Transformational Grants Programme – United Kingdom

The Transformational Grants programme is a highly specialised programme. It will make a small number of grants to create systemic change for Armed Forces communities. Grants of up to £300,000 are available.

Under this programme, we will fund a very small number of projects that will deliver permanent and significant changes or improvements for Armed Forces communities, where there are hidden needs not being met by current service provision.

Your project will need work with people from Armed Forces communities who have needs that are having a significant impact on their lives, but who cannot access specialist services because these services are not available or accessible to them.

Eligibility

Charities that were successful under this programme in 2022/23 will not be eligible to apply to this programme in 2023/24.

We invite applications from charities that have been registered in the UK for at least
two years at the time of grant award, which can demonstrate relevant experience
and engagement.

If your organisation has been registered for less than three years, you should provide
clear evidence of your governance arrangements and why you are confident you
have the expertise to take on a grant of this size.

Organisations that have been registered for less than three years may be subject to
enhanced monitoring arrangements were a grant to be awarded.

We will expect clear evidence of existing work with the specific Armed Forces community that your application would support, including evidence of how people with lived experience will be able to strategically shape the project. We particularly welcome applications that are preventative in nature and can show effective partnership working between Armed Forces charities and specialist or dedicated organisations who will bring expertise and experience to the project.

Charities that are not Armed Forces specific can apply, but we will expect you to show that you will work in partnership with Armed Forces organisations. If working with this sector is new to you, then you will need to make a strong case for why you are now wishing to do so.

Organisations that are not eligible to apply directly, could play a highly effective role in delivering projects in collaboration with an eligible organisation. There is more information on working with others within the programme guidance found further down this page.

What’s available

Grants of up to £300,000 for projects delivered between three and five years.

Themes and priorities

Highly focused:  We are looking for projects that are highly specific and targeted to the needs of a particular and specific community of people within the wider Armed Forces community.

Evidence of need: We are also looking for applications that can be clear about the evidence of why their project is needed. Your application should explain why the needs that your project will address require resource and explain the difference that this will make to people’s lives.

Transformational impact: We are expecting to deliver systemic change, through funding projects that demonstrate an intent for long-term transformation, extending much further than the initial beneficiaries and the organisation receiving the grant. This may relate to how, what, where and by whom services are delivered in the future to this specific cohort, or instigate wholly new strategic solutions. Your application must describe how the impact of the project will continue after the grant has ended.

Consultation and collaboration: You should be able to show how the people who will benefit from this project will be able to shape it and that you will work collaboratively with other organisations over the life of your grant.

We expect this programme to be highly competitive, and that we will receive more good applications than we can support. We will only fund one project for each specific community within the wider Armed Forces community. There is more information in the programme guidance.

If there are a high number of good quality applications, the Trust may not prioritise themes that were supported last year.

Deadlines and dates to note

This is a two-stage application process. Find more information on how to apply in the programme guidance.

The deadline to submit a short expression of interest is 5pm, Monday 14 August 2023.

There is only one opportunity to submit this expression of interest.

If you apply by the deadline, we will review your expression of interest against the criteria in the programme guidance, and contact the strongest applicants before the end of September, inviting you to submit a full application by 11 December 2023. We will make final decisions in February 2024.

Guidance and resources