Medium Grants Information

Grants in this classification range in value from £5,000 up to £60,000 depending upon the grant making organisation.  Applying for grants in this category will involve completing a more in-depth application form than that used for small grants.

Medium grants can be useful to finance a variety of projects, which may include; building works/alterations, employing people to help deliver a project, purchasing large items of equipment/materials and other costs associated to the project needs.  For grants of this size it is best to focus your application at a specific funder.

The Lottery Distributors have their own application forms that cover different themes. You can visit these at:

• Big Lottery Fund

• Arts Council

• Sports Lottery

Also see the small grants page as some organisations in this section can fund projects of similar values.

About this service

The Northern Rock Foundation

Following a review, the Northern Rock Foundation have announce their revised funding programme.

This covers seven themes;

• Money and Jobs  Helping disadvantaged people and communities to increase their assets, income and economic activity.
• Independence and Choice  Giving people with mental health problems, people with learning disabilities, older people and carers a choice of excellent services that help them to become or remain independent.
• Strong and Healthy Communities  Strengthening people's well-being through community and physical activities, improving local environments and by helping them to eat healthily.
• Building Positive Lives  Helping people who lack self-confidence or motivation, or who face discrimination, to have the individual support they need to lead more positive and fulfilling lives.
• Safety and Justice  Reducing the incidence and impact of domestic violence, sexual violence, prostitution, child abuse and hate crimes, by investing in better support for victims.
• Culture and Heritage  Inspiring, enjoyable and diverse culture programmes and events that raise our region's profile and make it a better place for everyone to live and enjoy.
• Better Buildings  Investing in improved buildings for cultural organisations and for voluntary and community groups.

Application forms are now available for grants below £20,000 and above £20,000.  Full details can be found at the Northern Rock Foundation   or you can contact the Northern Rock Foundation at, The Old Chapel, Woodbine Road, Gosforth, Newcastle upon Tyne NE3 1DD  Tel: 0191 2848412

The Esmee Fairbairn Foundation

The foundation makes grants under five specific categories; Social Development, Environment, Education, and Arts & Heritage.  The purpose must be charitable and normally the Trust will only consider applications from registered charities.  Grants generally range from £250 to £250,000.  The Trust favours projects which are innovative, developmental and designed to make a practical impact on a particular problem or need.  Further details can be obtained from 11 Park Place, London, SW1A 1LP, 020 7297 4700.

Coalfield Regeneration Trust - Main Grants

The Coalfield Regeneration Trust (CRT) supports projects that provide economic and social benefit to former coalfield areas.  The main grants application process can give grants up to £200,000.  Voluntary and community organisations, including Town, Parish and Community Councils, and Parent Teacher Associations can apply.  You wil need a signed and dated constitution, a bank or building society account with two signatories and annual accounts or a detailed budget for new organisations.  Funding can be used towards both revenue and capital costs including salaries, room hire, publicity, overheads, office and other equipment, feasibility studies, building maintenance etc.  Funding can be used to develop your organisation or group, improve an existing activity/facility or to start a new activity/facility.

When submitting your application you will need to include a copy of your constitution, an original bank statement or building society passbook, copies of accounts or a detailed budget.  Depending on the project you may also need to include a letter from other funders, quotes for capital work, job descriptions and salary details, information on ownership of buildings, planning permission and survey or reports.  Applications will be assessed against local community need, impact and community benefit, management skills and experience, project costs and financial issues.  The assessment may take up to 6 months.  Funding is paid upfront and a monitoring report is required within 13 months of the project being approved.  You cannot use the funding for any expenditure that has been incurred before the grant has been awarded.  Detailed guidance notes are available to help you complete the application form.  You can only apply to the CRT once in a 12-month period.  The grant must be spent in 12 months.  The CRT is keen to discuss your project with you before you submit an application.

Contact details, Coalfields Regeneration Trust, The Eco Centre, Room 9, Windmill Way, Hebburn, Tyne and Wear NE31 1SR Tel: 0191 428 5550.

Sherburn House Charity

The Trust aims to provide grants to overcome hardship and to address need in the community.  Amount:  Grants to projects range from £350 to £34,000.  Voluntary and Community groups can apply and there is a focus on funding the North East.  You will need to have a constitution, a bank or building society account with two signatories.  Grants can be for either capital or revenue.  The Trust will support projects that contribute to the following priorities; health, mental health, learning disabilities, physically disabled, substance abuse, homelessness, special needs, community needs and to address the effects of long term unemployment.  The board of the trust meets every 2 months to consider applications.  Applicants are required to submit an application form, annual accounts and a copy of an annual report.  Unsuccessful applicants cannot submit another application for 2 years.  Contact details, Sherburn House Charity, The Administration Office, Ramsey House, Sherburn Hospital, Durham DH1 2SE Tel 0191 372 2551.

Sportsmatch

Sportsmatch can match pound for pound commercial business sponsorship for a grass roots sporting events or activity.  Sportsmatch acts as an incentive by offering to double the pot of money available from your sponsor on a pound for pound matching basis.  Any not-for-profit group can apply, for example: sports club, school/college, charity, governing body of sport, local authority, voluntary groups.  We can match money from any profit-distributing business, for example: a bank, restaurant, estate agent, supermarket.  Matching awards are available between £500 and £50,000.  The minimum sponsorship per sponsor is £500 and the maximum per project is £50,000.  You can have a maximum of 3 sponsors per project each putting in a minimum of £500 and sponsorship can last between 1 and 3 years for any one project.  Sponsorship can be in cash or in kind (in kind for sporting equipment only).  £500 minimum award for schools/colleges only - for all others organisations the minimum award is £1,000.  Projects being sponsored should be aiming to include one or more of the following elements:  Increasing participation at the grass roots and/or improved skills, new activities or extend/enhance existing activities, provide links to the local community and ensure long term benefits.  Projects can be capital, for example, outdoor basketball nets, cricket playing surfaces, (up to £5,000 in total) or revenue e.g. coaching, competition, equipment, facility hire, publicity.  Priority will be given to revenue projects. Sportsmatch priority groups are women and girls, ethnic minorities, disability groups, schools, areas of recreational deprivation and youth.

For further information contact Tel: 0207 233 7747.

Sport Relief UK Grants

Using money raised from a link with the BBC, grants will be given throughout the UK to fund work using 'the power of sport' to bring young people together to tackle tension and division in their communities.  Projects should use sport as more than a simply diversionary activity.  Projects need to work with young people under the age of 25.  Those run and managed by local communities will get the greatest priority.  Projects need to be realistically designed, budgeted and effective monitoring and evaluation procedures need to be designed to assess impact and benefit.  Activities must be charitable but you do not have to be a registered charity yourself.  For more information please contact; UK Grants Team, Sport Relief, Comic relief, 5th Floor, 89 Albert Embankment, London, SE1 7TP  Tel: 0207 820 555.

Local Heritage Initiative

The Local Heritage Initiative (LHI) can provide grants between £3,000 and £25,000 for projects that have a archaeological, natural, built, industrial or cultural focus to them, or indeed a mix of these themes, however it is important that they raise awareness of local heritage and give added benefit to the community.  Visit Local Heritage Initiative for more information and to download an application pack, or phone 0870 9000 401

Charitable Trusts

Some Charitable Trusts are capable of funding projects/good causes in this range of values and reference to these can be found at;

• Fundersonline

or research them through Useful Publications.