The Margaret Dobson Further Education Trust is a modest grant-making charity that awards a limited number of grants in the UK to support young adults with a learning disability after they reach normal school leaving age, so that they may gain the skills to help them live a more independent life.

Project proposals that meet at least 2 of the Trust’s following objectives are likely to be prioritised:

o Designed for and targeted towards people with learning disabilities aged 18 to 25 outside the school environment. Those age 16+ who are not in formal education, training or work will also be considered.
o Enabling social interaction with other people and allow self-expression and confidence building.
o include accredited training.
o Offer employment experience.
o Offer the opportunities for people to gain transferable life skills, which may include how to access support.
o Smaller organisations which are demonstrating an entrepreneurial approach to a locally identified issue.
o Where beneficiaries have been adversely affected by the ongoing impact of COVID-19, and are
o Working in partnership with relevant local organisations and service providers.

Grant awards tend to be for between £1,000 and £5,000. During the year ended 5th April 2021, the Trust met on two occasions to consider grant awards (the Trust normally meets annually, but an exception was made in 2020/21 due the impact of COVID). 10 grants were made, ranging from £1,000 to £5,000.

Please note that the Trust likes to see that applicants have attempted to secure grant support from other sources.

Funding is not available for:

o General applications which have no specific purpose.
o Individuals.
o Organisations that were supported by the Trust in the previous year, unless a multi-year grant has been previously awarded.
o Overtly religious organisations.
o Retrospective funding, or
o Schools.

Further information, guidance and an application form is available on the Trust’s website.

The deadline for applications is Friday 31st March 2023 for consideration at the Trust’s June 2023 meeting.