Dorset based ethical cosmetics company, Lush Limited provides grants to small, grassroots organisations through its Charity Pot Fund that are working in the following areas:
o Animal protection.
o Human rights, and
o The environment.
The Charity Pot particularly seeks to fund less popular causes that aim to campaign to create long-term change and struggle to find funding.
Grants are for between £1,000 and £10,000, with an average grant award of £3,000. There is no stipulated matched funding requirement.
Applicants are required to meet the following eligibility criteria:
o Based in the UK or, if the project is overseas, run by local people and with their direction.
o Have a bank account in the organisation's name.
o Have an annual income of less than £250,000.
o Provision of 2 referees. Groups that are not based in the UK should provide at least once reference from an international Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO).
o Run entirely or predominantly by volunteers, and
o Working in the areas of animal protection, human rights and/or the environment.
Funding is not available for:
o Academic studies.
o Animal farming projects.
o Culling for conservation.
o Flights, although alternative travel costs may be considered.
o Fundraising initiatives or event sponsorship.
o Growing projects or reforesting projects.
o Individuals.
o Market-based solutions to climate change, such as carbon trading, carbon offsetting, clean development mechanism or Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD).
o Paid advertising and sponsorship.
o Salaries.
o Schools, social enterprises or local authorities.
o Sponsored activities, such as walks, runs and challenges.
o Student expeditions.
o The captivity of wild animals, including captive breeding programmes.
o The overseas rehoming of animals, or
o Volunteer-tourism projects.
In addition, the following are unlikely to be supported:
o Art-based or theatrical projects.
o Funding for films – these tend to directed towards Lush’s separate Film Fund (Facebook link).
o Funding for legal challenges.
o Non secular, religious or military organisations or organisations, and
o Significant asset purchases (for example, the purchase of land or woodland).
Further information, guidance and an application form is available on the Lush website.
Applications may be made at any time. Lush can take 2-3 months to make a decision on an application.
