Wooden Spoon Charity

Background

Wooden Spoon is the children's charity of rugby. It was founded in 1983 to help underprivileged children and young people all over the UK to live happier, richer lives.

Since 1983 Wooden Spoon has given more than £31 million to more than 1,465 projects and benefited more than 1.5 million children and young people living with a disability, who are disengaged, or who are disadvantaged.

Objectives of Fund

The funding is for projects that fall within Wooden Spoon’s Vision Statement: “Through the power of rugby, every child and young person has access to the best life opportunities, no matter what their background”.

Value Notes

There is neither a minimum nor maximum grant level. However, it is unlikely that a project of a physical nature that is under £5,000 will have sufficient substance and scale to qualify.

Match Funding Restrictions

Applicants are encouraged to contribute a percentage of the funds required.

Who Can Apply

Applications will be accepted from organisations in the UK with a legal status, such as schools, charities, and clubs.

Applications from groups working in partnership are eligible but one organisation must take the lead for the application and be the primary beneficiary and point of contact

Organisations should expect to demonstrate they have policies in place to protect children and young people in their care whilst also supporting their development. In addition, the safeguarding and child protection policies should be in line with the policies adopted by Wooden Spoon.

Location

United Kingdom

Restrictions

Funding is not normally available for the following:

• Computers and electronic equipment.
• Minibus or similar vehicle projects.
• Revenue expenditure.
• Individuals.
• Salaries, administration costs, professional fees and on-going overheads related to a capital project.

Eligible Expenditure

The funding is for projects which will benefit children and young people people with a cognitive age under 25 years who are disadvantaged physically, mentally or socially.

Projects must normally be of a capital nature, with a reasonably long-term prospective lifetime.

The funding is for projects that address the following areas:

• Health and wellbeing
• Sensory rooms and gardens
• Specialist equipment and facilities
• Playgrounds and outdoor activities
• Education projects

Projects that are a physical, tangible asset of a permanent nature must:

• Have a minimum predicted life span of five years (preferably 10), be non-transferable and of a permanent nature. Special consideration may be given to funding life-enhancing/medical equipment if it can be shown that the useable life of such equipment is likely to be at least five years.

Projects that are educational, health and wellbeing or disability sports focused must:

• Have a key sporting element preferably rugby to engage children and young people.
• Have a clearly defined brief detailing the project’s need and objectives; stakeholders; description of participants (age, gender, geography); recruitment of participants; project activity and budget; legacy planning; monitoring and evaluation and mechanism for reporting to Wooden Spoon.
• Grants for these projects may cover kit and equipment, salaries and administration costs.

Although Wooden Spoon does not actively encourage the funding of minibuses, consideration will be given to applications where it can be shown that the minibus could not be funded by any other charity and that the high visibility of such a mobile unit in a region would bring added benefits to Wooden Spoon in raising the level of awareness of Wooden Spoon within the local community.

How To Apply

Expressions of Interest may be submitted at any time for an initial assessment by the Wooden Spoon projects team. Applicants can expect to hear from the team within a month.

The Expression of Interest form and criteria can be found on the Wooden Spoon website.

Contact Wooden Spoon for further information.