Our Funding – Policies & Aims

The Trust’s funding policies reflect the wishes of the Norman family. Our main aims and restrictions are:

• Who we support: Registered charities and other non-profit or voluntary organisations, including state schools, working in Devon, Cornwall and Somerset (TA postcodes only).
• Geographical priority: Priority is given to applications from Devon.
• Funding priorities: Applications are prioritised in the following order:
  1.  Animals & Environment
  2.  Young People up to age 25
  3.  Adults aged 25+
• National charities: We will only consider applications from national charities where the project will directly benefit people or communities within our preferred geographical area. Smaller, local organisations are generally prioritised.
• Animal research: We do not fund organisations that use live animals for experimental or research purposes, regardless of the project for which funding is requested.
• Religious buildings and activities: We do not fund the maintenance or repair of religious buildings, or projects that are religious in nature.
• Projects outside the UK: We do not fund projects taking place outside the United Kingdom.
• Individuals: We do not make grants to individuals; applications must be made by organisations. Trustees are very unlikely to support applications where there is only one individual beneficiary.

Current Grant Policy

The Trust has recently reviewed its grant-making activities and policies and is focusing its funding on three key areas that reflect the original wishes of its founders.

Applicants are now asked to select a main category and sub-category when applying. Priority will be given to projects in Devon.

Our main categories, in order of preference, are:

1.  Animals & Environment
2.  Young People up to age 25
3.  Adults aged 25+

Our sub-categories cover a wide range of activities, including physical and mental health, social welfare, education and training, sport, community and end-of-life care. See our full list of categories for further details.

If your work does not fit within our categories, we are unlikely to be able to support it, and you may wish to seek funding elsewhere.

Animals & Environment

We have seen a reduction in applications from animal and environmental organisations in recent years. We would particularly welcome applications from projects working in these areas in Devon, Cornwall and Somerset (TA postcodes only).

State Schools

The Trust continues to support local state schools alongside charities and other voluntary and community organisations.

We welcome applications from schools in Devon, Cornwall and Somerset (TA postcodes only), with a preference for East Devon, provided that:

1. The grant will directly benefit the school’s pupils.
2. The application is for a specific, standalone project, or a contribution towards one, so that the use and impact of the grant can be clearly identified and measured.
3. The application reflects the average size of grants previously awarded.

We will not consider applications for general budget deficits or increases in staff pension or National Insurance costs.

Examples of projects we may support include:

• School libraries
• Minibuses
• Sports halls and equipment
• Outdoor play equipment
• Textbooks
• Music, drama and the arts
• Laboratory equipment

Applications can be for capital costs, such as a contribution towards a new building, or core costs such as staffing, provided the above conditions are met.

General

Festivals

Trustees have decided not to fund festivals during this financial year, due to the high number of applications and limited funds available.

Local organisations

We are more likely to support smaller, local organisations than national organisations with large fundraising teams.

Core and running costs

We can consider core and running costs, but not on an ongoing basis. If you return the following year with the same request, we are unlikely to support it.

Where possible, we prefer to support specific projects, equipment purchases and contributions towards capital works.

Other funders

We expect applicants to seek support from other funders as well as the Trust. Applications are less likely to be successful if the Trust is the only funder approached.

Individuals

If you are an individual living in Devon and seeking financial support, you may wish to contact The Gibbons Trusts. Applications to them must be made by an organisation on an individual’s behalf.

Monitoring and evaluation

Trustees like to be kept informed about the progress of projects they support. Please see our Monitoring & Evaluation page for information about reporting requirements.

One application per organisation

To ensure fairness to all applicants, Trustees will normally consider only one application per organisation during each financial year.

Exceptions may apply in very limited circumstances, for example where an umbrella or infrastructure organisation is applying on behalf of several smaller projects that meet our criteria.

Please contact us if you are unsure when you can apply. Organisations may re-apply from 1 April.