Education
We are helping to improve the educational opportunities of local children and young people from birth to 25 years old in our area of benefit - please check the map. We understand education in its broadest sense and support a wide range of activities that extend personal, social, moral, mental and emotional development as well as enhancing learning.
We offer grants to not-for-profit organisations (including schools and churches) to deliver activities that support our mission.
Types of projects
We are interested in projects that fall into five categories:
- Children & Families – focus on younger children and their parents
- Education & Learning – seeking to increase attainment and also enhance the curriculum and learn new skills
- Emotional Well-Being – looking after children’s emotional and mental health
- Youth clubs & activities – after school childcare, open access youth provision (secondary age) and activities that engage young people
- Christian Education
We provide more information about our current grants below.
How much can you apply for?
Small Grants
Maximum of £3,000 for one-off capital or revenue projects
Small Grants are open to all not-for-profit organisations – churches, schools, registered charities and social enterprises.
The maximum funding for a Small Grant is £3,000.
The grant can be used for short-term revenue or capital projects. Examples of some previous grant awards are:
- School residential trips
- Activities in or out of school to support curriculum topics and PHSE, ie: knife crime and sexting
- Children’s activities at community events and festivals
- Holiday play scheme and activities
- Capacity building grants to support organisational development projects, such as strategic review, evaluation, fundraising strategy or professional training.*
*These grants are only available for organisations that the charity is currently funding or has recently funded.
You can submit your application at any time and we expect to make a decision within six weeks.
Please apply using the online application form.
Standard Grants
Maximum of £10,000 for one-off capital or revenue projects
Standard grants are open to all not-for-profit organisations – churches, schools, registered charities and social enterprises.
The maximum funding for a Standard Grant is £10,000.
The grant can be used for revenue or capital projects that last no longer than a year. Please look at our current grants.
There are quarterly deadlines, set about 5–6 weeks in advance of the Trustee meeting.
The deadlines for 2021-22 are:
- Monday 13 December 2021
- Monday 28 March 2022
- Monday 6 June 2022
- Monday 26 September 2022
- Monday 12 December 2022
Please apply using the online application form.
Community Investment Grants
Maximum of £15,000 per annum for up to three years for revenue projects
We introduced multi-year funding in 2017 in response to feedback from grant beneficiaries. We recognise that applicants appreciate the longer term funding commitment and reduction in form filling.
Only applicants who:
- have received funding from the charity in the last three years;
AND
- can demonstrate a strong commitment to the local area through consistent service delivery and participation in local networks.
The maximum funding is £15,000 per annum for up to three years.
The grant should be used for revenue projects. Please look at our current grants.
There are quarterly deadlines, set about 5–6 weeks in advance of the Trustee meeting.
The deadlines for 2021-22 are:
- Monday 13 December 2021
- Monday 28 March 2022
- Monday 6 June 2022
- Monday 26 September 2022
- Monday 12 December 2022
Please apply using the online application form.
Strategic Grants
Up to £50,000 per annum for up to three years
Our charity is interested in supporting one or two strategic grants each year. We expect applicants to demonstrate a clear need within the local area that is not being addressed by anyone else. We expect to fund one organisation to lead a partnership where the funding or funded resource is shared across partner organisations.
Strategic Grants are open to all not-for-profit organisations – churches, schools, registered charities and social enterprises. It is unlikely that we would fund an organisation that we are not familiar with for a strategic grant.
There is no specific size for a Strategic Grant. It is anticipated that they would be large grants of between £15–50,000 per annum for up to three years.
The grant should be used for a revenue project. Our grant awards include:
- Two-year pilot of ‘Smart Gym’ using technology and games to train and teach core life skills (self-regulation, concentration, perseverance and reflection) in 5 primary schools
- Family therapy project working in six or more primary schools
- Full-time Speech and Language Therapist providing service across nine primary schools
This programme is discretionary. If you have an idea for a suitable project then please send a short outline of your idea to the Clerk for an initial discussion. Please DO NOT submit unsolicited applications.
BEFORE you apply for funding please read our detailed grant guidelines.

Current grants
During 2021, the Trustees agreed an increased grants budget of £400,000 again plus the £75,000 remaining funds from the £200,000 Crisis Fund agreed in 2020.
Over the year, the Charity awarded 26 grants totalling £889,652 – 5 Small Grants, 4 Standard Grants, 7 Community Investment Grants, 4 Strategic Grants and 6 Crisis Grants. The Charity also continues to support 11 Community Investment Grants awarded in previous years.
The majority of grantees had received grants from the Charity in the past.
The Trustees also agreed an extra £400,000 Covid Education Recovery programme to be spread across 15 primary schools for academic years 2021/22 and 2022/23.
Our current list of active projects is below:
Area | Organisation | Project | Summary | Grant | Start | Until |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Children & Families | Cardinal Hume Centre | Family Education & Support in the Cardinal Hume Centre's Family Centre & Garden | Contribution to the Family Centre & Garden offering support to families with children of all ages to play, learn & grow. | £45,000 | 01/07/2021 | 30/06/2024 |
Children & Families | Family Lives | Westminster Befriending for Families with 5-16 yr olds | Befriending service for families with children aged 5-16 yrs old offering 1:1 emotional & practical support. | £37,500 | 01/09/2021 | 31/07/2024 |
Children & Families | Fitzrovia Community Centre | Chatterbox | YWF BFF Dec 2021. Chatterbox is an early speech & language support for children aged 18 mth-4 yrs. | £6,912 | 04/01/2022 | 16/12/2022 |
Children & Families | Holborn Community Association | HCA Soft Play | Free daily soft play sessions for Under 5s & parents/carers including song & storytelling. It allows kids to run wild whatever the weather. The location may change as the main Bedford House site is redeveloped. | £45,000 | 01/04/2019 | 30/04/2022 |
Children & Families | Holborn Community Association | Holborn House (FFE) | Purchase of furniture, fixtures & equipment that will bring finishing touches to capital development of Holborn House. | £2,445 | 01/11/2021 | 31/01/2022 |
Children & Families | Mousetrap Theatre Projects | Dramatic Impact | Partnership with Caxton Youth to delivery two 12-wk drama courses for learning disabled young people. | £8,803 | 06/09/2021 | 06/06/2022 |
Children & Families | Pimlico Toy LIbrary | Children & adults learning together | Stay & Play sessions & toy library for Under 5s near Churchill Gardens estate. | £45,000 | 01/04/2021 | 31/03/2024 |
Children & Families | Royal Philharmonic Orchestra | Pimlico Toy Library Live Workshops: 'World Music Celebration' | RPO will work with Pimlico Toy Library to offer a day of creative music-making workshops for families with children aged from 0-11 yrs. | £2,417 | 10/01/2022 | 30/04/2022 |
Children & Families | St Vincent's Family Project | Dad's Space | YWF BFF Dec 2021. Twice weekly sessions specifically for Dads & their young children. | £5,000 | 04/04/2022 | 31/03/2023 |
Children & Families | Westminster Befriend a Family | Keeping It Together - Holistic support for a whole family approach | Core funding to support the two main strands of their work in south Westminster. Broadening Horizons educational mentoring project for young people. Mentoring for Mums offers goal-focused coaching style support. | £43,350 | 16/02/2021 | 15/02/2024 |
Children & Families | Westminster Early Help - Bessborough (WCC) | School Uniform for Asylum Seeking families | We will help asylum-seeking families to buy the school uniform they need to send their children to schools, once they have a confirmed place. | £4,500 | 01/12/2021 | 30/11/2022 |
Children & Families | Young Westminster Foundation | Creative Transitions in Westminster | The project supports Yr 6 children with their transition to primary school (always hard but especially with Covid restrictions). It will be delivered in partnership with DreamArts. | £10,000 | 15/05/2021 | 01/02/2022 |
Education & Learning | Beanstalk | South Westminster Literacy Support | To support 10 reading volunteers across schools in the area to work with at least 30 children. | £20,128 | 03/09/2018 | 31/08/2022 |
Education & Learning | Children's Literacy Charity | Community Literacy Lab at The Abbey | Specialist 1:1 literacy support provided by 'expert' tutors & trained volunteers for approx 20 children per yr. It takes place in Abbey Centre on Sat mornings & also engages parents with reading support. | £30,000 | 01/04/2019 | 31/03/2022 |
Education & Learning | Doorstep Library Network | Doorstep Library Pimlico Project (formerly Churchill Gardens Doorstep Library) | Churchill Gardens doorstep library uses a small team of volunteers to engage with children & families on the doorstep to encourage reading & love of books for 2 sessions a week. | £45,000 | 01/04/2020 | 30/06/2023 |
Education & Learning | Impact Dance Foundation | Impact Dance Studio | Enable them to engage with young people in the local area now they have a permanent base at BCBC. | £10,000 | 01/12/2021 | 30/11/2022 |
Education & Learning | Musical Boroughs Trust | Musical Senses | Musical Senses: helping local young people with a sensory difference access high quality music education activities. | £3,000 | 04/01/2022 | 25/07/2022 |
Education & Learning | Pimlico Musical Foundation | Pimlico Musical Foundation - Main programme of activity | Core funding to maintain music programmes in Pimlico including: Music education in schools; extra-curricular Children's Choir; Foundation Scholars (advanced music & instrument tuition for smaller group); & PMF Chorus (adult community choir). | £45,000 | 01/01/2020 | 31/08/2022 |
Education & Learning | Soho Parish PS | Soho Parish Interventions | Help with various digital services & software. The school usually raises money with Soho Festival which has been unable to take place. | £10,000 | 01/04/2021 | 31/03/2022 |
Education & Learning | St Barnabas PS | London Music Masters (LMM) | A whole school music intervention from London Music Masters that offers all children (and their parents) violin lessons & general music skills. | £45,000 | 01/09/2021 | 31/08/2024 |
Education & Learning | St Clement Danes PS | St Clement Danes CE Primary School / October Gallery Beacon School Partnership | Participate in art education workshops for pupils (14 pa) & staff (2 CPD & 1 well-being) delivered by October Gallery for 3 years. | £1,500 | 18/09/2020 | 30/07/2023 |
Education & Learning | St Matthew's PS | Sayers Croft Residential Trips | Coach costs for two residential trips to Sayers Croft, for Yr 5 & Yr 6 pupils. | £1,560 | 08/11/2021 | 25/05/2022 |
Education & Learning | Street Doctors | Young Lifesavers in Westminster | YWF BFF Dec 2021. Training for 25 young people across 2 youth hubs in South Westminster. Each course is 3 workshops & focuses on emergency first-aid skills. | £2,250 | 15/01/2022 | 31/12/2022 |
Education & Learning | Theatre Royal Haymarket Masterclass Trust | Introduce & Encourage | The project will give young people opportunities to enjoy live theatre & will introduce them to the varied career options in the creative industries. | £3,000 | 01/09/2021 | 31/08/2022 |
Emotional Well-Being | Anna Freud Centre | Family Therapy in Schools | Family therapy service providing a half day per wk support at 2 schools for individual pupils & their families. | £14,300 | 01/09/2021 | 31/08/2022 |
Emotional Well-Being | Central London Community Healthcare | SaLT 3 - South Westminster | SALT 3 - A speech & language therapy service across 9 primary schools in south Westminster cluster from Easter 2021 - Summer 2022. It offers Specialist, Targeted & Universal provision. | £37,650 | 01/04/2021 | 31/07/2022 |
Emotional Well-Being | Family Action | Friendship Works South Westminster | Expand Friendship Works service into south Westminster offering up to 6 long-term mentoring (for 2 yrs) relationships for children aged 5-18 yrs. | £22,962 | 01/12/2017 | 30/11/2022 |
Emotional Well-Being | Millbank Academy | SaLT 3 - Millbank Academy | SALT 3 - A speech & language therapy service from Easter 2021 - Summer 2022. It offers Specialist, Targeted & Universal provision by London Children's Practice. | £2,470 | 01/09/2021 | 31/08/2022 |
Emotional Well-Being | Pimlico Primary | SaLT 3 - Pimlico Primary | SALT 3 - A speech & language therapy service from Easter 2021 - Summer 2022. It offers Specialist, Targeted & Universal provision by London Children's Practice. | £2,470 | 01/09/2021 | 31/08/2022 |
Emotional Well-Being | St Clement Danes PS | Family Therapy service | Family therapy service - contributing to in-house therapist at school offering support to pupils & their family. | £7,150 | 01/09/2021 | 31/08/2022 |
Emotional Well-Being | St Clement Danes PS | SaLT 3 - St Clement Danes | SALT 3 - A speech & language therapy service at primary schools in south Westminster cluster from Easter 2021 - Summer 2022. It offers Specialist, Targeted & Universal provision by Whittingdon Health NHS. | £3,780 | 01/09/2021 | 31/08/2022 |
Emotional Well-Being | St Vincent's Family Project | Family Therapy Service | Family therapy service providing a half day per wk support at 5 schools for individual pupils & their families. | £26,466 | 01/09/2021 | 31/08/2022 |
Emotional Well-Being | St Vincent's Family Project | SVFP Therapy Program Manager | Creative Arts Therapy Manager to oversee students providing arts, drama or music therapy support for children aged 4-13 yrs, with referrals via schools or Early Help. | £45,000 | 01/04/2021 | 31/03/2024 |
Youth Clubs & Activities | Bloomsbury Football | Ebury Estate Open Football Sessions | YWF BFF Jan 2021. Providing open access football sessions on Ebury Bridge Estate for 1 hour a wk over 40 wks. | £6,836 | 01/03/2021 | 01/03/2022 |
Youth Clubs & Activities | Caxton Youth Organisation | Independence Programme | Enabling young people with disabilities to become more independent by learning about money, managing a home, problem solving & emergency planning. | £16,431 | 01/06/2020 | 31/05/2022 |
Youth Clubs & Activities | Dragon Eggs Digital CIC | Blog Up | YWF BFF 2019. Blog Up will be a blogging programme that will engage refugee young people in hotels in North Westminster. With extra funding from WCC & support from volunteers in south, they will take young people to London sights (in south) & blog about their experiences. | £5,773 | 01/02/2020 | 29/07/2022 |
Youth Clubs & Activities | Dragon Hall | After School, Transitions, Holiday & Youth programmes | Youth Provision including after school club for 8- 11 yr olds, transitions club for 12-16 yr olds & needs led sessions for 16+. | £39,000 | 01/11/2021 | 29/10/2024 |
Youth Clubs & Activities | Dream Arts | DreamArts - Experiment | DreamArts Experiment offers children aged 7-13 yrs an affordable theatre school opportunity to develop their personal & social skills - on Saturdays at the Abbey Centre. | £45,000 | 11/11/2020 | 10/11/2023 |
Youth Clubs & Activities | Future Men | Youth & Community - Churchill Gardens Youth Club | Churchill Gardens Youth Club provides space for young people aged 8-19 yr to undertake wide range of activities. They deliver open access, sessional & targeted youth work on 3 days per wk. | £45,000 | 01/01/2021 | 31/12/2023 |
Youth Clubs & Activities | Rathbone Amateur Boxing Club | LCRF Kickstart support | LCRF Wave 5 to provide mentoring, training & support to young people in Intern or Kickstart positions. | £12,000 | 12/04/2021 | 31/03/2022 |
Youth Clubs & Activities | St Andrew's Club | St Andrew's Club, more than a youth club | Towards core costs of running the youth club. It is open 7 days a wk for children & young people aged 5-18. | £30,000 | 01/06/2019 | 31/05/2022 |
Youth Clubs & Activities | The London Sports Trust | Think Active | YWF BFF 2019. Think Active is a project, based within youth & community settings, (St Andrews & Churchill Gardens) which uses sports & physical activity to improve well-being & improve mental health. | £9,870 | 01/01/2020 | 29/07/2022 |