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 £3,600 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 £3,600.
This programme can be used for a wide variety of activities that increase the range of educational opportunities for children and young people. It is usually for one-off projects although it may also support smaller community activities.
For example:
- Environmental education initiatives
- School residential trips (mostly KS2)
- Enrichment activities (usually in partnership with external provider)
- Children’s activities at community events and festivals
- Christian Education such as Sunday School or Messy Church.
In addition, the Small Grants programme can sometimes fund capacity building grants to support organisational development projects such as strategic review, evaluation or fundraising strategy.*
*Capacity building grants are only available to organisations that the charity is already funding or has supported within the last three years.
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.
Project Grants
Maximum of £12,000 for one-off capital or revenue projects
Project Grants are open to all not-for-profit organisations – churches, schools, registered charities and social enterprises.
The maximum funding for a Project Grant is £12,000.
This programme usually funds medium-term projects lasting from a few weeks up to one year, with a regular group of participants.
For example:
- Enrichment programme in school or youth club setting
- Environment education programme
- Community sports programme
- After-school and youth programmes
- Employability programme.
Please look at our current grants.
There are quarterly deadlines, set about 5–6 weeks in advance of the Trustee meeting.
The deadlines for 2024-25 are:
- Monday 16 December 2024
- Monday 24 March 2025
- Monday 9 June 2025
- Monday 6 October 2025
- Monday 15 December 2025
Please apply using the online application form.
Community Investment Grants
Maximum of £18,500 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.
Please note this is not available to schools or projects working in a school setting.
The maximum funding is £18,500 per annum for up to three years.
This three-year funding programme will fund local organisations delivering a wide range of opportunities supporting children and young people.
For example:
- After-school & homework clubs
- Open access youth provision
- Under 5s’ activity
- Youth mentoring
- Art therapy
- SEND youth club
- Music programme
- Family support
- Arts & therapy programme.
Please look at our current grants.
There are quarterly deadlines, set about 5–6 weeks in advance of the Trustee meeting.
The deadlines for 2024-25 are:
- Monday 16 December 2024
- Monday 24 March 2025
- Monday 9 June 2025
- Monday 6 October 2025
- Monday 15 December 2025
Please apply using the online application form.
Partnership Grants
Up to £50,000 per annum for up to three years
This is a discretionary programme. These larger grants are awarded to address a specific need that has been identified within the local area, and the Trustees agree is a priority. We would expect any such project to involve a partnership of charities or schools or both, all working together.
Partnership 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 Partnership 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 2023, the Trustees agreed a grants budget of £343,000 for new grants, including the Family Welfare Fund.
Over the year, the Charity awarded 11 grants totalling £303,052 – 2 Small Grants, 5 Project Grants, 4 Community Investment Grants plus 4 Partnership 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.
Our current list of active projects is below:
Area | Organisation | Project | Summary | Grant | From | Until |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Children & Families | Cardinal Hume Centre - 05 | Wrap-around support for vulnerable families & children in the Westminster area | CH offer educational activities/learning support 6 days a week for families who are homeless or in unsuitable temporary accommodation with children. The grant is to ensure the core running of their Family Centre from Jan 2025-Dec 2027. | £55,500 | 01/01/2025 | 31/12/2027 |
Children & Families | Holborn Community Association - 11 | HCA Under 5s | HCA can maintain its free under 5s play service supporting over 300 families. This supports the early years development & reduces the impact of inequality. | £45,000 | 01/11/2022 | 31/10/2025 |
Children & Families | Pimlico Toy LIbrary - 08 | Play with a purpose | Provides play sessions for children from 0-4 yrs (ie: Toy Library, Baby Massage), & school holiday sessions from 0-11 yrs. The grant is towards their core costs. | £55,500 | 01/02/2024 | 01/04/2027 |
Children & Families | South Westminster Community Festival - 03 | One Year Grant | SWF want a grant to support their pause for Jan 2025-Dec 2025. They will work on strategising delivery of their project. They will set up a YP focus group, train up volunteers, grow their partnerships, & attend training during this pause. | £3,600 | 21/11/2025 | 31/10/2025 |
Children & Families | St Vincent's Family Project - 14 | SVFP Ready for School (Programme) | A programme for children 0-4 yrs preparing them for school/nursery transition. They teach basic literacy, numeracy & aim to engage 60 children pa in this 3-yr project. | £54,000 | 06/01/2025 | 06/01/2028 |
Children & Families | Unfold (was WBaF) - 13 | Broadening Horizons Mentoring Programme | Unfold's Broadening Horizons programme provides weekly 1-2-1 mentoring for young people aged 10-25 in Westminster & nearby areas, with tailored support for those seeking asylum, in care or excluded from school. | £55,000 | 01/12/2024 | 30/11/2027 |
Christian Education | The Church of the Annunciation, Bryanston Street - 02 | Children & Families Worker: Curriculum Design & Delivery 2025 | This is a Sunday School provision for 50-60 CYP attending each Sunday. The project will hire a 'Children & Families Worker' for 6 hrs pw to tailor to their growing age group of 7+ for faith-based learning. | £2,000 | 03/03/2025 | 31/12/2025 |
Education & Learning | Abbey Community Association - 10 | The Abbey Centre - After School Club | A project from Sept 2024-Sept 2025, which allows disadvantaged children in South Westminster to attend free Arts + Crafts, Cultural & PE workshops. It also signposts parents to other services they may need. | £10,000 | 23/09/2024 | 21/07/2025 |
Education & Learning | AllChild (fka West London Zone) - 01 | AllChild's Impact Programme in South Westminster | An early intervention programme from Sept 2024-Aug 2027 focusing on at-risk children at the tipping point of need. It will work with 4 Westminster schools & is a holistic programme. | £45,000 | 01/09/2024 | 01/08/2027 |
Education & Learning | Central London Community Healthcare - 04 | SaLT 6 South Westminster | SALT 6 - A speech & language therapy service across 7 primary schools & nursery school in south Westminster cluster from April 2024-March 2025. It offers Specialist, Targeted & Universal provision. | £22,765 | 15/04/2024 | 31/03/2025 |
Education & Learning | Climate Ed - 01 | Children's carbon literacy & climate action project | A project for KS2 children in Westminster primary schools. It delivers workshops on climate change, CO2 & sustainability, & runs from Aug 2024-July 2025. | £3,000 | 15/04/2024 | 18/07/2025 |
Education & Learning | Pimlico Musical Foundation - 05 | Pimlico Musical Foundation Children's Programmes | Providing free, high quality music education for children from disadvantaged backgrounds. | £45,000 | 01/11/2022 | 31/07/2025 |
Education & Learning | St Barnabas PS - 09 | London Music Masters (LMM) | A whole school music intervention from London Music Masters that offers all children (& their parents) violin lessons & general music skills. | £12,000 | 02/12/2024 | 02/12/2025 |
Emotional Well-Being | DreamArts - 05 | Experiment Programme | Serves 35-40 YP per year in Westminster focusing on self expression, ie: theatre performances, short films. They are focused on wellbeing & have trauma-trained specialists. Project is from March 2024-March 2027. | £45,000 | 01/03/2024 | 31/03/2027 |
Emotional Well-Being | St Vincent's Family Project - 13 | Family Therapy Service | Family therapy service providing a half day pw support at 5 schools for individual pupils & their families. | £26,400 | 05/09/2024 | 29/08/2025 |
Youth Clubs & Activities | Caxton Youth Organisation - 02 | Caxton Youth Organisation | Specialist youth club in Westminster for young people with learning disabilities aged 11-25 with education programmes & regular residential. | £45,000 | 01/09/2022 | 31/08/2025 |
Youth Clubs & Activities | Covent Garden Dragon Hall Trust - 14 | Dragon Hall - Play & Youth Work | This is a programme of free weekly, term-time activities for CYP aged 8-19 living in Holborn & Covent Garden. It will reach 465 beneficiaries in 3 yrs & will include activities such as homework club & boys/girls club. | £53,898 | 01/01/2025 | 31/12/2027 |
Youth Clubs & Activities | Impact Dance - 03 | Impact Academy - VSA Plan | Impact Dance works with young women aged 9-19 yrs from Black African/Caribbean backgrounds to gain confidence in dance. Aim of the project is to grow local interest & build up other aspects of their charity, ie: Boy's Dance Club. | £10,000 | 01/04/2025 | 31/03/2026 |
Youth Clubs & Activities | London Tigers - 01 | Grosvenor Regency Estate Youth Club | A youth club for YP from marginalised backgrounds. They will facilitate indoor leisure activities - table tennis, pool table, arts + crafts, homework club, outdoor football. It will run in Westminster from April 2024-March 2025. | £10,000 | 01/04/2024 | 31/03/2025 |
Youth Clubs & Activities | London Tigers - 02 | Churchill Gardens Youth Hub | A youth club for 8-19 yrs old at Churchill Gardens catering to 100-120 CYP. Taking over from 'Future Men', they are providing this service for 12-17 mths under the permission of Westminster Council until they find a permanent provider for the space. | £55,500 | 02/12/2024 | 31/03/2027 |
Youth Clubs & Activities | St Andrew's Youth Club - 10 | St Andrew's Club - Enriching Young Lives | To support & fund club activities such as performing arts, football & karate. The project supports children from ages 5-18 & runs every day of the week in Westminster. It will run from Sept 2022- Aug 2025. | £45,000 | 01/09/2022 | 31/08/2025 |
Youth Clubs & Activities | The Pimlico Foundation - 03 | Outbreak Youth Charity | Outbreak aims to create positive futures for children & young people in Pimlico & South Westminster. They offer young people a range of activities including mentoring, school work, holiday clubs & sports. They expect to support 620 beneficiaries. | £45,000 | 04/09/2023 | 04/09/2026 |