National transport disability charity Motability Foundation will now offer grants to smaller charities after reviewing its strategy.
The foundation announced five new funding rounds today, in which it will consider grant applications from organisations with an annual turnover of £50,000 and above.
It previously required applicants to have an annual turnover of at least £150,000 for three years.
In developing its five-year strategy, the foundation consulted with more than 1,000 disabled people, MPs, partners and other organisations working in accessible transport.
From across the sector, it heard about the need for funding to be available for smaller organisations and for grants to address the changing needs of disabled people as transport evolves.
It therefore updated its eligibility criteria to enable smaller organisations, including Deaf and Disabled People’s Organisations (DDPOs), to apply for and access funding.
The new approach to grant funding will also enable the foundation to launch new funding rounds as and when new areas are identified, it said.
Charities and DDPOs will be able to apply for grants between £50,000 and £1m across the five funding rounds opened today, with four more due to be launched later in the year.
Several funding rounds will support organisations delivering services that improve access to transport for disabled people while others will support projects aiming to influence systems, policy or practice to reduce transport barriers.
Amplifying voices
Nigel Fletcher, Motability Foundation’s chief executive, said the charity would “amplify the voices and experiences of disabled people” through its new strategy.
“We recognise the enormous value DDPOs can bring in supporting disabled people to access transport,” he said.
“In light of this, we have updated our eligibility criteria to make our new funding rounds available for smaller organisations. We encourage any organisation or charity that may be eligible for funding, to visit our website and apply.”
Since 2022, the foundation has awarded £76.4m in grants to 141 organisations which provide transport, help people to access it, or research how to make transport accessible for disabled people.
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