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 2010/11 a total of 56 charities received £1.46million 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