B & Q Foundation

Overview

What types of charities and projects does the B&Q Foundation fund?

They help registered charities who are supporting people in need in the UK – those experiencing homelessness, in financial hardship, impacted by health, disability, or other disadvantage or distress.

They believe that everyone needs a place to feel at home. So, they are looking to fund projects to decorate, renovate, or create spaces where people can feel at home and have a sense of belonging. This can be both indoor and outdoor. To see some of the projects that they’ve supported previously, please see their case studies.

How much money can you apply for?

They award grants of up to £10,000 for building or indoor projects, and up to £5,000 for garden projects.

They want to provide funding that covers the full cost for the completion of the project, so please include an estimated value of staff time required.

You will be asked to provide details about where the other funds will come from as part of the application process. Please note that they will prioritise grants where funding is secured for over 25% of the project.

Eligibility

Registered charities based in the UK including Northern Ireland. They are not able to support projects in the Republic of Ireland or The Channel Islands. 
 

Application notes

They want to make sure that their funds are making a difference as quickly as possible, so they do ask for projects to be delivered within 6 months of receiving the grant.

Applications are reviewed and awarded based on the strength of application.

They look specifically at the below three areas:

• How much the charity and this project is reaching and helping those most in need
• How much the project is improving a space where people can feel at home – somewhere that is comfortable, safe, and welcoming
• The difference that the project will make – e.g. no. of people reached, longevity, impact

If you have applied before and were successful, you are welcome to repply after one year has passed and that you have completed the project and provided feedback. If you were unsuccessful, you can reapply so long as it is for a new project.

Neighbourly and their role?

Neighbourly is the platform and delivery partner working with the B&Q Foundation to help manage the end to end grant application, awarding and measurement process. Neighbourly is a multi-award winning giving platform used by thousands of local Good Causes across the UK and Ireland to seek help from businesses in the form of funding, volunteer time and surplus products. The profile you create on the Neighbourly platform as part of the B&Q Foundation application process can also be used to access other types of support

Other hints and tips on how to write a strong application for a grant from the B&Q Foundation

• Provide as much information as possible about why your organisation is looking for this funding and how this will benefit both your beneficiaries and the Charity. Using specific examples of who will be helped can really bring applications to life and help the B&Q Foundation to understand the need in your community.
• Demonstrate how your project to be funded is a standalone project which reaches beyond the core running costs of your organisation. You’ll be required to feedback on the impact and outcomes of the project separately to those of your Charity as a whole.
• Refer back to the core aims of the Foundation when writing your application and demonstrate the strong link to how your project will help to create better, safer places for the people in your communities who need them most