Established in 1997, the Nationwide Foundation is a registered charity supported by, but independent of, the Nationwide Building Society. The Nationwide Foundation was established with the objects of “to promote such purposes being exclusively charitable according to the law of England and Wales as the trustees shall from time to time determine. In carrying out the objects the Foundation may make and receive donations”.
The Nationwide Foundation’s Community Grants programme for 2022 opened on Monday 25 April with an application deadline of Friday 27 May 2022. The programme will provide grants to smaller charities and not-for-profit organisations for projects that address a housing problem in local communities across the United Kingdom.
Grants of between £10,000 and £50,000 are available over a period of 12-24 months for local housing projects that will:
o Help people into a home.
o Prevent people from losing their home, and
o Support people to thrive within the home environment.
Please note that the Foundation likes to see a matched funding contribution for projects. At least 50% of the total project cost should be sought and secured from other sources.
Priority will be given to projects that:
o Are supporting people in housing need, in original or creative ways. This includes both projects already delivering local impact and those carrying out research to find new ways to challenge the housing crisis.
o Can demonstrate sustainability beyond the life of the grant, by building the skills of staff and volunteers, diversifying funding streams and providing long-term solutions for the people they are helping.
o Can evidence knowledge of local issues and have a network of local connections.
o Have robust plans to measure and report on the difference the grant will make.
o Have the potential to inspire and be used by others across the country.
o Help charities get back on their feet after the impact of coronavirus/COVID-19, and
o Illustrate a clear link to Nationwide’s ambition for everyone to have a place fit to call home and can demonstrate the impact their project will have on the local community.
Grants can be used for:
o Activity costs – such as catering or insurance, costs that help deliver projects or activities but fall outside of capital, staffing and volunteering costs.
o Building works and refurbishment costs – where they are essential to the successful delivery of the project. o Core costs (up to 20% of the grant amount requested) including running and facility costs, office equipment, supplies, any travel and accommodation, printing.
o Development and capacity building costs – that support organisational sustainability, such as training staff and volunteers, and external consultancy fees.
o Small-scale capital costs – including one-off expenses for equipment, or fixed assets that may have use or benefit beyond the life of the grant (one financial year), such as computer hardware, or items required to deliver a project, such as paint, paintbrushes and gardening equipment, and
o Staff and volunteer costs for the project lead partner – including full-time staff, part-time staff, project delivery staff costs and other related expenses. All staff must be paid at least the Real Living Wage, set by the Living Wage Foundation.
Funding is not available for:
o Activities that generate a private profit.
o Individuals or individual sponsorship.
o Major or large-scale capital costs such as the purchase of land, property and vehicles.
o Organisations that promote religious or party-political activities, or
o Retrospective or costs that have already been incurred.
Further information, guidance and an online Eligibility Quiz is available on the Foundation’s website.
The deadline for applications to the Foundation’s 2022 programme is Friday 27th May 2022.
