The Drapers’ Charitable Fund awards grants to help improve the quality of life for people and their communities. We target the disadvantaged and socially excluded, through grants in the fields of education and relief of need. Grants are also awarded in support of textiles, heritage and the arts, and for projects in Northern Ireland.
The following is a brief guide to Drapers’ Charitable Fund grants. If you are thinking about applying for a grant, we recommend that you first read our guidelines in full to find out if you might be eligible.
What The Drapers’ Charitable Fund Does Not Support
What The Drapers’ Charitable Fund Supports?
How Do I Apply?
When Can I Apply?
How Much Can I Ask For?
When Will I Hear If I Have Been Successful?
What the Drapers’ Charitable Fund Does Not Support?
We do not normally support the following organisations and work:
- Organisations that are not registered charities, unless exempt from registration
- Organisations with an annual income of over £5 million
- Branches of national charities or movements, or charities who are part of a federal structure
- Schools, colleges or universities
- Churches
- Almshouses
- Hospitals, medical centres or hospices
- Individuals or organisations applying on their behalf
Type of work
- Activities usually considered a statutory responsibility
- Capital projects, appeals or major refurbishments
- Projects taking place or whose beneficiaries are outside the UK
- Medical research
- Children’s disabilities, physical disabilities or medical conditions
- Holidays or trips
- Animal welfare
- Work that has already taken place
- Loans or business finance
- General appeals or mailshots
What the Drapers’ Charitable Fund Supports?
Typically, we support charities who are involved in the activities outlined below. Most of the support is focused in inner city London
Relief of need, including:
• Homelessness
• Social exclusion among the under-25s
• Prisoners, especially young offenders
• Ex-service personnel
• Support services for the elderly, carers (especially young carers), and community and family services.
• Disabled adults (not children), especially those with less visible disabilities such as hearing impairment, dyslexia, mental health issues, and chronic fatigue syndrome.
Education and training, including:
• Outreach programmes to encourage young people to continue their education
• Leadership and volunteering programmes
• The promotion of science education
Textiles, including:
• Projects that support the study of technical textiles/smart materials
• Initiatives that encourage young people to pursue a career in the technical textile/smart materials sector
• Textile conservation
Northern Ireland, including:
• Projects which meet one of the other themes for support based in areas historically associated with the Drapers’ Company, especially in and around Draperstown and Moneymore.
Preservation of the nation’s heritage and arts, particularly in Greater London, including:
• City of London Corporation and the Mayoralty
• Museums, memorials and monuments related to the armed forces, the history of London or the textile trade
• Public access to the arts for young people
How do I apply?
You will need to send us a detailed proposal document explaining what your organisation does, how you intend to spend the money, and your most recent financial accounts and trustees’ report, together with a completed application summary sheet. Only applications sent by post will be considered. You will find more information about the application process and information required in our Guidelines.
When can I apply?
You can apply at any time of the year. Our Charities Committee meets four times a year and applications will normally be considered at the next meeting following submission. However, this is dependent upon the number of applications received and it cannot be guaranteed that an application will be considered at a particular meeting.
The next meeting dates are:
18 April 2012
28 June 2012
How much can I ask for?
There is no minimum or maxiumum grant, but most grants are for less than £10,000, and seldom for more than £20,000.