January 2013 - Important news for applicants - please read the announcement at the bottom of this page.
Our general guidelines and exclusions apply to all 5 categories. Please study them carefully. Please also look at the list of current beneficiariesas a guide. What follows is a brief explanation of the focus of our current grant-making in this category and of the themes we particularly favour. Such is the competition for funds that if your work does not match our themes it is unlikely to be funded.
Focus
Social Welfare, the second of the two largest categories in which we work, reflects Sir John Ellermans personal commitment to helping those in need, hardship or distress. In 2011/12 a total of 46 charities received £1.14million between them.
At present the focus of our funding is directed towards:
Elderly people - see special focus immediately below
Disadvantaged young people - including homeless young people
Parents, families and children in need
Special Focus Our special Social Welfare focus of interest is support for charities working with isolated, poor and lonely older people, especially those over 75. These people may be living independently or in residential care and from either rural or urban communities. We welcome applications from national charities working with and for older people in utterly practical ways and specifically to:
organise befriending schemes which use volunteers
improve the quality of housing, security and residential care
encourage family and inter-generational contact
promote health and well-being
Themes
For all Social Welfare work, the Foundation is particularly interested in charities which can demonstrate:
Tangible benefits on a significant scale for the most disadvantaged/vulnerable people
Sharing of good ideas and collaborative work with other charities
Recruitment, training and employment of a broad base of volunteers
It encourages self-help and self-sufficiency
Important information about applying to the John Ellerman Foundation
The John Ellerman Foundation is undertaking a review of its funding priorities. New guidelines will be published in June 2013. In preparation for this the Foundation closed to new applications on 31 December 2012.
Organisations that previously either received a grant or applied unsuccessfully will have been asked to wait for two years before reapplying. A small number will become eligible to apply again during the period that the Foundation is closed. They should wait until the new guidance is available before applying again.
The website will be updated later in 2013 with further details.
UK registered charities working overseas should note that the Foundation has decided to pause its joint international programme with the Baring Foundation for two years. Please see their website for up to date information on their funding programmes www.baringfoundation.org.uk