Applicant information will be treated as strictly private and confidential.

Grant applications can only be made to support children living in our local communities across the UK.

Making an application does not in any way guarantee success and nothing should be committed to on the basis that grant may be successful.

Funding guidance

Eligibility criteria

Cash for Kids reserve the right to review and amend the eligibility criteria at any time. Live applications that may be affected will be contacted to advise of any amendments.

Award size

Average grants made are between £1,000 and £3,000 but we will consider applications for smaller or larger amounts.

Please ensure the total amount being applied for includes any delivery, VAT or other additional costs as these cannot be added retrospectively.

Application window

Grant application windows will open where funds allow. Application windows may close earlier than advertised if capacity is reached.

Application types and requirements

Organisations – Applications may be made by charities (with turnover less than £1million), schools, community associations and grassroots organisations (with constitution/formal governance documents and safeguarding policy). We do not accept applications from CICs for this grant type.

Charities (turnover less than £1 million)

• Governance document such as constitution
• Safeguarding policy
• Paying in slip / statement for a bank account in the charity name
• Most recent accounts
• Breakdown of costs/quotes relating to the application

Schools

• Safeguarding policy attached or on website
• Paying in slip / statement for a bank account in the schools name
• Most recent accounts or income/expenditure or statement of school fund account
• Letter from Head Teacher authorising application or Head is a point of contact on the application
• Breakdown of costs/quotes relating to the application

Community / grassroots organisations

• Governance document such as constitution, articles of association or club rules and regulations
• Safeguarding policy
• Paying in slip / statement for a bank account in the organisation name
• Most recent accounts or income/expenditure documentation
• Breakdown of costs/quotes relating to the application

Supporting information

Due to the volume of applications received applications without all supporting information, breakdown of costs/quotes and required financial information will not be considered and will be rejected at this stage.

If you wish to reapply following rejection, you will be required to complete a new application. This will only be accepted if the application window is still open.

Examples of what we can fund

Poverty – Beds* and bedroom items, clothing*, school uniform, white goods*, laptop/tablets for study*, baby equipment, sensory room / equipment, holiday hunger/before / after school activities clubs (holiday hunger applications should be made to our Holiday Hunger Grant Fund).

Mental Health and well-being – Therapy* including counselling, music/art therapy, speech/language, physiotherapy, bereavement support, sensory equipment.

Sport and Physical well-being – Applicants will be offered the opportunity to take part in Sports Challenge in the first instance. Sports equipment, kit, hall/pitch hire, outdoor/indoor play equipment.

Disability or life limiting illness – Specialist equipment including beds, hoists, mobility aids, bathroom hoists / baths, sensory equipment, respite breaks*, car seat/harness, communication aids, computer equipment, minibus, trikes, wheelchairs and buggies.

Education and essential skills – Educational materials (books, classroom equipment, outdoor/indoor play equipment), School trip/residential*, volunteer training such as first aid/coaching qualifications, bleed control kits/defibrillators, specialist schools, swimming/sport/uniformed organisation subs for disadvantaged children.

Diversity and inclusion – Projects that promote equality, diversity and inclusion.

Specific limitations

• Beds – Cots, toddler, single, bunk and specialist beds.
• Clothing – Maximum of £100 voucher per child
• Laptops/tablets for study – Maximum £400 per child
• Therapy – A maximum of 6 months of sessions. We do not fund diagnosis or suitability assessments. Applications must have an independent supporting referral letter from a recognised professional, not connected to the delivery of services or activities that will be provided by any funding received.
• Holiday hunger/before/after school clubs – For disadvantaged children and must include food provision
• School trip/residential – UK/Eire only for disadvantaged children who without support would be excluded
• Respite breaks – UK/Eire only for children with disabilities or life limiting conditions. Consideration must be given to distance to travel and how additional costs will be covered. Cash for Kids will only cover costs for the child and one carer.
• White goods – Maximum £400 per household

Grant fulfilment

Grant fulfilment may take up to four weeks from receipt of the grant awarded email.

If your application is successful Cash for Kids will transfer the amount awarded to the bank account specified and verified on the application.

Post-grant monitoring form

All successful applications are required to provide evidence relating to the grant in the form of a grant monitoring form. This will include financial evidence, case studies and photos/videos of the item/project funded and must be completed within six months (or before a new application is made to Cash for Kids if that falls within the 6 months period). Full details of requirements will be on the grants awarded email.

Failure to complete the grant monitoring form and provide financial evidence will result in the organisation being ineligible for any future Cash for Kids grants and grant awarded will be required to be returned to Cash for Kids.

What we do not fund

A full list of ineligible organisations, items and projects is available here.

These lists are not exhaustive and for general guidance. In exceptional circumstances we can take an out of policy application to the Cash for Kids Managing Director / National Grants Director for review.

Withdrawal of a grant

Please review the information here for guidance.

Extraordinary Grants

Applications for support when our General Grants application window is closed will only be considered in exceptional, time-critical circumstances where funds allow.

Applications must meet our standard General Grants criteria to be considered.

Examples of previous Extraordinary Grants include a respite break for a child in palliative care to make final family memories and beds for a family fleeing a domestic violence situation.

Applications relating to Cost of Living will not be considered as Extraordinary Grants.