation, applying for a second year of funding, or with a longer track record but piloting a new or time-limited project or considered higher risk
Project and Core both require a track record of successfully delivering the Foundation's grants for two years or more; Core additionally expects you to be located in the borough with strong community links, to usually have an annual turnover of less than £1m, and to want to collaborate with the Foundation and local partners
Schools face a high bar: the Foundation cannot fund what statutory bodies are primarily responsible for, and normally will not cover individual school staffing or ongoing universal school issues, though exceptions are sometimes made for schools with the highest Pupil Premium numbers and lowest attainment, and voluntary sector partners running projects in schools are supported
Faith groups can be funded for projects open to everyone that involve no religious activity
Applicants must meet safeguarding requirements and hold appropriate insurance

What it funds

Work under four priorities:

Helping people access benefits, grants and other support services with guidance from trained support workers, for issues such as debt, homelessness, bereavement, food security and special educational needs
Reducing inequalities in education for disadvantaged children and young people and for low-income adults
Improving health outcomes and encouraging good mental and physical health
Enhancing community cohesion by reducing isolation and loneliness through inclusive community spaces and activities

Gateway grants fund a pilot or time-limited project, or a newer relationship with the Foundation, for a maximum of 12 months and usually £15,000 or less.

Project grants are three-year awards of up to £90,000 for a specific project, sized by the proportion of users supported in the benefit area.

Core grants are three-year awards of £30,000 to £180,000 for strategic development.

Partnership grants are flexible in value and duration for consortium work, a call for applications, or voluntary and community sector development.

Minor refurbishments to a community venue can be funded in exceptional circumstances where they align with the priorities, and Voluntary Sector Catalyst grants can fund staff training.

What it will not fund

Applications that do not support people living in the benefit area postcodes TW9, TW10, SW13 and SW14
Applications that do not align with the grant priorities
Organisations that are not registered charities, community interest companies, schools or other properly constituted not-for-profit organisations
Anything that is the primary responsibility of a statutory body
Medical research, animal welfare, and projects of a political nature
Major capital appeals
Any activities that promote the practice of religion or specific belief systems, including the lack of belief
Improvements to buildings mainly used for worship or other religious activities
Retrospective funding
General charitable appeals

floats allowing an organisation to offer free or subsidised memberships alongside paid-for places are not funded

organisations with high levels of reserves are not normally funded; the Foundation reviews reserves as part of due diligence

training beyond degree Level Six is not normally funded

How to apply

Take the Foundation's online Eligibility Quiz to check your organisation meets the minimum criteria and to find which grant stream fits
If it is your first time applying, email the grants team to discuss your proposal before submitting anything
Download and read the application guidance for your stream, which lists every question and its word count, together with the Safeguarding Policy checklist
Complete the online application form for your stream — Gateway, Project, Core, or Education and Voluntary Sector Catalyst
Submit the form with your supporting documents

you can save your progress and return later; the Foundation emails you a link and you re-enter your email address and the password you saved

application forms are available in MS Word or another accessible format on request by email or phone

for a Partnership grant there is no form — contact the Grants Team by email or phone

organisations coming to the end of multi-year funding can apply up to six months before their usual application date

Have ready

A safeguarding policy meeting the Foundation's checklist
Appropriate insurance
Latest audited or filed accounts, reviewed for reserves as part of due diligence

the guidance pack for your stream lists the questions and word counts in advance, so the form can be drafted before you open it

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