The February Foundation

Background

The February Foundation is an independent grant-making charity that supports a broad range of charities involved in any charitable activities in the UK that help people in need, as well as supporting the advancement of education, the arts, culture and heritage. The Foundation maintains its strategy of funding grants and operations through income generated from the endowment alone.

Objectives of Fund

The Foundation makes grants to a range of charities and will consider supporting any charitable activities but has previously funded charities working in the following areas:

• Education.
• End-of-life care.
• Heritage and culture.
• Healthcare and patient support.

Value Notes

Funding is at the discretion of the trustees but the average (median) award is £5,000. The Foundation is happy to part-fund projects and will consider applications for continuation funding for previously funded projects.

This is a highly competitive fund with less than 20% of all applications being successful.

Match Funding Restrictions

Match funding may be required.

Who Can Apply

Charities registered in the UK can apply.

The Trustees will consider grants for:

• Charities that are for the benefit of persons who are making an effort to improve their lives.
• Charities that are for the benefit of persons no longer physically or mentally able to help themselves.
• Charities that have a long-term beneficial impact on the future of individuals, groups of individuals, or organisations.
• Charities that protect the environment.
• Small or minority charities where small grants will have a significant impact.
• Charities whose charitable objectives are aligned with those of the Foundation.
• Companies where the acquisition of equity would be in line with the Foundation's charitable objectives.

Successful applicants should not reapply until at least 12 months after their most recent grant. (Reapplications can be for the continuation of previously funded projects.)

Unsuccessful applicants are eligible to reapply 12 months after their most recent application.

Location

UK

Restrictions

The following are not eligible for funding:

• Animal charities (except those involving therapy or sport for the disabled).
• Charities which are party-politically driven.
• Charities with a commercial bias for a particular product or company.
• Charities with an aggressive religious bias.
• Childcare.
• Citizens' Advice Bureaux.
• Community centres.
• Community interest companies (CICs).
• Education, including adult/further, higher, primary, secondary and special educational needs.
• Housing associations.
• Individuals.
• Medical research.
• Military charities.
• Minibuses.
• NHS trusts (or charities that support them).
• Non-departmental government bodies.
• Outdoor activity centres.
• Overseas projects.
• Scouts, Guides, Brownies, Cubs, and similar organisations.
• Single-faith organisations.
• Sports clubs, unless for the mentally or physically disabled.
• Village halls.
• Youth clubs and centres.

Eligible Expenditure

The Foundation has wide charitable objects and evaluates each application on its merits and on a case-by-case basis.

The funding is for project, capital and core costs.

How To Apply

There are no application deadlines as trustees normally make grant decisions on a monthly basis.

There is no formal application form. Applications should be submitted by email as a Word document or a pdf file (2 or 3 A4 pages max, in a reasonable font size).

The following information is required with all applications:

• Details and budget of the proposed project.
• How many people would benefit, and how those benefits might be measured (not just financially).
• What the estimated cost of raising funds for the project is.
• Full accounts for the most recent completed financial year and, if not contained in the accounts, the full cost of raising voluntary income.

For hospice applications, the following additional information is required:

• Total fundraising cost, inc trading, as a percentage of total cost.
• Admin (non-clinical, non-fundraising) costs, as a percentage of entire costs.
• In-patient bed occupancy (% capacity).
• Day hospice capacity utilisation (%).
• Home care hours delivered.
• Latest CQC rating.

It normally takes 12 weeks from application to applicants being informed of the trustees' decision.