The Rayne Foundation recently announced that, from Wednesday 1st February 2023, its Open Grants programme will be focused exclusively on the following four areas of special interest:
1. Arts as a tool to achieve social change
2. Better opportunities for refugees and asylum seekers
3. Improved quality of life for carers and for older people, and
4. Young people’s improved mental health
This more focused approach is the first step in the Foundation working towards becoming an increasingly pro-active and engaged funder and reflects its desire to think more carefully and have greater impact on a smaller number of issues over a longer period.
The Foundation is particularly looking for good ideas that other people can learn from, creative ways of tackling entrenched or new problems, and ideas which have potential to be replicable. As a result, it is more likely to fund projects that are untried or in their early-to-mid stages of development than established, long-running services.
Grants, which are available for revenue costs and offered over 1, 2 or 3 years, are normally for between £10,000 and £20,000. Grants are specifically for salaries and project costs, and can include a reasonable contribution to overheads or on-costs. Core costs can also be considered by the Foundation. However, it only tends to make a contribution towards core or running costs when an organisation is making a step-change in the way in which it works or tackles a particular issue and where a core grant will provide greater flexibility during the transition period.
Please note that the Foundation rarely funds 100% of a project’s costs and will expect applicants to make a matched funding contribution. The Foundation will also consider the size of the request relative to the applicant organisation's overall turnover. Small, newer organisations in particular are unlikely to receive a larger grant if it equates to more than 10% of their total income, unless it is towards an organisation's first paid post.
The Foundation’s focus is on supporting locally-based front-line organisations. Larger, national organisations or 'household-name charities' are unlikely to receive a grant unless they are the only organisation in a position to tackle a particular problem.
In addition, organisations with more than 9 months' running costs in unrestricted reserves are less likely to receive a grant. Organisations with very small reserves or an overall deficit will need to convince the Foundation that their organisation is viable and they are taking action to increase reserves.
All applicants are required to:
o Demonstrate an awareness of what is going on in their field nationally, how their work complements what else is available, and why they are best placed to deliver the proposed activity.
o Demonstrate a strong leadership, management and track record.
o Have real expertise and sector knowledge and a good understanding of the needs of their client groups and how to support people to bring about change, and
o Show commitment to demonstrating results and sharing learning (for example, be able to explain why they believe their activities will lead to positive change for users and how they will gather evidence to demonstrate this).
Funding is not available for:
o Brand new organisations.
o Campaigning and lobbying work.
o Capital appeals.
o Charities supporting servicemen and women.
o Church halls and community centres.
o Community transport schemes and vehicle purchases.
o Endowments.
o Feasibility studies or scoping work.
o Individuals.
o Medical research.
o One-off events (including performances, festivals, conferences, holidays, respite breaks and residential trips).
o Organisations that have applied and been rejected within the last 12 months.
o Organisations working or based outside the UK.
o Retrospective funding.
o Running costs of local organisations, or
o Statutory bodies such as hospitals, local authorities, government departments or schools.
Further information, guidance and application details are available on the Foundation’s website.
The Foundation has a 2-stage application process:
o Stage 1: applicants must first complete the application form that can be downloaded from the Foundation's website.
o Stage 2: applicants that are successful at Stage 1 will be invited to submit a full, detailed Stage 2application.
Applications may be submitted at any time by email to applications(at)raynefoundation.org.uk. The Foundation can take up to 6 months to make a final decision on an application, so please bear this in mind when preparing your application.
