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Funding

Latest funding news, funding opportunities and the William Kendall Small Awards Programme exclusively for Bexley groups.  Training events, meeting funders, fundraising resources and support with completing application forms. 

You can read our last three funding bulletins here.

June Funding Bulletin

May Funding Bulletin

April Funding Bulletin

WILLIAM KENDALL SMALL AWARDS PROGRAMME FOR BEXLEY

The Spring 2025 round of the William Kendall Small Awards Programme for Bexley from the Worshipful Company of Wax Chandlers is NOW OPEN. The deadline for applications to be received by BVSC for the current Spring 2025 round is 23:59 21st April 2025.

Aims

The William Kendall Charity of the Worshipful Company of Wax Chandlers aims to fund charitable purposes for the general benefit of the inhabitants of the London Borough of Bexley, and the relief of need, hardship or distress.

How much can you apply for?

The maximum award is £5,000.  Awards are not made for less than £500 and must be used within 12 months of receipt of the award offer letter.
 

ELIGIBILITY

To be eligible to apply, organisations MUST:

  • Be based in the London Borough of Bexley and/or benefit Bexley residents. 

  • Be formally constituted and not–for–profit with a charity and/or limited company reference number.

  • Be small enough for the funding to make a real difference, i.e. those with less than £200k in cash at bank in the accounts for the last financial year (Cash at bank refers to the total amount of money held at the bank by a person or company, either in current or deposit accounts. It is included in the balance sheet under current assets).

  • Follow applicable Charity Law and Charity Commission guidelines, for example but not limited to, having a management committee of at least three people with two independent cheque signatories (and online banking authorisers); and an appropriate governing document which confirms the organisation is operating on a not-for-profit basis with appropriate governance policies and procedures which includes, amongst other things, a dissolution clause, which outlines what happens to any assets should your organisation cease to operate.

  • Have submitted all the necessary end of award completion forms for any previous awards from the William Kendall Small Awards Programme for Bexley.
     

The William Kendall Small Awards Programme for Bexley will NOT fund organisations who:

  • Do not have their own charity number or limited company registration number

  • Are statutory or public bodies

  • Exist solely to make a profit, with no community benefit

  • Have cash and investments sufficient to comfortably fund the project themselves (i.e. those with £200,000 or more in cash at bank in the accounts for the last financial year)

  • Give voice to specific interest, campaign or pressure groups or who promote a political agenda, whether party-political or local


WHAT WILL/WON'T BE FUNDED

The William Kendall Small Awards Programme for Bexley will ONLY fund projects which:

  • Help to deliver a specific new, improved or extended charitable benefit to the community

  • Are well costed, good value for money and deliver an outcome costing between £500 - £5,000 in total.
     

The William Kendall Small Awards Programme for Bexley will NOT fund:

  • Ongoing revenue items like rent, rates, or energy costs — unless for a start-up or to support a registered charity through a one-year gap in funding where there is an identified prospect of ongoing funding

  • Over-priced projects that do not deliver good value for money

  • Internally focused projects to upgrade facilities for the benefit of staff only 

  • Teachers’ salaries in a school that should be funded by government

  • Applications that do not fit with these guidelines.


Please read the full application guidance and complete the online application form (which includes a short eligibility quiz) in order to apply.


If you have any problems applying or require any further information, please contact:

  • Jamie Kesten, Funding and Development Manager (jamie@bvsc.co.uk, 01322 524682 Option 4)