National Deaf Children's Community Grants
Overview
Their research shows that language and communication development is crucial for deaf children. Early support after identification of deafness is key to their language development. Strong language and communication skills during early childhood lead to better outcomes later in life.
Their grants programme
Through their new grants programme, they’ll partner with established organisations within communities to make sure deaf children and their families can access language in a way that works for them. This includes spoken language, signed language, reading or writing.
They prioritise funding for projects that support language and communication development in deaf children aged 0 to 5 years (up to five years, 11 months). However, they also welcome applications for initiatives that benefit older deaf children.
They can fund activities that parents and carers of deaf children take part in, but the beneficiaries must be deaf children.
They understand that different communities, cultures and groups have unique communication and support needs. They’re committed to supporting projects that help diverse communities, including groups that face barriers when accessing services and support.
How much funding is available?
They typically award grants ranging from £1,000 to £10,000 but will consider larger amounts. If you’re seeking funding over £10,000, please get in touch.
Priority Aims
They'll support projects that aim to do at least one of the following.
- Increase the overall number of deaf children and families accessing opportunities to develop language and communication in their community setting.
- Reach new people, communities and groups previously excluded from opportunities to develop language and communication.
- Encourage innovative, high quality approaches to developing the language and communication skills of deaf children and their families.
- Encourage partnerships within communities so different groups and sectors work together to provide opportunities to develop language and communication.
- Encourage sustainable models that will continue beyond the period of funding.
- Projects that lead to positive outcomes for deaf children. This could be directly, or through their families. Examples of positive impact could be improvements in language and communication for deaf children, or increased knowledge or confidence in families supporting this for their child.
They’ll prioritise projects that contribute to more than one of the priority aims.
Eligible costs
They’ll only support essential project costs. These could include:
- tutor costs
- venue hire
- essential transport costs
- materials
- communication support, for example, BSL interpreters
- activities for parents and carers that focus on language and development.