About the Fund
Colyer-Fergusson Charitable Trust believes that too many people are struggling at the sharp end of socio-economic problems; facing chronic poverty or simply isolated and overwhelmed by desperate circumstances. Too many young people face poverty of opportunity, disadvantaged by circumstances beyond their control with huge barriers to employment.Brighter Futures will build on the success of the Trust’s recent grants programmes, but with a narrowed focus on the following vulnerable and disadvantaged groups of people:
- young people who are leaving local authority care
- young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET)
- people who are experiencing or who have survived domestic abuse
- people who are lonely and socially isolated
- people who are homeless or living in insecure accommodation
- refugees and asylum seekers.
Eligibility
- Organisations must be a registered charity, CIC, social enterprise or properly constituted not-for-profit organisation with a management board of at least three unrelated members.
- Organisations must be working to benefit people living in Kent and Medway. Please note Greater London boroughs previously within Kent, are not eligible.
- Funding to cover the core costs of an existing service should be able to provide robust evidence of the impact of their work and why it is an essential service.
- Organisations must have produced financial accounts for the last two years at least.
- Organisations must have a UK bank account in their registered name.
Grant Details
Brighter Futures will make grants of between £10,000 and £75,000 to organisations that can demonstrate that their work is successfully improving the lives of people in Kent and Medway, within one of these categories. An ill-defined or vague link between planned activities and one of these groups, is unlikely to be funded.Organisations can apply for either:
- a one-off grant of between £10,000 and £50,000
- a grant of between £20,000 and £75,000 payable over two or three years.
How to apply
All applications must be submitted using the Trust’s online application form. Applicants are advised to download a copy of the application form questions and prepare their answers in advance in Word and cut and paste them into the online form.
Rolling application windows with typical application deadlines:
• Apply by end of October → decision by early March
• Apply by end of February → decision by early July
• Apply by end of June → decision by early November
These are indicative and not fixed, and windows may close early if capacity is reached.
