The Clothworkers' Foundation Open Grants Programme
The Clothworkers' Foundation Open Grants Programme - Small, medium and large capital grants for UK registered charities and not-for-profits working in the areas of alcohol and substance misuse, disadvantaged minority communities, disadvantaged young people, domestic and sexual abuse, homelessness, older people, people with disabilities, prisoners and ex-offenders and people with a visual impairment. Application deadline: none – applications may be made at any time, initially by completing an online Eligibility Quiz.
o Funder: The Clothworkers’ Foundation (founded 1977. Charity number 274100. Total value of all grants awarded during the year ended 31 December 2022: £7,391,145 (2021: £6,985,005)).
o Who can apply: UK registered charities, Community Interest Companies (CICs) and other registered UK not-for-profit organisations (including special schools) with an annual income under £15 million.
o Key words: Alcohol and Substance Misuse, Disadvantaged Minority Communities, Disadvantaged Young People, Domestic and Sexual Abuse, Homelessness, Older People, Disabled/Disability, Prisoners and Ex-Offenders, Visual Impairment, Vehicles. United Kingdom.
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The Clothworkers' Foundation's Open Grants Scheme awards grants for capital projects (for example, purchase of fittings, fixtures, equipment, vehicles, buildings, and construction/renovation/refurbishment of buildings) to UK registered charities and not-for-profit organisations, including Community Interest Companies (CICs) working in the one or more of the following areas. At least 50% of an applying organisation's service users benefiting from the capital project must be from one or more of the groups listed below.
o Alcohol and substance misuse - projects supporting people affected by drug and/or alcohol misuse, and their families.
o Disadvantaged minority communities - projects that work with minority communities facing both disadvantage (for example, economic or cultural) and discrimination (due to ethnicity, sexuality, faith) to promote integration into mainstream society by providing specialist services and/or access to mainstream services.
o Disadvantaged young people - projects which support disadvantaged young people, particularly (but not restricted to) those in or leaving care, or not in employment, education or training (NEETs).
o Domestic and sexual abuse - projects supporting people affected by domestic or sexual abuse.
o Homelessness - projects providing services for people who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless.
o Older people - projects providing services for older people, in particular people living in areas of high deprivation and where rural isolation is an issue.
o People with disabilities - projects providing services for people with physical and/or learning disabilities, and/or for people with mental health issues.
o Prisoners and ex-offenders - projects supporting prisoners and/or ex-offenders, or those at risk of offending, and their families, and
o Visual impairment - projects providing services for blind or visually impaired people.
The eligibility criteria for applications to the Open Grants Programmes has been expanded to include digital projects beyond hardware. The Foundation will now consider funding one-off costs for some types of digital software and products.
Small (under £10,000), Medium (£10,001-£100,000) and Large Grants (over £100,000) are available for capital projects such as:
o Buildings - purchase, construction, renovation and/or refurbishment.
o Fittings, fixtures, and equipment - this includes but is not limited to office equipment/furniture, sports/gym equipment, digital/audio visual equipment, garden equipment, specialist therapeutic (excluding medical) equipment, and
o Vehicles - minibus, car, caravan, people-carrier, 4X4. However, the Foundation is unlikely to fund the total cost of a new vehicle, neither will it fund vehicle leasing.
The Foundation has an expectation that applicants will provide a level of matched funding. Contact the Foundation for details.
During the year ended 31st December 2022, the Foundation awarded grants totalling £7,391,145 (2021: £ 6,985,005), categorised as follows:
o Alcohol and substance abuse: £206,100.
o Domestic and sexual abuse: £427,150.
o Homelessness: £381,300.
o Minority communities: £1,595,980.
o Older people: £514,310.
o People with a disability: 1,585,000.
o Prisoners and ex-offenders: £69,000.
o Visual impairment: £112,400.
o Young people: £2,031,300, and
o Other: £268,520.
Details of the majority of grants awarded by the Foundation in recent years are listed on a spreadsheet which can be downloaded from its website (click on the link with the heading "The Clothworkers' Foundation grants 2016 to the current year").
Funding is not available for:
o Alms Houses.
o Applications for a project which the Foundation has previously declined.
o Arts and education projects unless they work exclusively with individuals from the Foundation's programme areas.
o Consumables such as clothes, food, sports kits and stationery.
o Databases/software.
o Equipment for one-off use, or which will be given to service users for personal use on a permanent basis.
o General appeals and emergency appeals.
o Grant-making organisations.
o Heritage projects.
o Hospices and NHS charities.
o Lease of property or equipment.
o Marketing/literature/leaflets.
o Medical research or medical equipment.
o One-off events.
o Organisations that promote a particular religion or only provide services to people of a particular religion.
o Organisations which have had an application declined in the last six months (please note: organisations cannot reapply for the same project if it has been declined).
o Organisations which have received a grant offer from the Foundation within the last five years (unless they have been specifically invited to reapply).
o Organisations with over £15 million income per annum.
o Organisations with over 12 months of reserves.
o Political projects.
o Professional fees.
o Rent.
o Salaries and overheads.
o Schools colleges or universities (unless their students are exclusively individuals with physical disabilities and/or learning differences eg special schools). PRUs or Alternative Provision providers are not eligible for funding.
o Setting up/refurbishment of charity shops.
o Training.
o Vehicle leasing, or
o Volunteer expenses.
To apply, applicants should initially complete the online Eligibility Quiz on the Foundation’s website. If eligible, applicants will be able to access the online application form (a sample application form is available on the website).
Applications may be made at any time.
Contact details for the Foundation are, as detailed in its Charity Commission entry::
Jenny North
Foundation Director
The Clothworkers' Foundation
Dunster Court
Mincing Lane
London
EC3R 7AH
Tel: 020 7623 7041
Email: foundation@clothworkers.co.uk
