Grants FAQ

Pre-Application – Before You Apply

• Who can apply?

  We welcome applications from a wide range of registered charities and not-for-profit organisations working to improve the lives of people within our Area of Benefit: Bournemouth, Christchurch, Poole, Purbeck and East Dorset. 

  Organisations that can apply: 

  • Registered Charities (including Charitable Incorporated Organisations – CIOs) 
  • Constituted community/voluntary groups and associations
  • Faith organisations (for activities open to the wider community)
  • State schools (only for non-statutory funded projects)
  • Housing Associations (Industrial and Provident Societies)
  • CICs and social enterprises limited by guarantee with:
  • A not-for-profit clause
  • Charitable or social objectives 

  To be eligible, you must: 

  • Be located in or serving people in our Area of Benefit
  • Have at least 3 unrelated trustees/directors
  • Have a bank account with 2 unrelated signatories
  • Check out Full eligibility criteria and our Application Policy before applying.
  • Submit your application before the deadline. We strongly advise applicants to apply early so we can ensure that all the documentation has been received.
  • Hold appropriate governance and if relevant, safeguarding policies.
  • (For Capital Grants programme only) Provide a clear case for support and have raised or be actively raising at least 25% of the total project costs
  • Small Grants programme under £5,000 doesn’t require matched funding

  Types of projects or organisations which are not eligible: 

  • Animal welfare organisations unless for assistance therapy
  • One-off events with limited longer-term benefit
  • Applications made by individuals, except in exceptional circumstances (by invitation)
  • Where the application is to repay a loan or previous commitment
  • Retrospective funding – grants for work that has already started or been completed
  • To fund the cost of repairs to churches and church buildings, unless these benefit the wider community
  • Where the application is purely concerned with the environment and not linked to local community-based sustainability efforts
  • Where the application is from an independent or fee paying school, unless the application is to assist those who come from disadvantaged backgrounds
  • Where the application is from a local authority school, unless the application is to meet expenditure which is clearly outside of the scope of funding for which the State should be responsible. Additional factors such as opening up community engagement accompanied by higher than average levels of Pupil Premium and/ or SEND provision
  • Public bodies to carry out their statutory obligations
  • Projects for items/ refurbishment which are the responsibility of the applicant’s landlord
  • Projects where statutory funding has been withdrawn and/or where the proposed project is duplicating an existing service
  • Swimming pools, unless for specific therapeutic reasons
  • To fund research including medical research
  • Towards the cost of vehicles e.g. mini-buses and the like (unless by exception)
  • To fund facilities outside of the Area of Benefit even where these may be used by persons residing within the Area
  • Where the applicant has not yet made efforts to raise some of the monies required
• When will applications open?

  Applications for both the Small Grants and Capital Grants programmes will open in mid-July 2025 and close at midnight on 31 August 2025.  

  • Small Grants decisions: Expected by mid-October 2025  

  • Capital Grants decisions: Expected by late November 2025  

  Please note that we are unable to fund any part of the project which starts before the Trust’s decision is made. Also for capital grants, any funds spent before the date of the Trustees’ decision cannot be used towards meeting the matched funding requirements. 

• How do I apply?

  All applications must be submitted via our online form:  Application Form 

  We do not accept applications by email or post. If you’re unable to complete the form online, please email us at info@talbotvillagetrust.org to arrange a conversation. 

• What is your Area of Benefit and do we need to be based there?

  We fund projects that benefit people living in our Area of Benefit (AOB), even if your organisation is based elsewhere.  

  If your project also operates outside of our Area of Benefit, you may only apply for the proportion of the project that takes place within our designated area. 

  Please note that if funded, you will be required to report specifically on the outcomes and impact of the portion of the project delivered within our Area of Benefit. 

  Example: 

  • Organisation A is based in Dorchester but delivers the same youth mentoring programme in Poole and Weymouth. They are eligible to apply for the costs associated with the Poole-based part of the project only – including staffing costs for employees based in Dorchester who are fully managing the Poole delivery. E.g. If staff manage 50% of the Poole element and 50% of the Weymouth, we can only consider funding the proportion of staffing costs that directly relate to the work within our Area of Benefit (Poole in this example). Their budget should be reflecting the costs of their activities in Poole only. 

  • Organisation B is based in Bournemouth but delivers all of its services in Dorchester. As there is no project activity taking place within our Area of Benefit, they would not be eligible to apply. 

  • Organisation C is based in London and runs a campaign with no targeted delivery or measurable impact in our Area of Benefit. They would not be eligible to apply. 

  You can check the map of our Area of Benefit here:  View Area of Benefit Map 

• What funding programmes are available?

  1.  SMALL GRANTS PROGRAMME

  • Applications for up to £5,000

  • Can split across up to 2 years if needed

  • Total budget available: £100,000

  • For grassroots organisations with an annual turnover under £250,000

   

  Supports:  

  • Core/operating costs  

  • Project costs  

  • Small capital items (e.g., equipment, minor repairs) 

  • No match funding required

   

  2.  CAPITAL GRANTS PROGRAMME

  • Applications of over £10,000

  • Total budget available: £250,000

  • Open to organisations of any size who can demonstrate that the application forms part of the strategic plans of the organisation

  • Must provide most recent signed accounts

  • Must provide evidence that the organisations secured at least 25% match funding at the time of the draw down

   
  Supports: 

  • Purchase, refurbishment or repair of buildings or physical spaces

   

  Additional programmes – including Strategic Partnerships and Major/Large Grants – will launch later in 2025 and into 2026.

• What qualifies as capital expenditure?

  Eligible capital costs should demonstrate public benefit and could include:  

  • Purchase of land or property  

  • Refurbishment, renovation or essential repairs of buildings  

  • Investment in physical or IT assets 

  • Accessibility improvements  

  All capital projects should be integrated into your wider organisational plans. 

• What if my organisation doesn’t meet the criteria for these two programmes?

  We understand that some organisations may find their current funding needs are not fully aligned with the structure or priorities of our new programmes. We know this may be disappointing, and want to reassure you that these programmes are being piloted and will be reviewed as we move forward.  

  We will share full details about these opportunities on our website and through our email newsletter, so please make sure you’re subscribed to stay informed. 

  Subscribe to our newsletter 

• Can we apply if we’ve received funding before?

  Yes, previous grantees can apply. However, we will ask for a final impact report from your previous grant if it hasn’t already been submitted.   

  We are unable to fund projects currently covered by our grant. 

  Example: 

  • Organisation A received a grant from us to run a community café from January 2024 to December 2025. They would be eligible to apply for new funding to support the café’s operations from January 2026 onwards. 
  • Organisation B received a grant to deliver a mentoring programme from April 2024 to March 2026. They submit a new application in July 2025 asking for additional support for the same programme starting January 2026. As that overlaps with the current grant, we would not be able to fund the duplicated period (Jan-March 2026). If they do submit the application, it has to cover period from April 2026 onwards, as this period was not covered by our previous grant. 
• Can we apply if our previous application was rejected? 

  If you’ve received feedback from us on a previous application, we encourage you to take that into account and address any issues or concerns that were raised. If those areas have been strengthened or resolved, we’d be very happy to consider a new application. 

  We value organisations that are reflective and responsive, and previous funding (or an unsuccessful application) does not prevent you from being considered again. 

• What information will I need to provide?

  You need to provide:

   

  • Project proposal: Need, beneficiaries, delivery plan, impact and monitoring 

  • Budget breakdown: Including match funding (for Capital grants) 

  Documents required: 

  • Your organisation’s governing document (e.g., constitution or articles of association)

  • A clear and up-to-date Safeguarding Policy (if your work involves children, young people or vulnerable adults)

  • Most recent audited or examined annual accounts (or forecasts for new organisations applying for Small Grants)

  • Budget starting from the date of the award (Mid-end October for Small Grants programme and end of November for Capital Grants programme) 

   

  Here are helpful examples and templates from trusted UK sources:  

  a) Safeguarding Policy Examples & Guidance:

  • Charity Commission – Safeguarding Duties
  • NSPCC Learning – Sample Safeguarding Policy

  b) Governance Documents and Templates:

  • Charity Excellence – Free Governance Health Check + Policy Templates
  • Small Charities Coalition (archived) – Templates via NCVO

   

  If you are unsure whether your documents meet requirements, feel free to contact CAN100 or DCA who will be able to help. 

• Do I need to secure match funding?

  Small Grants: No match funding required  

  Capital Grants: Yes – we require minimum of 25% match funding  

   

  Example: 

  • Small Grant (no match funding required):
    Organisation A applies for a £4,000 small grant in July 2025 to run a community workshop series starting in December 2025. They do not need to secure any match funding to apply or be considered.

  Organisation B applies for a £5,000 small grant in July 2025 to help cover the core costs of their advice service, which runs from April 2025 to March 2026. Since the grant decision will be made in late November 2025, they can only request funding for the portion of the project that takes place after that date (i.e. from late November 2025 to end of March 2026).  We are unable to fund any part of the project that has already taken place prior to the Trustees’ decision, so the budget must reflect only the eligible period.

  • Capital Grant with eligible match:
    Organisation C applies for a £20,000 capital grant to renovate a community centre. They have raised £6,700 (over 25%) from other funders and local donations, none of which has been spent until December 2025. This match funding is valid and the application is eligible.

  • Match funding already spent:
    Organisation D applies for a £25,000 capital grant in July 2025 and notes they’ve already spent £7,000 in May 2025 as part of their match funding. This match funding is not eligible, as any funds used before the Trustees make a decision (expected in November 2025) cannot be counted towards the required match funding. The organisation will need to secure additional match funding which will be available after the decision date in order to be able to draw down the grant.

  • Building Project already started:
    Organisation E begins work on their refurbishment project in August 2025 before a decision by Trust is made (expected November 2025). The capital project is modular and being delivered in several stages – with Stages 1 and 2 already completed, Stage 3 currently underway, and Stages 4 and 5 scheduled to begin in 2026. As Stages 1, 2 and 3 have started or been completed prior to the Trustees’ decision in November, those stages would not be eligible for funding. However, the organisation may apply for funding towards Stages 4 and 5 only, provided those stages begin after the decision is made. 

  • Partial funding awarded and match funding requirement:
    Organisation F applies for a £35,000 capital grant but is awarded £5,000 instead. The organisation can still be required to provide evidence of match funding before the draw down of funding. 

  Please note that we are unable to fund any part of the project which starts before the Trust’s decision is made. Also for capital grants, any funds spent before the date of the Trustees’ decision cannot be used towards meeting the matched funding requirements.