The VINCI UK Foundation is the charitable arm of VINCI Construction UK, a specialist civil engineering, construction and facilities management company. The main ambition of the Foundation is to tackle social exclusion. It aims to achieve this by creating lasting relationships between charities and employees (VINCI sponsors) who donate time and professional skills. Since the Foundation was formed 6 years ago it has supported a total of 130 projects, with 33 projects supported in 2020. Details of all charities supported in 2020 are detailed on pages 8-73 of the Foundation’s Annual Report and summarised on page 14. Awards made in previous years are listed on the Foundation's website. Please note that at least one employee of VINCI must be involved in sponsoring a project (there are 27 Vinci sites across the UK. A map showing the sites can be viewed on page 2 of its Annual Report).
Projects should benefit a wide range of local community groups and have a long-lasting impact. The total cost of the project should not exceed £100,000. Grants awarded during 2019/20 varied from £3,000 to £20,000.
The Foundation provides one-off grants for innovative projects which address social exclusion in one or more of the following areas:
1. Access to Employment, particularly:
o Projects which support those currently excluded from the job market helping people to adapt to the world of work, while also receiving the training and support they need.
o Projects that offer basic training and guidance to enable individuals with no qualifications to enter the world of work.
2. Building Better Communities, particularly:
o Projects that aim to strengthen social links and fight social isolation of inhabitants of underprivileged neighbourhoods.
o Initiatives aimed at conveying citizenship values or educational training to young people.
3. Inclusive Mobility, particularly:
o Providing people with easier admission to secure employment, health care and education by improving the mobility of those deprived of means of transportation, and reduce the factors restricting their mobility.
4. Insertion through housing, particularly:
o Projects that enable access to housing for the most underprivileged individuals to provide them with more security and stability.
Funding is not available for:
o Federations.
o Individuals.
o Institutions and political or religious organisations/groups.
o One-off events.
o Profit-based organisations.
o Public organisations.
o Statutory organisations, or
o Wages and running costs.
Further information, guidance and an online application form is available on the Foundation’s website.
The application deadline is Thursday 31 March 2022.
