Your Best Friend is a two-year project to give women, girls and non-binary young people the knowledge, confidence and tools to keep themselves and their friends safe in their dating relationships. It is run by eleven charities and creative organisations working hand in hand with young people to make sure young people get honest, practical information they can trust to keep themselves and their friends safe from toxic relationships or get them to safety.
The funder will be distributing £300,000 in grants to organisations and groups based in England and Wales to create their own ideas and projects that support Your Best Friend’s aims.
30-40 Small Grants of between £1,000 and £10,000, and 6-8 Large Grants of between £10,000 and £25,000 are expected to be awarded.
Projects must:
o Give young people the knowledge and confidence to know how to keep their friends safe, and/or
o Increase understanding about healthy, unhealthy and toxic relationships.
Grants can be used for:
o Paying staff.
o Printing.
o Professional help (for example, graphic design), and/or
o Venue hire.
The key application information is:
1. Applications opened on Wednesday 24 November 2021.
2. If you are applying for a large grant (£10k - £25k), the first deadline is 18 February 2022 (there will be a second funding round in 2022 with an application deadline of Friday 20 May 2022).
3. If you are applying for a small grant, (£1k - £10k) this is a rolling programme so you can apply at any time and we will assess you application at the next available panel meeting. Panel meeting dates will be advertised will be on the website. You will find out if you have been successful within 10 days of the panel meeting. The panel will generally meet every 6 weeks.
4. Please use the online application portal. If you prefer, you can print your application and post or email it to us at yourbestfriend(at)safelives.org.uk.
5. The funder will offer help and advice on the application process.
Further information, guideline and an an online application form is available on the Your Best Friend website.
