Blind people

The Trust awards grants to UK registered or exempt charities whose work fulfils the criterion:

Care of blind people and the prevention and cure of blindness.

The Trust welcomes applications but receives far more than it can afford to support. In a typical year we are able to respond positively to around 1 in 6 eligible applications in this field. Around 12 charities are supported each year with grants varying from around £5,000 to £20,000.

Charities which exist primarily for the care of blind and partially sighted people are most likely to succeed, but the Trustees will consider other charities (for instance those who care for people with multi-disabilities) where the projects are specifically aimed at the blind or partially-sighted element of their work.

The Trustees are generally unlikely to respond favourably to requests for ongoing running costs of organisations unless there are exceptional reasons, preferring instead to contribute towards new or capital projects. The Trustees will consider applications from charities in this field whose work is abroad, but are only likely to support one such charity each year. The Trust supports charities of all sizes. Examples of recent successful applications are given below.

Small local society was given £10,000 towards the £20,000 cost of refurbishing their resource centre.

County blind society was awarded £7,500 towards the £38,000 set-up and first year’s running costs of a new hospital information service.

County blind society was given a £15,000 donation to a £500,000 capital appeal to fund the building of a large extension to their premises.

Small society was given £6,000 to fund the purchase of new floor coverings for their day centre.

A UK charity which works in partnership with institutions in developing countries was given £15,000 towards the £140,000 annual cost of its eyecare programme in Bangladesh.

A county blind society was exceptionally given a £10,000 donation towards ongoing running costs. This was because they had been able to demonstrate exceptional need following an expensive move to new premises followed by a greater than anticipated increase in clients, putting a heavy and temporary burden on already depleted financial reserves.

If you wish to discuss a particular project before submitting an application, please email or telephone the Grants Administrator.

Applications should be submitted from November and by 31 January at the latest.

Please try and get your application to us before the final deadline, as large numbers received on 31 January may mean that these applications do not get our fullest attention.