We fund charities and not-for-profits where the outcome of the funding will be to afford relief to persons resident in Lewisham who are in need, hardship or distress (‘our beneficiaries’).
Applications for financial assistance to both The Lee Charity of William Hatcliffe and The Lee Education Charity of William Hatcliffe follow a robust process to ensure that funds are distributed as fairly as possible to those who meet the charity’s eligibility criteria.
Your project can be one-off or ongoing, but we’re most interested in the difference you will make to residents of Lewisham borough. We fund smaller, local organisations with a strong connection to their beneficiaries.
The application process for an organisation seeking financial assistance requires the following:
- You are to be a Registered Charity or a CIC with at least three unrelated directors
- Confirmation that you are operating and supporting residents within the Borough of Lewisham
- Your most recent accounts
- An organisational bank account
- An organisational budget and the budget for the project that you wish to be funded.
Please get in touch with us at Ambassador@lee-hatcliffe.co.uk to tell us about your project. We like to talk and meet with applicants to better understand what they are doing. We’re also happy to give advice about potential projects.
Community Interest Companies (CICs)
In limited circumstances, we are willing to consider making grants to Community Interest Companies (CICs), provided that the organisation can demonstrate that the funds will be directly applied to affording relief to our beneficiaries.
Given the nature of CICs, there are further structural and financial conditions before an application will be considered by the trustees:
- The CIC must have at least three unrelated directors with equal control.
- The CIC must demonstrate that the funds will not be applied in remunerating or otherwise benefiting persons with control over the CIC or persons related to those with significant control.
When to Apply
We do not wish to disappoint. However, we are not able to help every applicant who applies to us for help.
Applications can be submitted at any time, and there are no closing dates. You will receive a decision within eight weeks of receiving a complete and eligible application.
Conditions of Grant
It is a fundamental condition that the funds be spent on the project for which the application was made.
If the funds which have so been ring-fenced are not spent, or not wholly spent, in the manner described in the grant application and within the time period specified for their application, the surplus must be refunded to us. If the applicant decides that the relevant funds might better be spent in an alternative way or at a later date, that must be the subject of a fresh application, which will be considered once the initial funds have been returned. Under no circumstances is any part of the grant to be applied otherwise than in accordance with the terms of the grant application or award.
It is an essential obligation of the sponsor to ensure that the grantee complies with this requirement.
Please read these guidelines first – Completing your application
