Aims/priorities: The aim of the Foundation is to help charities and other organisations that support serving and former members of the British Armed Forces, and sometimes their dependants, who are in need.
- A potential, qualified beneficiary “in need” is one or all of the following:
- At a disadvantage compared with non-armed forces citizens due to their service.
- Someone who is suffering from challenges such as the following: unemployment, homelessness, mental and physical ill-health, injuries, poor welfare, old age, a child's loss of parent, addiction and lack of education.
- Grants should bring benefit to beneficiaries collectively and/or individually; they provide a hand up, not a handout.
Who can apply? All registered charities and other organisations that support the Armed Forces community (veterans, those serving and immediate dependants), including seafaring veterans who have served on operations, can apply.
Eligible organisation types include:
Charities.
Not-for-profit organisations, including CICs limited by guarantee.
Community projects.
Priority is given to charities and organisations who can demonstrate that they are directly involved in the provision of support to those in need, as well as well-run organisations of low to medium wealth.
Grant amount: The following grants are available:
- Grants up to £30,000. Trustees will also consider a bid for a spread grant up to a maximum of £30,000 (ie, £30,000 as £10,000 for each of the next two or three years).
- Grants up to £40,000 for the exclusive use on salaries over a two-year period may be awarded, ie, £40,000 as £20,000 for each of the next two years. In some cases, the grant award may be limited to one year and grantees will be asked to reapply at a later date for the second year of funding.
The Foundation tends to award more small grants than large grants.
Payment is made by BACs once the terms and conditions have been accepted.
Application process: Applications are usually considered four times a year with notification of decisions in around two weeks of the Grants Committee meeting.
Guidance notes and the application form can be found on the Veterans' Foundation website.
The Foundation prefers to receive applications electronically but in exceptional cases a paper application can be submitted.
The Veterans' Foundation has not applied a limit to the number of bids that a single organisation can make as it prefers to judge each bid on its merits. In some cases, the Foundation may choose to give regular grant payments, usually quarterly, where the case is particularly strong and benefit to beneficiaries is closely aligned with the Foundation’s objectives.
Deadline: The 2023 Deadlines are as follows:
- 6 February for March Trustee meeting.
- 24 April for June Trustee meeting.
- 7 August for the September Trustee meeting.
- 23 October for December Trustee meeting.
Contact information: Email: grants@veteransfoundation.org.uk
Website: Home | Veterans' Foundation (veteransfoundation.org.uk)