About the Main Fund

The Main Fund is open to requests for support across the broad range of our interests, which are:

• the arts
• education and learning
• the environment
• enabling disadvantaged people to participate fully in society.

Funding so widely creates a lot of competition. In 2010 we received around 2900 eligible applications to the Main Fund and made 270 grants totalling £21.4m. The average grant size was £79,000.

Cuts in funding elsewhere are likely to increase that competition.  In difficult times we are aware of the need to remain open to applicants and be flexible in the grants that we make.  For example we welcome proposals for multi-year funding and for core costs.

We are conscious of the time organisations spend in preparing their applications and try to minimise wasted effort as much as possible.  In meeting that objective and to ensure that we respond effectively to so many requests, we do two things.  Firstly, we list a number of excluded areas of work that we will not fund, such as healthcare and animal welfare.  Secondly, we have a two stage application process.  The first stage asks applicants to submit an outline proposal and allows us to identify those that are most likely to fit within our priorities.

We will acknowledge receipt of your first stage application within a week of receiving it.  We will then email you within a month either to invite you to make a second stage application or to decline support.

If we invite a second stage application, we will ask you for additional information in order to clarify and expand on what you have already told us.  Should we award a grant we will aim to do so within four months of receiving your second stage application.

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