Thinking about helping your local community through charitable giving?

See your donation more than double with the Grassroots Grants Endowment Match Challenge.

What is the challenge?

The Grassroots Grants Endowment Match Challenge began in June 2008. The aim of the challenge is to create endowed funds throughout England that can be used to make ongoing grants to small charities and voluntary groups for the benefit of strengthening communities.

How does it work?

For a short period only, any donation that you make to the challenge will be matched by the government and be put into an endowed fund to make ongoing grants to local community groups.

If you are a UK taxpayer, with sufficient taxable income, your gift is eligible for Gift Aid at the basic rate of tax.

This means that an extra 20% could be added to your donation and then doubled by the Grassroots Grants Challenge.

• A £100 donation could more than double to £250.
• A donation of £1,000 could equate to £2,500.

Higher rate tax payer? Then the returns are even greater.

• A £1,000 donation could more than triple to £3,332.
• A £10,000 donation could build to £33,332 and enable you to create a named fund.

No gift is too small or too big.

The target for 2008/09 is to reach £20 million in matched donations. The deadline for this is drawing near, ending on 31 March 2010. The final year of the programme will have a new target of £20 million which needs to be matched before March 2011.

What's been achieved so far?

The first year of the programme raised £6 million. With Gift Aid and match funding this means £14 million in endowed funds for communities across England.

View case studies (external website)

Read information pack

How is the money managed?

Grassroots Grants endowed funds are managed by local funders throughout England. They are all expert grant makers with the knowledge and know how to make effective use of the grants provided by the programme.

Named Funds

A local funder can provide a unique service by offering the opportunity for a donor to create a named fund. A named fund can be created for a minimum amount of £25,000.  Through the Grassroots Grants Programme a named fund could be achieved with a donation of £10,000 (for higher rate tax payers).

A named fund allows the donor to direct grants to causes that matter to them. The fund holder would receive updates on the fund and in essence have their own charitable trust without the hassle or responsibility of administering the fund.

Interested?

If you would like to give to your local community and see your donation doubled, contact your local Grassroots Grants funder. 

They can explain how you can make the most of your donation.

View List of Local Funders

CSR

If you are a company that is interested in making a donation across the programme as part of your CSR policy, please contact Melanie Molloy, Programme Manager for further details.

There are various options for funds with community foundations not limited to endowment. CFN are expert grant makers and can offer bespoke CSR programmes and philanthropic advice.

Act now to secure this money for communities throughout England.

Applying for a Grassroots Grant

Applying for Grassroots Grants is quick, easy and help is available. You can apply for money until March 2011. The scheme onlu operates in England. For an application form and more information, contact your nearest Grassroots Grants local funder, many of whom are community foundations.

View List of Local Funders