Nationwide opens £4m grant programme for charities

19 May 2021 News

Nationwide has invited charities to apply for grants of between £10,000 and £50,000, as the building society opens the latest round of its grants programme. 

This year Nationwide said it will cap the number of applicants at 40 per region, so 440 across the UK. It has done this so that around one quarter are successful, and to minimise disappointment for unsuccessful applicants.  

The fund will close to new applications when the cap has been reached, or at 11pm on 21 June if the cap is not reached.  

Nationwide’s Community Grants Programme aims to tackle local housing issues by giving charities, community land trusts and housing co-operatives grants for programmes that “prevent people from losing their home”, “help people into a home”, and “support people to thrive within the home environment”. 

Since 2018 Nationwide has funded 350 projects and awarded £14m through the programme. Last year it awarded just under £4m to 99 projects and expects to award a similar amount this year. 

By 2023 Nationwide says £22m will have been awarded in total.

Rachel Smith, senior social investment manager at Nationwide Building Society, said: “Everyone should have a place fit to call home which is why our Community Grants Programme is so important to us. As a member owned organisation, we have always seen it as our place to help facilitate positive changes in local communities, and we are encouraging charities to apply to our Community Grants programme.”

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