We Fund
Registered charities and other not-for-profit groups making a positive difference to people in the community (i.e. community groups, sports groups, PTAs, etc).
You need to be able to demonstrate that you have:
- A constitution or other governing document.
- A committee of at least 3 unrelated Trustees / Directors (no-one with ‘significant control’).
- Good financial management and health, without large free / unrestricted funds.
- A comprehensive safeguarding policy (for work with children / adults at risk).
- A clear plan to work in partnership with others.
- Sought funds from a range of sources, made efforts to become self-sustaining, and have a clear strategy for when funding ends.
If your organisation is a social enterprise (including CICs) there is specific guidance available here.
We Do Not Fund
Bedfordshire and Luton Community Foundation do NOT support the following:
- Projects not benefiting people living in Bedfordshire (except specific areas identified in some London Luton Airport funds).
- Groups with 3 active BLCF grants.
- Groups who have provided low-quality monitoring on previous grants.
- Individuals.
- National organisations (unless clear local benefits).
- Private Limited Companies (except Community Interest Companies – CICs – limited by guarantee).
- Profit-making organisations.
- Organisations or activities that promote political parties or religion. (We do fund activities that demonstrate wider public benefit).
- Professional marketing / advertising (unless you can demonstrate that this is only to publicise the funded work to engage beneficiaries).
- Professional fundraising.
- Retrospective costs.
- General appeals or sponsorship.
- Animal welfare, unless the project directly benefits people.
- Trips (excluding respite care) and / or fundraising events.
- Direct replacement of statutory obligation and public funding.
- Contribution to endowment fund, payment of deficit funding or repayment of loans.
- Overseas travel or expeditions.
- Medical research and equipment for statutory or private healthcare.
- Start-up funding for a project that is unable to start within nine months.
- Commercial ventures, unless the group is a registered charity / CIC.
- Statutory agencies including Parish Councils and schools in the discharge of their statutory obligations.
How to Apply
As an independent local grant maker, we support voluntary and community groups working for the benefit of people living within Luton and Bedfordshire. We award all our grants from funds provided by local councils, private donors, businesses, and families.
You can find all our funds in the grants section on our website. Each has its own criteria document and application form. Most of our funds are for grants under £10,000.
Before you apply, it is really important to thoroughly read the criteria for each fund to check your eligibility. Please check your organisation is eligible in terms of your registered address, the geographic area you deliver your work in, and the type of work you do.
Please note that applications must be submitted online via our grants management system. If you experience any difficulties in accessing this, please contact us on [email protected] or 01525 306 690.
Successful applications must demonstrate:
- A strong case for support or evidence of need.
- Clear aims and objectives.
- They are user-led / meaningfully engage people with lived experience of the issues being addressed.
- That the grant will make a real, positive difference to people within the community.
- Your team has the ability to to run the project well.
- Strong financial management.
- You work well with other local groups and have strong partnerships.
- You have sought funds from a range of sources, made efforts to become self-sustaining, and have a clear strategy for when funding ends.
- You are committed to equity and inclusion, welcoming everyone and treating people fairly.
Our funding can pay for; staff and running costs, new or existing projects, and buildings & equipment. And we are particularly interested in small, grassroots organisations.
Our friendly grants team is here to help, and we really want to do our best to help you access our funding. Please contact us if you need any further information or advice – [email protected] or 01525 306 690.
Our resources
Download files:
Our Grant Making Policy
Funding for CIC and Social Enterprise
Our Checks on your Information
Identifying Need
FAQs
Complaints Policy & Procedure
