Charity Grant Application Guide 2019

Overview

This guide supports our Grants and Support Information Guide and will help you to apply for a charitable grant. The guide was put together using reference materials and examples from Turn2Us.

Grant giving charities and Trusts provide support in the form of money, products or services based on eligibility criteria and funds available. Awards are made at the discretion of the individual charities and the money does not have to be paid back.

There are many grant providers across the country and turn2us.org.uk hold one of the largest listings on their system.

Their search engine and helpline will guide you through. Each charity will have their own eligibility criteria and rules on how to apply, but the following are common.

• Some charities will accept self referrals but others require referrals from a third party. These can be support workers, GPs, social workers, Citizens Advice or other advice agencies, teachers, advocates, other health and social care professionals. Referrers can complete an application on your behalf.
• Most charities will expect that all welfare benefits available have been claimed.
• Most charities will not provide support if there is a statutory duty to provide assistance through your local Council or Health Board.

How to Find the Right Fund

When searching for grants you should do multiple searches, one based around your own requirements and also those of your spouse and/or other household members to help widen the available funders.

This can be based on age, location, religion, medical condition, disability and apply to both the person applying and/or other member of the household.

If you find it difficult to use the online tool you can contact the Turn2Us Helpline on 0808 802 2000.

Once you have searched possible providers, check their eligibility criteria and also look at their decision timescales as some will meet regularly but others may only meet twice a year.

Will Receiving a Grant Affect my Benefits?

It depends on what benefits you receive and whether its money or goods you receive from the charity. You should check this with an advisor at your local Citizens Advice Bureau to help understand this fully.

How to Apply

Each provider will have its own rules, forms and criteria. If you refer yourself, make a note of all the information required and organise the support documentation that you need. Make a note of any deadlines and allow plenty of time to apply.

If you need a referral from a third party, check with them what information they need from you. Spend time with the person to ensure that they have all the necessary background information to present your case. You can ask for a copy of the application form once it has been completed by the person making the referral.

Information that you might like to prepare in advance is listed below. How much you have to provide will vary between funders and the grant that you apply for.

• Date of Birth/Age
• Nationality
• Religion
• Address
• Information about others living as part of the household
• Work history and proof of occupation
• Employment status
• Details of your income, from benefits, earnings, pension, carers allowance etc
• Details of savings, investments and other capital
• Bank statements may be required
• Details of rent or mortgage payments
• Outgoings including Council Tax
• Health conditions/disabilities
• Caring responsibilities
• Reason for applying
• Any further information that may be relevant to the application

Writing a Good Application

• Ensure you meet any deadline and eligibility criteria 
• Provide accurate and clear figures
• Ensure that you confirm that there is no statutory requirement to provide assistance
• Confirm that all eligible benefits have been applied for (a benefits check with an advice agency such as Citizens Advice will confirm this). This applies to all members of the household.
• Be methodical in the order of writing your application so it is clear and easy for decision makers to follow and assess
• Provide background to why the grant is needed
• Describe the help that you need and what difference this will make if successful
• Read back through your application and make sure it provides a clear picture for someone who does not know the situation and helps them to make a decision
• If you need help seek advice from an advice agency, carers support team or other help providers.

Good and Bad Applications

The following are examples, provided by Turn2Us of good and bad applications.

Example 1 (Good)

Please outline clearly the change in circumstance that is affecting the applicant and their family and when this happened.

Jenny’s mother died last week and Jenny is trying to sort out her benefits and organise the funeral. She has no savings. We have worked with Jenny here at the Carers Centre for the past two years. Jenny was her mum’s carer and when her mum was diagnosed with early onset dementia had to stop working as a delivery driver and move back home to look after her full time. Her mum needed 24 hour care. Jenny has no siblings and has dyslexia as a result of which she finds filling in forms stressful.

What is the applicant’s most urgent financial need and what assistance are they requesting?

Jenny wants help with funeral costs. She is also worried about how she will manage to run the home without her mum’s pension. Her mum had both a state pension and a pension from her deceased husband and those paid for the rent and bills for her property. Jenny is worried about meeting the costs for outstanding bills in the home, in particular the heating costs which were very high as the heating was kept on all day. With her mum’s pension being stopped Jenny will not have the funds to pay the standing order for the coming month or the monthly rent. She does intend to start looking for work as soon as she feels able to but in the short term and until she receives benefits in her own right, money will be very difficult.

We are going to help Jenny apply for a funeral payment but we are aware that this will not meet the full costs of the funeral

How would receiving a grant make a difference to the applicant’s situation?

Jenny only wants a basic funeral for her mum but all the quotes she has had have come in at over £2,500. Any assistance will help Jenny to start to plan the funeral and if help with general living was considered it would really assist her to manage in the short term and stop her worrying and stressing when she is already upset following the death of her mum.

Example 2 (Good)

Please outline clearly the change in circumstance that is affecting the applicant and their family and when this happened.

Paul had an accident on his motorbike in January 2017 and has been unable to continue his job as a crane operator. He now only has his ESA as income until he is fully recovered. He has had surgery on his legs and it’s likely he will be unable to work for at least six months. He has been working to short term contracts in recent years and travelling around the country to maximise the income for his family. His wife Alice has not worked since their second child was born but used to work as a machinist in a local factory. The family’s income has reduced dramatically as the only benefits they received previously was child benefit and a small amount of child tax credit. At that time Paul worked long and often unsocial hours to bring in all the money the family needed.

What is the applicant’s most urgent financial need and what assistance are they requesting?

The family are requesting general help to help them manage until Paul is fully recovered. They have now applied for all the benefits they are entitled to. This will be less than the money they are used to budgeting with and they still have to meet the cost of the repayments for the car which is essential for a family with three young children living in an area with limited public transport.

Paul states the family have always been sensible with money, does not have any debts and that his wife Alice is great at shopping around to get the best deals.

At the moment Paul is sleeping downstairs on a single bed which has been taken out of the children’s bedroom. He is unable to use the stairs and the bathroom is downstairs. This leaves limited space in the living area for the family and their middle daughter is now sleeping with her mum as Paul has her bed. Ideally, the family would like to replace the sofa with a sofa bed so that Paul can get a good night’s sleep and the bed can be put away during the day.

How would receiving a grant make a difference to the applicant’s situation?

A grant would relieve the stress and worry about building up debts. It would also enable the family to live a more normal life with the children back sleeping and the family using the living area together. Alice says it’s hard to manage at the moment and that she is feeling extremely stressed at the moment with looking after three children, as well as Paul, and having such a cramped living area. Alice says any help however small would be just magical and that she worries that if Paul does not sleep well it will take him longer to recover and take him longer to return to work.

Example 3 (Bad)

Please outline clearly the change in circumstance that is affecting the applicant and their family and when this happened.

Amanda has recently been diagnosed with cancer. She is tired, unwell and struggling to manage. She is currently only receiving SSP.

What is the applicant’s most urgent financial need and what assistance are they requesting?

Amanda has mortgage costs to meet, however, her cancer has left her very tired and she is unable to work. She would like her mortgage to be paid while she is off sick and feels she will not be able to manage without this assistance. She would also like her windows to be replaced while she is at home and some money to help with her travel costs.

How would receiving a grant make a difference to the applicant’s situation?

A grant would mean that Amanda can keep her home and have new windows.

Example 4 (Bad)

Please outline clearly the change in circumstance that is affecting the applicant and their family and when this happened.

George has divorced his wife. The breakdown of their marriage was particularly hard on him and he experienced low mood and sleepless nights for a long time before he finally moved out. He is now much happier in himself and has enjoyed spending more time with his friends and watching football which his wife used to hate. He is now renting a two bedroom flat but cannot manage to cover the rent and his outgoings.

What is the applicant’s most urgent financial need and what assistance are they requesting?

George needs additional money in the short term. He rented this flat so that he could be close to his children and their school. Once he has paid his rent and bills he has hardly any money left to take his children out for fun activities.

How would receiving a grant make a difference to the applicant’s situation?

A grant would mean that he can take his children out and buy them the things they need.