Baily Thomas Charitable Fund

Overview

The Baily Thomas Charitable Fund provides grants for general and research work with people with learning disabilities. “Learning disabilities” is the same as “intellectual disabilities”; these terms are inter-changeable.

People with learning disabilities have these three things:

• global intellectual impairment (intelligence quotient less than 70), and
• need for support/help to fulfil ordinary daily activities, and
• onset before the age of 18 years.

Learning disabilities may have a recognised cause, e.g. Down syndrome, Williams syndrome, but often the cause is not known.

Children, young people, and adults with learning disabilities often also have other physical and mental health conditions, disabilities, and/or impairments as well as having learning disabilities.

Who can apply?

Charities and organisations who aim to aid the research into learning disability and to aid the care and relief of those affected by learning disability. They consider under learning disability the conditions generally referred to as severe learning difficulties, together with autism.

They consider projects for children or adults.  

They do not give grants for research into or care of people with mental illness, dyslexia, dyspraxia, autism, nor ADHD, if they do not also have learning disabilities (intellectual disabilities).

If you are applying for a general grant, your charity needs to be registered, or an affiliate of one. Schools and Parent Teacher Associations, Community Benefit Societies and other such exempt charities can also apply.

What will they fund

• Application for funding is normally considered for capital and revenue costs and for both specific projects and for general running/core costs.
• Grants are awarded for amounts from £250 and depend on a number of factors including the purpose, the total funding requirement and the potential sources of other funds including, in some cases, match funding.
• Normally one-off grants are awarded but exceptionally a new project may be funded over two or three years, subject to satisfactory reports of progress.
• Grants should normally be taken up within one year of the issue of the grant offer letter which will include conditions relating to the release of the grant.

The following areas of work normally fall within the Fund's current policy providing they benefit the learning disabled:

• Capital building/renovation/refurbishment works for residential, nursing and respite care, and schools;
• Employment schemes including woodwork, crafts, printing and horticulture;
• Play schemes and play therapy schemes;
• Day and social activities centres including building costs and running costs;
• Support for families, including respite schemes;
• Independent living schemes;
• Support in the community schemes;
• Snoezelen rooms.

Funding Level & Notes

The Fund operates two general grant funding streams, a General Grant Programme for appeals of £9,000 and above and a Small Grant Programme for appeals below £9,000.

Small Grants

• The Fund operates a programme for small grants which awards grants up to a maximum of £5,000.
• These appeals are considered solely by the Chair of Trustees and outside of the usual meetings in March, June and November.
• Appeals for funding of below £9,000 will be considered through the small grants programme. Where the recommendation by the Chair is to award more than the maximum of £5,000, the appeal will be referred to the next Main Grant Board Meeting.

General Grants 

•  General Grant Programme is for appeals of £9,000 and above
• The Fund operates a rolling programme subject to deadlines for assessment of applications at Trustee meetings - see 'How to apply' below.

Scientific Research

They offer two funding routes for those interested in the area of scientific research into learning disability

Research Grants

They generally direct funding towards the initiation of research so that it can progress to the point at which there is sufficient data to support an application to one of the major funding bodies.

Please note, the Fund does not usually support qualitative studies unless within a mixed methods study.

Before submitting a full application, it is recommended that researchers submit a one page summary of the proposed study so that the Trustees may indicate whether they are prepared to consider a full application.

The one page summary should include sufficient description of the proposed study design and methods to assess the proposal. By way of guidance, it is recommended that the following structure is adopted:

• Hypothesis
• Method
• Expected outcome
• Value of study to the learning disability community 

Once complete, the one page summary should be emailed to info@bailythomas.org.uk

See their research application guidelines for more details.

Applications will only be considered from established research workers and will be subject to normal professional peer review procedures.

Doctoral Fellowship award

Up to two fellowships will be awarded each year to support promising researchers to complete a PhD on a topic relevant to people with learning disabilities (intellectual disabilities).

To make an application, please review the guidance and complete the application form before emailing to info@bailythomas.org.uk