Funding opportunities March

Grants are a vital source of income for charities large and small, but trawling through databases for relevant opportunities is a time-consuming task.

Enter Bamboo. Each month, we scour the internet and highlight a range of funding opportunities from trusts, corporates, and the public sector.

Let’s get into it.

The Woodroffe Benton Foundation

Amount: £500 to £2,500
Deadline: March 31

The Foundation’s current funding programme focuses on projects which improve the quality of life and social engagement for older people in England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.

They will consider applications under the following categories:

• Relief of people in need, hardship, or distress because of social or economic circumstances.

• Provision/Maintenance of care and accommodation for the sick and elderly.

• Promotion of education (within the Derbyshire region)

• Environmental Conservation/Preservation/Protection/Improvement (particularly where it would encourage the provision of access by members of the public)

They prefer to contribute to core operating costs rather than specific projects. So organisations with an annual income of £750,000 or more will not qualify for funding.

Find out more and apply here.

Impetus Connect Fund

Amount: £100k for two years
Deadline: April 7

The Impetus Connect Fund partners with charities that support young people from ethnic minorities and socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds into employment.

They’re particularly interested in working with organisations that serve young people from Bangladeshi, Pakistani and Black communities, as these groups face the most significant barriers to employment.

To qualify, your charity must:

• deliver a programme/intervention that targets employment or employment-related outcomes for the young people i.e., supporting young people to develop employment-related or sector-specific skills (e.g. interview practice or skills boot camps), connecting young people with work experience or apprenticeship opportunities, or provide mentoring for young people

• have achieved at least break-even in two of the past three years, OR you must hold at least two months of operating costs in your reserves

• have at least five members of staff

If successful, you’ll receive:

• £100k in unrestricted grant funding per year, for two years (with the potential to continue thereafter)

• Expertise, coaching, and capacity-building support from their investment team

• Access to their peer learning forums, a chance to network with and learn from other portfolio charities

• Access to sector-based coalitions to influence policy and the national conversation on the issues faced by the young people you serve

• Access to their pro-bono network of specialist advisers including PwC and Bain

• Access to further grants through co-investment with their network of donors
  
  Click here to find out more and apply

B&Q Foundation

Amount: £10,000 for indoor projects and £5,000 for garden projects
Deadline: The next funding opens on 26th Apr and closes on 17th May

The B&Q Foundation funds charities that support people in need in the UK – whether they’re homeless, in financial hardship, or impacted by health, disability, or other disadvantage.

The funding should be used to improve or develop spaces that benefit these groups and the local community. Projects can be indoor or outdoor.
You can see previous projects they’ve funded here.

If successful, your project must be delivered within 6 months of receiving the grant.

Find out more and apply here.

John Ellerman Foundation

Amount: £10,000 - £50,000 per year, for up to three years
Deadline: Rolling

The John Ellerman Foundation aims to advance the well-being of people, society, and the natural world by focusing on the arts, environment, and social action. They prefer to support smaller charities, so organisations with an annual income in excess of £750,000 aren’t eligible to apply.

They provide core funding, which can be used for:

• staff salaries, training, and expenses

• day-to-day running costs and operations

• monitoring and evaluation

• communications and digital innovation.

They have three funding programmes.

1.   Arts

They fund organisations which collaborate with, commission or support artists to create new or reimagined work and prioritise applicants from outside the capital.

Applications can be made under two programmes: Creators in the performing arts, and Curators in museums and galleries.

2.   Environment

They’re interested in organisations that understand the interdependence of people and nature and apply this in their thinking and practice.

Applications can be made under two programmes: The Ocean and Land and fresh waters.

3.   Social Action

They are interested in organisations with a track record of tackling divisions and inequity, and who bring together individuals, community organisations, and others, including national bodies, to influence government and the agencies that shape our lives.

To qualify, your organisation must:

• Actively involve those with personal experience of the issue tackled

• Improve systems through policy, advocacy, and campaigning

• have been operating for more than 24 months

Find out more here.

Looking for a trust fundraiser to join your team? We can help. Give us a call on 020 3750 3111 or email us at info@bamboofundraising.co.uk to get started.

Local authority funding cuts are putting charities at risk

Local government is in crisis. Since 2018, eight English councils have declared themselves bankrupt, including four in the past 12 months. And, according to the Guardian, nearly one in five council leaders in England say they’re likely to declare bankruptcy in the next 15 months. 

While local authorities have faced financial difficulties for the last decade, the issues have been exacerbated by the same inflationary pressures that are pushing the cost of living up for everyone.

To stay afloat, they’ve been forced to make drastic spending cuts, including vital funding to local charities.

Considering council funding makes up 13% of the sector’s income, it’s a huge blow.

Financial pressure

Charity think tank Pro Bono Economics says that local authority funding for charities has fallen by 23% since 2010, equating to £13.2bn. And further cuts can be expected in the coming months.

Cause for concern

The financial challenges in local government pose a threat to the future of many local charities.

For instance:

• The Early Help Service in Birmingham has warned that thousands of children are at risk as a result of proposals by the bankrupt city council to cut an £8m early help contract, providing safety net services to thousands of families struggling with poverty, mental illness, and addiction.

• Community First bus services linking communities in rural Hampshire are under threat after Hampshire County Council, which faces a £132m deficit over the next two years, cut funding by £500,000. It’s also scrapped a £500,000 grant that funds volunteer and legal support for 650 local charities.

• Citizens Advice Woking faces closure after bankrupt Woking borough council cancelled its £180,000 grant.

Speaking out

In an interview with the Guardian, Dame Clare Moriarty, chief executive of Citizens Advice said of the financial crisis, “local government has been a crucial funder for charities like Citizens Advice, so the current crisis is deeply troubling. We’ll continue working to make sure we can be there for as many people as possible. But it’s vital the government considers the devastating knock-on impacts of local authority funding cuts on community services.”

Government response

In January, the government announced a £600m boost for English councils, most of which has been earmarked for social care services, but the Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Committee has warned the extra cash won’t tackle the underlying financial problems.

Comprising of a cross-party group of MPs, the Committee has called on ministers to urgently inject £4bn into English town hall budgets to head off an “out of control” financial crisis that threatens to drag well-run councils into bankruptcy and put more local services at risk.

Clive Betts, chair of the Committee, said “the government must use the local government financial settlement to help bridge the £4bn funding gap for 2024-25 or risk already strained council services becoming stretched to breaking point. If the government fails to plug this gap, well-run councils could face the very real prospect of effectively going bust.”

Looking for a fundraiser to help you diversify your income? We can help. Give us a call on 0203 750 3111 or email info@bamboofundraising.co.uk.

Three inspirational women that changed the charity sector

It’s International Women’s Day, a global celebration of the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women around the world.

To mark it, we’re highlighting the stories of three incredible women whose dedication to humanitarianism inspired the work of some of the UKs best known charities.

1.      Florence Nightingale (1820 - 1910) 

Born in Italy in 1820, Florence Nightingale demonstrated a desire to help others from a young age, dedicating her time to helping the sick and poor in her village.

By the age of 16, she knew nursing was her divine calling and proceeded to study nursing at the renowned Institute of Protestant Deaconesses, in Germany.

She excelled as a student and went on to become superintendent of a hospital for ‘gentlewomen’ in Harley Street, London.

But it was her work in Crimea that catapulted Nightingale and her methods to fame.

In reaction to the public outcry over the poor treatment of wounded British soldiers, the British Secretary of State for War wrote to Nightingale and asked her to lead a group of nurses to tend to the troops. By this time, Nightingale had a formidable reputation as a gifted nurse.

Nightingale travelled to the army hospital in Scutari (modern day Istanbul) and was appalled at the conditions she found.

She secured funds to purchase the supplies she needed to implement drastic changes and improvements to care, treatment, and hygiene.

Her efforts reduced mortality rates from 42% to 2%.

In addition to organising the new hospital regime and training other nurses, she tended to patients. Admired for the unwavering compassion she showed her patients, she earned the nickname ‘the Lady of the Lamp’.

Post-Crimea

When the war ended, Nightingale returned to England a heroine.

She went on to fund the Nightingale Training School of Nursing and Midwifery which continues to train aspiring nurses today as part of King’s College London.

Legacy

Florence Nightingale established the principles of patient care, health, and hygiene that exist today and is widely regarded as the founder of modern nursing.

Her work inspired the founding of the International Red Cross, which still awards the Florence Nightingale Medal for outstanding services to nurses in her name.

2.   Marie Curie (1867 – 1934)

An icon in the world of modern science, Marie Curie was born in Poland, but moved to Paris, aged 24 to study physics, chemistry, and mathematics.

It was here that she met her future husband and colleague, physicist Pierre Curie.

The couple bonded over their research into magnetism but soon branched out into radioactivity, a field so new that Curie named it herself.

The duo made huge breakthroughs in understanding radiation, including the discovery of two elements: polonium, named after Curie’s native Poland, and radium, named for its potent radioactivity.

Their discoveries and studies in radioactivity transformed medical science, leading to the development of X-rays and various cancer treatments.

Scientists soon recognised the importance of this work, and Marie Curie became the first woman to receive a Nobel Prize, in 1903.

Frontline

When World War I broke out, Marie realised that X-ray technology could play an important role in the care of wounded soldiers, and raised money to develop a fleet of mobile radiology labs that could transport X-ray technology to the battlefront.

Determined to alleviate suffering on the frontline, she taught herself to drive, learned about human anatomy and X-ray machine operation, and drove to the battlefront, where she treated wounded soldiers for the duration of the war.

Tragically, Marie succumbed to leukaemia after decades of radiation exposure, but her charitable legacy and pioneering invention live on through the charity that carries her name.

3.   Sue Ryder (1924 – 2000)

Sue Ryder was a Yorkshire-born humanitarian who dedicated her life to the relief of suffering.

Aged sixteen, she volunteered to be a nurse with the First Aid Nursing Yeomanry when WW2 broke out.

She was accepted and posted to the Polish section of the Special Operations Executive, a secret organisation established to promote and co-ordinate resistance activity in German-occupied Europe.

After the war, she volunteered to do relief work in Poland, staying on when United Nations relief groups pulled out in 1951. 

Her duties took her into concentration camps, where she met survivors of the Nazis' atrocities, and jails, where she comforted Poles that had been imprisoned for committing offences born of hunger or desperation.

She thought nothing of driving hundreds of miles to see a displaced person who needed help.

The following year, back in England, with only £1,000 from her personal savings, she converted her mother's old home into a care home for sick and injured survivors of the concentration camps and the Sue Ryder Foundation was born.

She went on to establish homes and domiciliary care teams for the sick and disabled across the world.

Her eponymous charity continues today, providing expert care to people at the end of their lives, both in their homes and at seven specialist Marie Curie centres.

Looking for a talented fundraiser? We can help. Give us a call on 0203 750 3111 or email info@bamboofundraising.co.uk to get started.

When celebrity partnerships go wrong

Celebrity ambassadors can be a huge coup for charities.

The right partnership can supercharge brand awareness, engagement, and income. 

A prime example? Stephen Fry and MIND. The actor, broadcaster, and comedian took over from Lord Melvyn Bragg as the President of Mind in 2011. And he’s been a tireless campaigner, supporter, and advocate for the mental health charity ever since.

His involvement has helped raise the profile of the charity and transform public attitudes towards mental health.

However, not all celebrity partnerships have happy endings.

When celebrity partnerships go wrong

In 2023, three high-profile celebrity ambassadors were dropped by charities after becoming embroiled in scandals.

In March, BBC Question Time presenter Fiona Bruce was asked to step down from her role as ambassador for domestic violence charity Refuge, following claims she trivialised domestic violence during a discussion about Boris Johnson’s father Stanley.

In May, The Prince’s Trust dropped Philip Schofield as ambassador after he admitted to an affair with a younger male colleague during his tenure at This Morning.

Then in September, several charities cut ties with comedian Russell Brand, following a string of rape, sexual assault, and emotional abuse allegations.

Collateral damage

As these examples show, celebrity ambassadorships bring with them a level of risk.

Once a celebrity comes on board, their name and reputation are linked to your charity. If they act out of sync with your ethos, engage in damaging behaviour, or get caught up in a scandal, your brand could get caught in the crossfire.

At best it could result in negative publicity. At worst, you could lose donors and suffer long-term reputational damage.

What to do when crisis strikes

If the worst happens, your first job is to call the celebrity’s publicist/agent and establish what happened (if you drop your ambassador based on a false report in the Daily Mirror, you’ll look silly).

However, if the story turns out to be true, you need to acknowledge it – fast.

Organisations are often afraid to make a public statement for fear of saying the wrong thing. But if you wait too long to respond, donors will question your integrity.

Take control of the narrative by firing out a statement acknowledging the scandal, expressing concern, and making your relationship with the celebrity clear.

When crafting your response, stick to the facts. Sharing your opinion or criticising the celebrity won’t do you any favours.

Follow the example of women’s charity, Trevi.

In response to the Russell Brand scandal, they posted the following statement on Instagram:

“Russell became aware of our charity in 2022 after hearing about some of the incredible mothers we have helped to become drug-free over the years. He wanted to support our cause and raise money through his Stay Free Foundation. Today's media revelations have been difficult to process but our priority remains and continues to be the safety and well-being of all women and girls now and in the future. We have ended our association with Russell Brand.”

Call in an expert

If in doubt, your best bet is to consult with an expert crisis management agency like Do Good PR. A PR agency for charities, and social enterprises, they ‘provide affordable comms support to help charities and purpose-led organisations achieve their goals.’

Prevention is better than cure

The best way to prevent a PR crisis is to carry out a thorough vetting process at the start of the ambassadorship.

Research the celebrity's history, (both professionally and personally). Are they associated with anything that could damage your brand? Are there any conflicts of interest? Do they court controversy? Have they been in trouble with the law?

Taking the time to assess potential risks can prevent PR headaches down the line.

Looking for a PR-savvy fundraiser to manage your celebrity ambassadors? We can help. Give us a call on 020 3750 3111 or email us at info@bamboofundraising.co.uk to get the conversation started.

The rise of the charity shop

The retail sector is fighting for its life. In 2022, almost 50 shops closed every day across the UK, and it was a similar story last year.

But the humble charity shop is bucking the trend. Not only are bricks-and-mortar stores growing in number, but sales are through the roof.

Oxfam’s retail income increased from £39.4m in 2020/21 to £90.3m in 2021/22, while Barnardo’s saw growth of 158% year-on-year to £78m in 2022.

And the trend is being seen across the sector. Data published by the Charity Retail Association shows that, between October and December 2022, there was a 9.1% increase in the average number of transactions per day in charity shops compared to the same period in 2021.

What’s caused the surge in popularity?

There are three factors at play:

Sustainability

Sustainability is a priority for consumers. A study by TheRoundup found that 62% of Brits “always or often” seek out environmentally friendly products.

Thrifting at a charity shop is the ultimate choice for eco-conscious shoppers, and donating is a great way of de-cluttering cupboards without cluttering up the environment.

Cost-of-living

As the cost-of-living crisis continues to bite, shoppers are increasingly turning to charity shops to get the best value for their money. According to MIND, 48% of Brits have swapped their favourite high street stores for charity shops.

And it’s no surprise. Why break the bank at Givenchy when they can pop into one of Shelter’s boutique stores and pick up a designer, high-end high street, or vintage one-off find at a fraction of the price?

Social Media

Social media has also played a part in the charity shop boon.

The hashtag #CharityShopHaul has amassed 217 million views on TikTok, thanks to the rise of charity shop influencers like second-hand fashion stylist Jen Graham, who has grown an impressive following by promoting sustainable shopping.

Just under 100,000 people check out her regular charity shop hauls on Instagram.

And it’s a similar story on YouTube. Thousands of influencers can be found documenting their charity shop escapades and the bargains they pick up along the way.

Next Level

The nation’s obsession with thrift shopping has led to the emergence of initiatives that are taking charity shopping to the next level.

Here are a few examples.

Charity Superstores

Cancer Research UK and The Salvation Army are just two household names to have launched multi-department charity superstores.

Housed in retail units left vacant by failed retailers such as Debenhams, they offer everything from furniture and homeware to electricals and fashion.

Charity Supermarket

Launched in January 2022, Charity Super.Mkt is the UK’s first ‘multi-charity’ pop-up shop. The brainchild of Wayne Hemingway, founder of British fashion brand Red or Dead, and Maria Chenoweth, CEO of sustainable clothing charity TRAID, the pop-up visits different locations across the UK, bringing together second-hand fashion and accessories from the nation’s favourite charity retailers under one roof.

The first time that national and local charities have collaborated on a store, every penny goes to charity.

In its first four weeks, the pop-up raised over £300,000 and saved 11 tonnes of clothing from landfill.

Charity Shop Gift Card

In another ‘first’ for the sector, the Charity Retail Association (the national body representing charity retailers) rolled out the UK’s first Charity Shop Gift Card last year.

Accepted in shops run by regional and national charities across the UK, the CRA touts it as “the only gift card that can be spent in multiple charity shops across the UK”.

The card is made from recycled materials and can be purchased at various high street stores and supermarkets.

65% of the profits from the sales of The Charity Shop Gift Card go to UK-based charities.

Brand/charity collaborations

There are a growing number of collaborations between high street brands and charity shops, as corporate responsibility moves higher up the agenda.

For example, in 2017, high street clothing retailer TK Maxx staff launched a ‘Give Up Clothes for Good’ campaign.

Championed by celebrities and families living with cancer, the initiative rallied people across the UK to drop off their quality, pre-loved clothes, accessories, and homeware at collection points in TK Maxx stores. The items were then sold in Cancer Research UK shops.

TK Maxx customers collected over 1.7 million bags of donated goods, diverting more than 8800 tonnes of pre-loved items from landfill.

Final Word

While vintage fashion has long been popular, there’s no denying the boom in charity shops is taking on new vigour. If you’re not taking advantage, you’re missing out.

Looking to build up your fundraising team? We can help. Call us on 0203 750 3111 or email info@bamboofundraising.co.uk to get the conversation started.