• Are you a permanent resident in the London borough of Greenwich or Lewisham?
• Are you aged below 25?
• Are you a UK National or do you have Full Refugee Status?
• Is your family's residual income in the region of £25,000 per annum or less?
• Are you having difficulty in finding the money to pursue your education or training?

Please go to the relevant section:

Guidelines for Individuals who are aged between 16-25 - Click here
Guidelines for Individuals who are aged below 16 - clck here
How to apply - click here

What can we help with?
The Foundation awards grants to cover a variety of costs in order to allow individuals to pursue their education or training. These include:-

• Payment (in part or full) of tuition fees;
• Fares to and from College or University;
• Childcare costs;
• Books;
• Maintenance (daily living costs, rent, food);
• Educational materials, tools and equipment;
• For under 16's - uniform/sports kit/travel to school/educational excursions.

What we do not fund

• Students aged over 25 and pre-school aged children;
• Non-UK citizens and Asylum Seekers (only those with Full Refugee Status may apply);
• Postgraduate students who have attained a Lower Second Class in their first degree [unless there are extenuating circumstances - please telephone to discuss];
• Grants to purchase computers [with the exception of disabled students];
• Studying overseas;
• Grants cannot be made retrospectively (i.e. for studies that have already taken place);
• Grants to cover non-educational related loans or debts;
• Grants to set up a business venture;
• High course fees (i.e. Acting, Dance or Drama courses) where a student provides no clear indication on how the course will be funded;
• Private school fees [unless there is a case of unexpected and considerable hardship arising since the child's entry to the school and where the child is due to sit either GCSEs or 'A' levels in the current academic year.]

• a permanent resident of the borough of Greenwich or Lewisham. This means that you must have lived there for at least the last three years prior to the start of your course; students living in the borough solely for the purposes of study (i.e. you moved to begin a course) are not considered a permanent resident of that borough and will not be eligible to apply. If you need further clarification on this matter please call us on 020 7588 5001 and we will be happy to discuss your situation further;
• aged between 16 and 25;
• a UK national or Refugee who has been granted leave to remain in the UK;
• from a low-income background whose parent/s joint taxable earnings are not more than £25,000 per annum, plus £2,750 for each other dependant child;
• undertaking a full or part-time course in the UK.

Level of grant awarded
There is no standard grant. Each application is considered on its own merits taking into account the needs and circumstances of the applicant. The size of grant can vary from £100 to £5,000 and grants are usually made on a one-off basis (i.e. a grant is made for one academic year at a time). Students whose course is of two or three years duration, may reapply each year, as long as they still meet the eligibility criteria. If you have a substantial shortfall in funds, you must give a clear indication of how you intend to raise the necessary balance of funds required in order to be accepted on your chosen course of study.

Interview
It is the Governors intention to interview all new applicants. The interview takes the form of a brief meeting (about 10 minutes) usually at Drapers' Hall, to discuss the funding application, course of study and plans for the future. Travel costs will be reimbursed.

When should you apply?
The Committee of Governors meets three times a year, usually in October, February and June. The dates of meetings and deadlines for the receipt of completed applications are listed below:-

28th October 2008, deadline 7th October 2008
10th February 2009, deadline 20th January 2009
9th June 2009, deadline 19th May 2009

How long does the application process take?
Completed applications must be received by the deadline date in order to be placed before the Governors at the next meeting. You will receive an acknowledgement in writing. If there are any queries, we will inform you what these are and request your prompt response. If there are any supporting documents which have been omitted from your application, we will request that these be submitted as soon as possible. Only complete applications will be presented to the Committee of Governors at the next available meeting for consideration. After the meeting, you will be informed of the outcome within 3-5 working days.

Click here to download an Application Form and Guidelines

Please complete in black ink and send to The Clerk to the Governors, The Drapers' Company, Drapers' Hall, Throgmorton Avenue, London, EC2N 2DQ.

Please provide all the necessary supporting documents requested. Do not send original documents like birth certificates, passports or driving licenses - photocopies will be accepted. Email or faxed applications will not be accepted.

Guidelines for Individuals who are aged below 16
Families resident in the London boroughs of Greenwich or Lewisham who are in receipt of benefits or on low income, may be able to apply for a small hardship grant to help with their child's education. Small grants are awarded to cover costs for such essential items as:-

• school uniform/sports kit
• travel costs to/from school
• school excursions of an educational kind
• other necessary educational expenses

For further information and guidance on how to apply, please contact your local Education Authority Service, details below:-

For residents of the Greenwich Borough:
email jean.thurston@greenwich.gov.uk
telephone 020 8921 8517

For residents of the Lewisham Borough:
email frank.hayward@lewisham.gov.uk
telephone 020 8314 6267

GRANTS TO ORGANISATIONS

The Foundation welcomes applications from registered charities or educational establishments that are seeking financial assistance to support educational initiatives and projects aimed at young people (aged below 25) from the beneficial area (London borough of Greenwich or Lewisham). The Governors aim to support projects which demonstrate a clear commitment to education.

Policy

• Grants will not be made in support of an activity or purpose that should normally be funded by public money;
• In order to ensure that adequate funds remain available to fund as broad a range of educational initiatives as possible, grants are usually made on a one-off basis. Further applications will not normally be considered, for at least three years from the date of the grant.

Application procedure
There is no formal application form. Organisations are asked to apply in writing to the Clerk to the Governors (no more than 2 sides of A4) providing details of their activities and the project for which funds are required and how this will specifically benefit young people in the boroughs of Greenwich or Lewisham. In addition, a budget and details of other funding received or being sought in support of the project should be submitted. A copy of the most recent annual report and accounts should be enclosed.

To go to the section When should you apply and click here

contact Miss D J Thomas, The Clerk to the Governors, Sir William Boreman's Foundation
address Drapers' Hall, Throgmorton Avenue, London, EC2N 2DQ
telephone 020 7588 5001
fax 020 7628 1988
email dthomas@thedrapers.co.uk
website http://www.thedrapers.co.uk/Charities/boremans.shtml