Note that this page describes how to apply to the UK Democracy Fund.
For applications to JRRT, please click here for more information.
Before you start work on an application, read the UK Democracy Fund’s funding framework, to ensure your campaign is a good fit with the Fund’s current priorities. We also recommend you read some of the resources and insights from previous campaigns, which will allow your proposal to benefit from existing learning.
Applications for a grant under £10,000 can be made at any time. Once your small grant application is submitted, we aim to inform you of our decision within two weeks. (Please be aware that small grant applications that are received to coincide with the larger grant rounds will take longer to process.)
Applications over £10,000 are considered by our directors at quarterly meetings (approximately one month after the final application deadline). Please be aware of the deadlines for submitting your outline proposal and full application. These deadlines are the same for the UK Democracy Fund and JRRT.
If you miss a deadline, you will have to wait until the next quarter before your application can be considered. Please note that to increase the chance of success, applicants should have their initial conversations with the UK Democracy Fund team well in advance of the outline proposal deadline, as described below.
1. Reach out with your idea
Contact DemocracyFund@jrrt.org.uk with a brief description (one to three paragraphs) of your idea and how it aligns to the Fund’s goals, as well as a rough idea of the budget you are asking for. At this stage it doesn’t need to be hugely detailed. This will enable us to advise you quickly if your proposal aligns with the UK Democracy Fund’s aims and our priorities. If it does, we can arrange a meeting to discuss further.
2. Outline proposal
Building on what you have already submitted via email, you can then share a short outline of your proposal, maximum two sides of A4 in Word or Open Doc format, to DemocracyFund@jrrt.org.uk by the outline deadline for initial assessment. This gives us an opportunity to offer feedback based on the Fund’s goals and what we have learned from previous campaigns we have supported.
Your outline should include:
- The name and legal status of your organisation (including your company or charity number if you have one)
- The total amount you are applying for and the duration of the project
- A draft budget
- A summary of your proposed application – tell us what you want to do, why you want to do it, and what you aim to change as a result of your campaign
We will acknowledge receipt of your outline proposal. We will aim to respond within three working days. You will be advised if your proposal is eligible to move to a full application or not.
This assessment is made by staff so it is important to note the following:
If you are given the go-ahead, it is not a guarantee of a grant as decisions for UK Democracy Fund grants are made by JRRT’s board of directors.
If you are advised not to apply, please be assured that your proposal has been properly considered.
3. Full application online submission
If you get the go ahead, please use the application questions set out in our guidance document to structure your application.
You can use this Word document template to create your written application.
Our Grants & Learning Manager will be on hand to answer questions as you draft your written application, and to provide feedback.
Alongside your written application, you will need to provide a completed budget for your project. This should be done using our budget template.
We provide two worked examples to help you build your budget:
- Worked example with no funding from other sources
- Worked example where a UK Democracy Fund grant will be supplemented by other funding
Once our Grants & Learning Manager has approved your final written application and your completed budget template, you will be invited to submit your application online.
You will be provided with a link to submit your your application.
You will need the following information to hand:
- Organisation name
- Legal name, if different
- Full postal address
- Legal status of organisation
- Company or charity registration number, if applicable
- Contact name
- Contact email address
- Your position in organisation
- Website address
- Social media accounts
- Grant amount requested
- Title of your campaign
- Details of which of the UK Democracy Fund’s goals/objectives you are applying under (see these here)
- The outcomes you hope to achieve
- A brief summary of your campaign, your plan, tactics and timeline
- A non-partisan statement of no more than 250 words setting out your commitment to non-partisanship and how you intend to ensure your campaign is non-partisan
- When you want the grant to start and finish
- Length of grant
- Details of your board or steering group
- Whether your organisation can be described as Black or Minoritised-led. This is defined by the Funders for Race Equality Alliance as having a mission to benefit Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities and a majority of leadership (at 75% of the senior team and board level) from the community(ies) that your organisation serves. We ask this question for our internal auditing purposes only.
You will need to upload the following:
- Your completed application document
- Your grant budget
- Your most recent annual report or accounts – we may need to ask for additional financial information; we’ll be in touch to request this if required
- CV (if applying as an individual)
If you will be working with young people or vulnerable adults during your campaign, you will need to send us a copy of your safeguarding policy. We will request this from you separately by email if required.
4. Meetings with Applicants
For larger grants, directors may wish to meet you to discuss your application.
Meetings take place via Zoom.
Please note, not all applicants are invited to a meeting. Whether or not you are invited to a meeting should not be seen an indication of the eventual outcome of your grant application.