applying for a grant

Grant Making Policy

Opportunity to HOPE (O2H) is a grant making charity, supporing sustainable development projects across the world. Our aim is to provide seed corn money to smaller organisations that would not be likely to attract funding from others; therefore if the organisation applying has a substantial reserve of its own (>£50,000) we will not consider grant applications.

All grants are made at the discretion of the Trustees of O2H; and decisions may be made either at a formal meeting, or via agreement achieved via electronic communications among the Board. Members of the Management Board who are not Trustees may contribute to discussion of grant applications, but decisions are taken by the Trustees. All grant applications must be submitted by members of O2H, using the grant application form found below. All members of O2H are regular donors, and members may make one grant application per year once they have been members for at least 6 months.

The maximum grant from O2H is £3,000 with the following exceptions:

1. Where a donor makes a matching or partial matching gift and O2H manages the whole grant on behalf of the donor
2. Where an emergency grant (see below) to meet a clear and present need is within our funds, but may be somewhat above £3,000

O2H makes Grants under 2 headings:

1. Emergency Grants: these are made to organisations working in emergency situations and where a clear and present need for funds outside of routine funding is required.
2. Regular or Routine Grants: O2H considers grant applicaKons according to an agreed set of criteria (see Appendix 2), these are generally in the following areas:
   • PROJECTS (small scale community based and income generating projects) E.g. Education and awareness; primary healthcare in poor communities; farming and livelihood; counselling; orphanages; care for disabled children and adults etc. Please note that projects are defined as one off exercises. O2H will not fund the ongoing running costs of an initiative.
   • RESOURCES (development & education resources)
   • EQUIPMENT (Building material, computer equipment etc.)
   • TRAINING E.g. Leadership training; parenting skills; counselling skills; family planning;
     youth work etc.
   • EMERGENCY & RELIEF (disasters or emergency situations will be considered a high
     priority for funding).
   • PEOPLE for example: the funding of initial ‘start up’ wages for up to 1 calendar year as seed funding for an initiative. After this such costs will be deemed ongoing running costs. Any further requirements would be subject to a further bid from O2H.

There are 2 deadlines per year for routine grant applications (with the exception of emergencies) which are 31st March and 30th September, which are in preparation for Board meetings to be held in April and October of each year.