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Eligibility    Inclusion Grant Programme

How much can my organisation apply for?

The Bernicia Foundation tends to give grants between £5,000 and £10,000 – although we will consider amounts outside these guidelines where they demonstrate significant community value.

Which organisations are considered for the Inclusion Grant Programme?

Examples of eligible groups include:

• Constituted voluntary or community organisations
• Registered charities, including charitable companies
• We will fund core costs for eligible charitable organisations (excluding non charitable social enterprises – see below) to help them recover from the impact of Covid-19

Special note for social enterprises like co-operatives and Community Interest Companies (CICs) that are not charities.

• We will only fund charitable starting up costs of setting up the enterprise
• This includes setting up to trade existing goods in a new market or developing new goods and services to trade in line with a sound business plan which must be included with your application.  It is subject to normal funding restrictions for the costs of continuing services.
• Bernicia Foundation will not fund the costs of continuing services (often called core running costs).  These should be financed by the sale of goods and services in line with the governance model chosen.

In addition applicants will only be considered if they;

• are based or working in Tyne and Wear, Northumberland, County Durham and Teesside
• have an annual income under £750,000
• have no more than 6 months’ running costs in reserve
• have a governing document (a constitution, rules, articles of association etc.)
• have a governing body of at least three unrelated individuals
• have their own bank account
• have a safeguarding policy in place (where working with vulnerable people or children)

Our Inclusion and Inspiration Grant Programmes will not fund:

• Organisations with an annual income of over £750,000
• Organisations with unrestricted reserves that exceed 6 months running costs
• Contributions to general appeals or circulars
• Religious/political activity, which is not for the wider public benefit
• Routine building or equipment repairs and maintenance
• Activities that have already taken place/retrospective funding
• Grant-making by other organisations/third – party funding
• Privately owned and profit-distributing companies or limited partnerships
• Projects and initiatives operating outside of the North East
• CICs and other non-charity enterprises with the costs of continuing services, which should be financed by the sale of goods and services in line with the governance model they have chosen.

See our Application Guide for more details