The Drapers Charitable Fund

Archived Addiction and substance misuse Adult Education/Learning Age Archives and artefacts Arts, culture and heritage Built heritage Communities Community and neighbourhood development Craft and design Cultural heritage Cultural, events and festivals Dependants and carers Education and learning Health, wellbeing and sport Housing and homelessness Human rights and equality Offenders and ex-offenders People with disabilities Poverty and deprivation Refugees and asylum seekers School, College and University Social inclusion Social welfare and poverty Urban development Visual arts and media Young people (13-25) Antrim & Newtownabbey Ards & North Down Armagh City, Banbridge & Craigavon Belfast City Causeway Coast and Glens Derry City and Strabane England Fermanagh and Omagh Great Britain Lisburn and Castlereagh Mid and East Antrim Mid Ulster Newry, Mourne and Down Northern Ireland Scotland Wales Medium (up to £60,000) Small (up to £10,000)

Track grant Notes

Overview

The Drapers’ Charitable Fund awards grants to help improve the quality of life for people and their communities. They target the disadvantaged and socially excluded, through grants in the fields of education and young people, and social welfare. Grants are also awarded in support of textiles and heritage.

What do they support?

Typically, they support charities who are involved in the activities outlined below. Most of the support is focused in Greater London.

Education and Young People

They’re keen to raise aspirations and help young people in Greater London to realise their full potential through projects that:

support young people not in education, training or sustainable employment
support young people from disadvantaged backgrounds to increase their academic attainment, particularly in literacy and numeracy, or to continue or further their education
improve the self-confidence, employability or life skills of disadvantaged young people in order to deliver a demonstrable impact on their progression into education, training or employment
improve the mental health, resilience, self-esteem and engagement of young people
support young carers through education projects and respite services.

Social Welfare

Homelessness

They help programmes in Greater London which break the cycle of homelessness and support those who are vulnerably housed or otherwise at risk of homelessness. Their grants:

enable people to gain or maintain stable accommodation
help people to develop the skills to live independently and/or move towards employment or training
support day centres offering shelter and basic services.

Prisoners

Because they believe everyone deserves hope and encouragement, they give grants to all kinds of projects delivered in prisons, “through-the-gate” and to ex-offenders in the community, if they:

improve the employability of offenders or ex-offenders
support rehabilitation, particularly through education and training
re-build family relationships or provide support services to prisoners’ families.

Ex-service men and women

Their affiliations with the armed forces make them keen to support:

the rehabilitation of wounded, injured or sick ex-services personnel, particularly into training or employment
improve the welfare, health and wellbeing of ex-service personnel in need.

Welfare

Responding to essential human need has always been a priority for the Drapers’ Company. They are pleased to consider projects that:

benefit older people, for example befriending services, day centres and initiatives that make it possible to live independently at home
address hardship, for example food redistribution services, debt and housing advice
build community and support family relationships.

Disability

They are pleased to fund projects that improve the quality of life for adults with sensory impairment, mental health needs or learning difficulties.

Textiles and Heritage

Their historical associations are important to them so they are pleased to fund:

textile conservation projects particularly where textiles are of national importance and on public display
projects that develop textile-related skills and innovations
projects that support young people’s entrance into and success within the textile industry
memorials, monuments and museum projects related to the armed forces, the history of London or the textile trade.

How much can you ask for?

Grants are conditional on applicants having written safeguarding policies and procedures in place relating to child protection, vulnerable adults and any other issues relating to the welfare of the charity's beneficiaries.

There is no minimum or maxiumum grant. Grants are normally awarded for sums up to £15,000 grants may be awarded.

Recent Grants

See here