Things are looking up! In the last couple weeks charities have started to ask if I would like to visit again as part or our assessment process and I did my first visit to Halifax last week. It was a community garden project, turning an unused car park into allotments and a lovely green space. It was so valuable seeing the location and venue with my own eyes and really understanding what a difference the project could make to local people.
Zoom has been brilliant for getting to know lots of new applicants to the Sir George Martin Trust and catching up with charities and churches we have funded before, but you can’t beat talking to a passionate and enthusiastic charity volunteer or worker in the flesh and seeing the location where the work is being done. I’m really looking forward to more and more visits and hope Covid restrictions stay away this time.
As part of my work with the Yorkshire Funders Forum, we’ve been hearing that some Yorkshire charitable trusts and foundations aren’t currently receiving many enquiries and applications, while other high profile funders like the National Lottery Community Fund and Community Foundations are being inundated. With many staff being furloughed, decreased numbers of volunteers and greater demand for charities’ services than ever, we’re aware that researching and applying to multiple funders is very time consuming, but remember that there are dozens of private and corporate Yorkshire trusts and foundations which have money to give out.
Sadly NCVO’s funding database Funding Central recently shut down but here are some other free and paid for databases to try. And don’t hesitate to call or email me to tell the Sir George Martin Trust about your work and what you need funding for. I will also be able to suggest some other local trusts and foundations to try.
https://grantnav.threesixtygiving.org/
https://www.grantfinder.co.uk/
https://www.dsc.org.uk/funding-websites/
https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-search
https://navca.org.uk/find-a-member-1