The Access Foundation Grant

The Access Foundation was set up in 2021 following the success and growth enjoyed by The Access Group over the previous decade. We want to fund projects and activities which make a real difference to people’s lives in all the countries in which The Access Group operates.

The objectives of the Foundation are oriented around the following principles:

• Bridging The Digital Divide: To support organisations who have as a key objective the mitigation of the digital divide, by making computing facilities, support and/or learning available to disadvantaged and vulnerable people.
• Access Charities of The Year: To support charities who have been chosen or shortlisted as The Access Group charities of the year, past or present, with specific projects or activities they are passionate about.
• Staff-Sponsored Charities: To support charities who have a strong emotional connection with a member of staff of The Access Group (e.g. through support they or a close relative have received from the charity). In this case, we would expect the member of staff to be involved in the application process.

In awarding grants, the Trustees will apply the following principles:

• Applications from any geographical area within which The Access group operate are eligible.
• Applications may only be made by charitable organisations, not individuals.
• Applications must be for specific services, activities, initiatives or projects with clearly identified and measurable outcomes. Funding will not be provided for the general overheads or operational costs of a charitable organisation.
• The minimum value of a grant is expected to be £25,000. There is no maximum value, but grants are not expected to be given in excess of £250,000.
• All applications from previous recipients of grants or from previously unsuccessful applicants will be considered by the Foundation on their own merits. Although the Foundation will have regard to the outcome of the previous application, any new application will in no way receive preferential or adverse consideration.
• The Foundation may work in partnership with other organisations and establishments to fund grant applications.
• In addition to responding to external grant requests, the trustees may at their discretion invite or commission proposals, or provide funding in collaboration with others, where doing so would meet the Foundation’s strategy and priorities.

The Access Foundation will not normally fund:

• applications for grants from individuals.
• applications for organisations’ general running costs or overheads.
• religious organisations or religious activity which is not for wider public benefit.
• animal charities.

The Foundation reserves the right to decline any application and there is no obligation on the Foundation to provide a reason for its decision. Each decision is final and there is no appeal process.