Small Grants

The Baily Thomas Charitable Fund is a grant making registered charity which was established primarily to aid the research into learning disability and to aid the care and relief of those affected by learning disability by making grants to voluntary organisations working in this field.

The Baily Thomas Charitable Fund provides grants for general and research work with people with learning disabilities. “Learning disabilities” is the same as “intellectual disabilities”; these terms are inter-changeable.

Learning disabilities (intellectual disabilities), with or without autism are our priorities for funding. We consider projects for children or adults. We do not give grants for research into or care of people with mental illness, dyslexia, dyspraxia, autism, nor ADHD, if they do not also have learning disabilities (intellectual disabilities).

People with learning disabilities have these three things: -global intellectual impairment (intelligence quotient less than 70), and -need for support/help to fulfil ordinary daily activities, and -onset before the age of 18 years. Learning disabilities may have a recognised cause, e.g. Down syndrome, Williams syndrome, but often the cause is not known.

Children, young people, and adults with learning disabilities often also have other physical and mental health conditions, disabilities, and/or impairments as well as having learning disabilities. The Baily Thomas Charitable Fund is a well-known funder of projects that positively benefit people with learning disabilities, which has been their sole beneficiary group since 2001 offering over £2.5 million in grants most years. With the vast majority of grants given by the charity below £10,000.

Small Grants: The Fund operates a programme for small grants which awards grants up to a maximum of £5,000. These appeals are considered solely by the Chair of Trustees and outside of the usual meetings in March, June and November. There are no submission deadlines for applicants seeking funding up to £10,000.

Charities and organisations who aim to aid the research into learning disability and to aid the care and relief of those affected by learning disability. We consider under learning disability the conditions generally referred to as severe learning difficulties, together with autism. In this area, we consider projects concerning children or adults. Please note that we do not give grants for research into or care of those with mental illness, dyslexia, dyspraxia, autism, nor ADHD, if they do not also have learning disabilities (intellectual disabilities).

Funding is available only to organisations within and projects based in the UK. Grants will not normally be awarded to individuals. There are no submission deadlines for applicants seeking funding up to £10,000.

Please review and consider the following: -Applications for General Grants will only be considered from voluntary organisations which are registered charities or are associated with a registered charity. -Schools and Parent Teacher Associations, Co-operative and Community Societies/Community Benefit Societies and other such exempt charities can also apply. -The Fund does not currently accept appeals from Community Interest Companies. -The Fund does not give grants towards anything considered to be statutory, if you are applying on behalf of a School or PTFA, it would have to be for something such as an extra-curricular club. -Applications for Research Grants will only be considered from university departments, we do not award research grants to charities due to research governance requirements. -The Trustees seek that funding is granted for the benefit of the community and appeals which benefit a specific target group of individuals are often unsuccessful.