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How to apply for our social change fund

Let's turn your vision for change into reality.

People sat casually around a table listening to a woman leading the workshop

Do you have passion, purpose and a project that could deliver change for people who are blind or vision impaired? We’ll invest in your idea, so together we can create a lasting change for everyone affected by vision loss.

It could be an extension of something you’ve tried before, or something completely new. We fund organisations large and small, recently founded and long-established, all over the UK. We bring people and ideas together and our funding ignites and accelerates change.

Are you ready to be a part of something bigger? Let's turn your vision for change into reality. But first, let’s get everything ready to submit your application...

  • £447,000
    of social impact grants we funded in 2022/23

Frequently asked questions

  • What types of projects do you fund?

    We fund projects that deliver change for people who are blind or vision impaired. If you have a bright idea, please get in touch. Ideally, we want the projects we fund to make a wider difference, so that together we can create a lasting change for everyone impacted by vision loss. That could mean they lead by example, or that they collect evidence about the changes that make a real difference to the lives of blind and vision impaired people.

    Our page on the social change fund has more examples of the types of projects we fund. You can also read our impact stories to find out how the projects we fund are making a difference to the lives of blind and vision impaired people. 

    Our impact stories

  • What documents do I need to submit?

    As well as the application form, we need your application to include:

    • Your project description, including purpose and the difference (impact) you think it will make (up to 1200 words)
    • Your project budget
    • Your organisation’s most recent audited accounts
    • Your organisation’s safeguarding policy
  • Can I use AI (such as ChatGPT) to help me write my application?

    It's up to you whether you use AI to help with your application, but we would expect you to check all information submitted and ensure it is accurate. We do not currently use AI when assessing applications.

How to apply

To apply to our social change fund, you’ll need to submit an online application form and provide a project proposal of up to 1200 words.

What you’ll need to include on your application

Make sure you have all the information you need before you start the application form. You’ll need to submit your application online, in one go - please be aware that you can’t save it and come back to it later. 

To help you prepare, here is the full list of the information you’ll need to give us. 

  • Information about your organisation
    • Organisation and individual contact details
    • Charity number or charitable company number, if applicable
    • Description of your organisation’s vision and mission (200 words or less)
    • What proportion of staff at your organisation, including trustees, are blind or vision impaired (up to 100 words)
    • Details of your financial turnover in the last three years, including annual income, and any other relevant information (up to 200 words)
    • Any regulatory, financial or governance issues within the last 12 months that you think we should be aware of
  • Information about your project
    • Project name
    • Core purpose
    • How long the project will last (in number of months)
    • Start date
    • Which location or locations the project is focused on
    • Upload a document (preferably in Microsoft Word format) that describes your project (up to 1200 words). Describe your project's purpose and intended impact, what it involves, and the timeline, in a clear and concise way. Make sure to explain the difference you plan to make.
  • Project finances
    • Total value (cost) of the project
    • How much funding you are asking us for
    • If the total is more than you are asking us for, how do you plan to raise the additional cost?
    • A project budget, with as much detail as you can. (Please upload this in a format such as Excel, Word, or PDF.) We know some things can change, but do the best you can. 
  • Accounts and safeguarding
    • Upload your most recent audited accounts - you can provide a link instead if available online
    • Upload your safeguarding policy
    • Give details of any safeguarding incidents at your organisation in the last 12 months
  • References

    Details of two referees. These could be from a partner organisation, a funder, or a service user. They can’t have a formal role in your organisation. Make sure you ask them for permission to give their details. 

9 ways to give your application the best chance of success

  1. Tell us about your bright idea, and your passion for the project. Explain the problem you're addressing.
  2. Explain how your project will change lives and how you will measure success. Use data and evidence where you can.
  3. We achieve change by working together. We look for organisations who involve people with lived experience of sight loss.
  4. Consider how your project could create a blueprint for change – how could it help to build evidence and take learnings that could be scaled up and applied elsewhere?
  5. We’re keen to hear ideas that tackle specific challenges faced by under-served groups, such as people who are blind or vision impaired who have other disabilities, or learning differences, or are from an ethnic minority background, or from the LGBTQ+ community.
  6. Read the information on this page and on the social change fund page carefully. Make sure your project matches what we are asking for.
  7. Try to write it without jargon or technical terms that not everyone will understand
  8. Stick to the word limit - leave out information that isn't needed. 
  9. Check it carefully, to make sure there are no mistakes. If you can, ask someone else to check it for you before you submit it.

Our impact stories 

Find out more about our funding in action

Our Impact
A small group of young people on a farm visit funded by Fight for Sight for children with vision impairment. One of the girls is stroking a pony's cheek and smiling with delight.
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