Revenue grants. usually for under £5,000, are available for local and national UK and overseas not-for-profit organisations, including Community Interest Companies (CICs), libraries, schools, colleges and sports groups, for projects that benefit visually impaired people.
Any organisation with (a) an appropriate safeguarding policy for vulnerable children and/or adults and procedures to implement and monitor the policy, and (b) an equal opportunities policy may apply for a grant of between £100 and £500,000 (although awards towards the upper end of this scale are extremely rare). The vast majority of grants made are for less than £5,000.
Applications from public libraries managed by local authorities will be considered if these are additional to the local authority's core service. Volunteer-run libraries may be grant funded if they are supported in cash or in kind by the local authority (libraries operated by private companies are not supported).
Grants can be used for (please note that this is not an exclusive list):
- Academic and clinical research
- Purchase of equipment or materials
- Staffing for specific time-limited projects (please note the Foundation will not support staff salaries or ongoing running costs)
- Time-limited projects
The Foundation likes to see evidence that applicants have sought and secured matched funding as part of their application.
Applications may be made by downloading, completing and posting the application form available on the Foundation’s website, where further information and guidance about the Foundation's grants can also be found. Applications are also accepted by email.
Annual deadlines are:
- 15 March
- 15 June
- 15 September
- 15 December