Young Futures Fund

1. Read the full criteria to ensure your group/project is eligible to apply for this grant. You can use the online Eligibility Check to help with this.
2. From Thursday 27^th February (noon), you will be able to start your application. Complete the Eligibility Check and if your group meets criteria, you will be eligible to apply when the application window opens.
3. When the window opens on 27th February, you can apply by clicking the ‘apply now’ button, you will then access our Grant Management System, hosted by SmartSimple. You will be prompted to register your organisation (if you haven’t already registered).
4. Once registered, you will receive an email to reset your password and log in. You will then be required to complete your Organisation Profile by uploading all relevant documentation (see Essential Criteria). Once uploaded, you will be able to apply for the Asda Foundation Young Futures Fund in the Funding Opportunities section.
5. Once your group’s application is fully complete, and all required documents are provided, Asda Foundation will review your application. Applications which don’t meet all criteria points or are missing required documents will be unsuccessful.
6. Completed applications that meet criteria will be assessed and any update will be communicated within 10 weeks of applying.

This grant is for community groups who are looking  to deliver activities for teenagers and young people (13yrs – 21yrs), helping to improve mental health and wellbeing, and create positive life opportunities. In addition, we encourage applications that:

• Provide specialist services for marginalised or vulnerable groups of young people.
• Increase access and participation in activities that would otherwise not be available.
• Address prevalent social issues in their community such as: knife crime, gangs, bullying, personal safety etc.
• Challenge inequality through awareness, training and education.

We are unable to consider applications from:

• Groups that do not currently offer services and support for people in this age range.
• Groups whose core support and activities are aimed at those outside of the 13-21 age range.
• Organisations based outside the UK or benefitting people/communities outside of the UK.
• Third party grant making organisations (grantees must directly deliver the service/activity).
• Groups whose services and activities involve alcohol.
• Schools and Academy Trusts, although PTAs (with their own bank account) are eligible to apply, providing that the funding would be used for extracurricular activities in line with the grant’s aims.
• Groups affiliated with a particular political party or agenda.
• Religious organisations whose services are only open to people of a particular faith.
• Animal charities or groups focused primarily on animal welfare.

All criteria below must be met in order to be eligible to apply and to be considered for this grant.

Groups must have:

A total annual income of £250,000 or below

• What we need:
  • Evidence that your group has an annual income of £250,000 or below. If we’re unable to find such evidence, this will be requested.
  • If your group is a local branch or project that is managed by a parent organisation whose annual income exceeds £250,000, you will only be eligible for this grant if you can demonstrate you have a separate bank account, independent annual accounts, and your own constitution.
• Why we need it:
  • Asda Foundation is committed to supporting grassroots organisations, and therefore we have this income limit to ensure that our funding has the most meaningful impact at a local level.

Governing Documents

• What we need:
  • A full copy of your organisation’s Constitution (or Articles of Association / Memorandum, if applicable).
  • Your documents should be finalised (i.e. not a draft/template) and must outline your group’s name and charitable aims, confirmation of non-profit status, and what would happen to your assets upon dissolution.
• Why we need it:
  • We want to ensure that all groups in receipt of our funding have suitable governance in place.
  • Please refer to this handy guide from the NCVO about what your governing document should be like.

A Safeguarding Policy

• What we need:
  • A Safeguarding policy which is up to date and specific to your group’s service users. Further details on our safeguarding guidelines can be found here.
• Why we need it:
  • Safeguarding is important to ensure the protection of all service users in your organisation. Your policy helps us to understand the processes you have in place and how your organisation handles concerns.

A bank account in your group’s name that accepts cheques

• What we need:
  • Proof of your group’s bank account payee name i.e. a bank statement, paying in slip, letter from your bank.
  • Please check that your bank will accept cheques before completing your application.
• Why we need it:
  • Cheques are our only means of payment; we are unable to make payment any other way.
  • We can make cheques payable to your group but we cannot make cheques payable to individuals or to personal bank accounts.

The following list provides some examples of the kinds of items and services that our funding could be used for. This list is not exhaustive, but any items and activities that we fund must still fit within our general criteria as detailed on ‘Who Can Apply’.

• Intervention & prevention programmes to address social issues.
• Essential items for crisis support, e.g. clothes, food and hygiene items for a homeless shelter focusing on young people.
• Delivery of specialist support or services or speakers.
• Group drop-in and talking sessions.
• Workshops to upskill and deliver life skills (cooking, finance, employment, CV writing).
• Resources for recreational activities. E.g. craft materials, board games
• Sports kit and/or equipment (cap £500).
• Volunteering costs (cap £100 per person).
• Peer support events, and activities that bring people together.

Unfortunately, sometimes we have to say no; below is a list of items and activities that we are unable to fund through this grant. Please note that this list is not exhaustive, and The Asda Foundation reserves the right to make funding decisions based on each individual application:

• Fundraising, sponsorship or contribution to larger projects.
• Equipment which will be kept by individuals, rather than the organisation applying for funding.
• Projects which could negatively impact the reputation of The Asda Foundation.
• Projects/items which will benefit only one person.
• Trips and excursions.

Asda Foundation has a limited donation budget each year. To ensure our funding reaches those who need it most and has the biggest impact in communities, we reserve the right to reduce/cap applications. Asda Foundation may remove items which don’t meet criteria, or where their use/impact is not in line with the aims and objectives of this grant.

Once you have submitted your application you will receive an email confirming that we have received your application.

As the review of your application progresses you may receive emails updating you of status changes or we may request additional information, so please ensure that you let us have your up-to-date and accurate contact details. Please keep an eye out for these landing in your inbox or, you can log in to your SmartSimple account to view the progress of your application.

Successful grants

If your application is successful you will be notified by email. We will also copy in your local Asda Community and Customer Champion, who would love to visit your group and celebrate with you. A cheque made payable to your group will then be posted to the address you provide in your application form.

Unsuccessful grants

We receive a lot of applications and sometimes we must make difficult decisions. The decision of The Asda Foundation is final and at our discretion.

If a grant is unsuccessful

You will be notified by email. You will be unable to submit a new application but are welcome to apply for any future funding opportunities (provided that any concerns raised by Asda Foundation have been addressed, and subject to any new criteria and guidelines for those future grants).

If your group are eligible, you will be able to submit an application once the application window opens on Thursday 27^th February at Noon.

After you have read the grant criteria in full, you can check if your group are eligible to apply by completing the Eligibility Checker here.