The Leeds Building Society Foundation is independently run by a Board of Trustees and is funded by the Leeds Building Society and its members through the ‘Your Interest in Theirs’ scheme.
Since 1999, the Foundation has donated more than £2 million to 3,000 local projects and good causes across the UK. Previously the Foundation provided support to those who were disadvantaged or in vulnerable circumstances.
As of July 2022, the Foundation is focusing on providing support to those in need of a safe and secure home.
Objectives of Fund
The funding is intended to support projects to improve the health, wellbeing and financial literacy of people who are experiencing homelessness.
Value Notes
Two levels of funding are available:
- Small Grants of between £250 and £1,000.
- Large Grants of between £25,000 and £100,000. The grant can be a one year grant, or split across two or three years.
Who Can Apply
Applications will be accepted from UK registered charities. The following eligibility criteria apply:
Small Grant
- To apply for a Small Grant, the organisation must have a turnover of less than £1 million.
Large Grant
- Applications for Large Grants are only accepted from organisations with a turnover of £5 million or less who are based in or delivering work in Yorkshire and/or the North East of England.
Restrictions
The following are not eligible for funding:
- Religious, military or political projects.
- Charities or projects based overseas.
- Individuals (including sponsorship).
- Animal welfare projects.
- Local Scouts, Brownies or Girlguiding groups.
- Medical research.
- Retrospective costs.
- Charities and projects that do not align with the Foundation’s purpose of supporting people in need of a safe and secure home.
Eligible Expenditure
The funding is to be used as follows:
- Small Grants – provide funding to projects that support those in need of a safe and secure home. Grants may only be used for capital expenditure (that is, to purchase items used to directly help those in need).
- Large Grants – can support new work or existing work, providing they are not requesting retrospective funding and fund core, project and/or capital costs.
Projects must meet the Foundation’s purpose through one or more of its criteria themes. Examples of eligible projects include:
- Financial stress – projects that help with bills or debt stress.
- Security and refuge – projects that support emergency accommodation.
- Quality and suitability of housing.
- Health and wellbeing support for those experiencing homelessness.
Applications are welcome from those who take a Housing First and/or relationship-based approach. Applications should show evidence of:
- Strength-based practice
- Trauma-informed care
- Psychologically-informed environments.
Location
Small grant applications will be accepted from across the UK.
Large grant applications will be accepted:
- From Darlington, Durham, Gateshead, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Northumberland, North Tyneside, Redcar and Cleveland, South Tyneside, Stockton-on-Tees, Sunderland, Barnsley, Bradford, Calderdale, Doncaster, East Riding of Yorkshire, Hull, Kirklees, Leeds, North Yorkshire, Rotherham, Sheffield, Wakefield and York.
- If the applicant’s head office is based elsewhere in the UK as long as they are seeking funding for a service or project delivered in Yorkshire or the North East of England.