Background

This is the guidance for small grants. If you wish to make a major grant application, please download the guidance and application form by visiting the major grant guidance page.

Applicants are welcome to discuss their project idea with us in order to help shape it. Small projects should take no longer than two years to complete and in many cases forms that preparatory work for a subsequent major grant application.

The BWF will review the Expression of Interest form and notify you if they would consider a formal application.

If you wish to apply for a grant, please first complete an Expression of Interest form, which can be submitted at any time and can be found here. 

Making an application

Small grant applications can only be submitted if an Expression of Interest submission has been approved. Small grant applications can either be submitted in January or May using the standard application form. Please note timings may vary between years.

Applications received after the deadline cannot be considered. Decisions about each application will be made within eight weeks and applicants will be notified of the decision within a further four weeks.

Financial support

The maximum size of a small grant is £5,000.

The proposed project activities must be consistent with the amount requested. It is important to be realistic as to what can be achieved with the requested budget and within the timeframe of the project.

Project duration

The maximum length of a project should be 24 months beginning on the date the grant contract is signed.

Applicant eligibility

Grants are available to any civil society entity (for example, charity, Community Interest Company and other not-for-profit entities), local, national or international non-governmental and governmental organisation. 

An application can be submitted on behalf of several eligible project partners.

Partners participate in designing and implementing the project, and the costs they incur are eligible in the same way as those incurred by the lead partner. Partners must satisfy the eligibility criteria as applicable to the lead partner. If awarded the grant contract, the partner(s) (if any) will become co-beneficiary (ies) in the project (together with the lead partner as coordinator and recipient of grant funds).