General Application FAQs
Please note our new guidelines as per 1st November 2020.
Please read through our new guidelines carefully to see if it is still relevant for you to apply to the Woodward Charitable Trust. The Trustees are sorry that the criteria have been narrowed but feel that this way they can concentrate on helping a narrower group of organisations where the size of the grant being made is more likely to make a difference.
However, if for example you are an arts or education charity working to help the outcomes for disadvantaged families or young people you would still be eligible to apply. Likewise, if you are working in the field of mental health or learning disabilities and helping young people gain skills and confidence in order to become more self-sufficient or employable you could also still be eligible. Organisations working with refugees and minorities would also be able to fit under the new guidelines where their work falls within our main priorities. Unfortunately, more general disability and health related charities will no longer be covered nor will organisations working overseas.
What types of organisations are eligible to apply?
The Trust only funds registered UK charities, CICs, CIOs and exempt charities. If your organisation is a limited company, we will need to see a set of your company’s Memorandum and Articles to confirm you are operating in a not-for-profit capacity.
We do not fund voluntary community groups, constituted groups/forums, gyms, sports centres or individuals in any capacity, even if the work being undertaken is charitable. If you want to apply for a grant this will need to be done via a UK registered charity, or one of the eligible organisation types listed above.
My organisation’s work is based outside of the UK, are we eligible to apply?
We no longer fund organisations based outside of the UK nor those primarily working overseas.
My organisation is a branch of a larger organisation, are we eligible to apply?
We will not consider funding of charitable branches of larger organisations if the parent organisation’s income exceeds £1 million. We will also not fund branches where the majority of their income is provided by a national organisation.
My organisation is new, and we do not have any accounts, are we still eligible to apply?
Yes, please indicate this clearly on your application and submit a copy of your projected budget forecast instead of historic accounts. If you have recently changed your status, for example from a CIC to a charity, then please include the accounts from your previous organisation.
The income or expenditure of my charity was greater than £200,000 in the last financial year, can I still apply?
The Trustees have reduced the maximum income level for organisations applying for funding to under £200,000 per year, this is again in order to maximise the benefit of the size of grant that we make. If your income exceeded this amount for one year, for example due to a capital appeal or a particularly large donation or legacy then please let us know this and you can still be considered. However, if this was not an exceptional event then I’m afraid you will not be eligible.
What documentation do I need to submit?
Please complete the application form and budget online only. If you feel you need us to see more details of your budget, you may upload an excel document if necessary, but this should not exceed one page.
If your accounts are not available on the UK Charity Commission, please submit a copy of the last two years of your audited accounts. If your accounts are available on the UK Charity Commission but the income/ expenditure noted on your form are from recent unaudited, draft accounts, please upload a copy of these along with your application.
Please upload a Safeguarding/Child and/or a Vulnerable Adults Policy.
What should my budget look like?
Anticipated income for the current financial year.
Anticipated expenditure for the current financial year broken down into charitable and non charitable costs.
Non charitable would include items such as fundraising and marketing and charitable would cover all your project and core costs related to your work.
If you would like, you are welcome to add to these headings but please note that this is the minimum information that the Trustees require.
I would like to submit an electronic application, where can I find the form?
We are only accepting online applications which can be accessed under the ‘How to Apply’ tab, either under the ‘General Applications’ or ‘Children’s Summer Playschemes’ pages.
I am unable to submit an electronic application, can I still apply?
We strongly encourage all organisations to submit an online form, however If this is a problem for you please email the administrator Karin Hooper at contact@woodwardcharitabletrust.org.uk.
Our organisation has two addresses, one for where our organisation is registered and one for the office where we are based, which should we put down on the application?
Please submit the address from which you will be able to receive Royal Mail letters.