Check eligibility & apply | The Rayne Foundation

Does your work fall into one of our areas of interest? *

We do not seek to fund work outside these areas of interest and do not recommend you apply. We wish you every success in your search for alternative funding.

Have you applied to The Rayne Foundation within the last 12 months? *

Please wait until 12 months have passed before reapplying, unless you have been invited to reapply sooner by one of our Grants Team. In the meantime, do revisit our grant-making criteria and take a look at our recent grants list for examples of the sorts of projects and organisations which we fund. This is a good time to re-assess whether there is a real fit between the work of your organisation and our criteria, and to seek advice from our Grants Team if needed.

Good. Please move on to the next question.

Does your organisation have at least one full year’s accounts? *

We prefer to fund organisations with a demonstrable track record, including at least one year’s finances.

If your organisation does not have a set of accounts because the legal entity has changed, or you have merged with another organisation, you can send a copy of the latest accounts for the previous entity/ies.

We prefer to fund organisations with a demonstrable track record, including at least one year’s finances. Very rarely, we might fund a brand new organisation but this is only likely if we have been involved in the early stages and have invited the application.

If your organisation does not have a set of accounts because the legal entity has changed, or you have merged with another organisation, you can send a copy of the latest accounts for the previous entity/ies.

Is your proposed activity innovative and with national potential, in your organisation’s given area of expertise? *

Great. We are looking to fund work which is nationally innovative in our areas of interest. This means that it will contribute to broader understanding nationally about how a particular issue might be addressed. Successful grantees will demonstrate an understanding of who else is delivering important work in your sector and how your approach complements or builds on what else is going on. You will be evaluating your work robustly with a view to sharing the learning beyond your own organisation. You will likely belong to relevant subject networks or umbrella organisations to share learning and best practice.

In practice, this means that organisations with a national reach might find it easier to apply to us. However, local organisations with great ideas about tackling an issue in a new way can also be successful.

The everyday work of local community organisations, while extremely important, is not a good match for the Rayne Foundation’s priorities.

If you are in doubt about whether your work is nationally innovative, it is worth discussing your proposal with the Grants Team.

In this case, we are probably not the right funder for your organisation and we do not recommend that you apply. We wish you every success with your search for alternative funding.

We are looking to fund work which is nationally innovative in our areas of interest. This means that it will contribute to broader understanding nationally about how a particular issue might be addressed. Successful grantees will demonstrate an understanding of who else is delivering important work in your sector and how your approach complements or builds on what else is going on. You will be evaluating your work robustly with a view to sharing the learning beyond your own organisation. You will likely belong to relevant subject networks or umbrella organisations to share learning and best practice.

In practice, this means that organisations with a national reach might find it easier to apply to us. However, local organisations with great ideas about tackling an issue in a new way can also be successful.

The everyday work of local community organisations, while extremely important, is not a good match for the Rayne Foundation.

If you are in still in doubt about whether your work is nationally innovative, it is worth discussing your proposal with the Grants Team.

Are you applying for core costs? *

Applications for core costs are welcomed from organisations with whom we have an established relationship. We might also make a core costs grant if your organisation is new to us and where you can make a clear case that your work is making a significant contribution nationally, within our areas of interest; these grants are likely to be rare and a project grant can be a better way for us to get to know your organisation and to support the development of ideas which are in their infancy. If you are not already known to us and considering applying for core costs, we advise you to speak to one of the Grants Team before submitting an application.

A project grant can be a better way for us to get to know your organisation and to support the development of ideas which are in their infancy.

Does your proposed activity directly benefit vulnerable and disadvantaged people, and, if yes, can this benefit be clearly demonstrated? *

Please note we only fund second-tier or research organisations if the proposed project has a demonstrable benefit to end users.

From the answers you have given, it is unlikely that your work is a good fit for the Foundation. If you have outstanding questions, we strongly advise you to contact the Grants Team before going to the effort of submitting an application.

We wish you every success with your search for alternative funding.