WHAT WE FUND

OUR AIM

We promote learning and development that enables young people and adults to gain additional skills and confidence to enter the labour market.

THEMES AND PRIORITIES

We support projects that:

1. Reach and work with young people and adults who face complex barriers to employment, enabling them to move closer or into employment, including but not restricted to ex-service personnel and ex-offenders.
2. Work directly with young people and adults who are either not in employment, education, or training (NEET), or with young people who are at risk of becoming NEET, to improve their access to employment and the labour market.
3. Increase the learning and life skills of people so that they may further develop their careers, with a particular focus on the water, utilities, and construction industries.
4. Have clear and well-established connections to employers who can offer meaningful work experience and/or employment.
5. Prepare and develop young people and adults who seek a career in the water, utilities and construction industries.

LEVEL OF FUNDING AND REQUIREMENTS

a) We make awards of up to £35,000 per year, depending on income.
b) For organisations with income of up to £231,000, the maximum grant will be no more than 15% of income. For example, the maximum grant payable to an organisation with an income of £125,000 is £18,750.
c) For organisations with income of between £231,000 and £1m, the maximum grant will be £35,000.
d) Organisations with income of more than £1m per year are not eligible for funding.
e) From 2024 grants will be awarded for a maximum of 12 months. All applications are assessed on their merits and fit with our financial criteria.

FUNDING ACTIVITIES WE CAN SUPPORT

• Core costs: including Living Wage costs
• Project costs: including overhead costs
• A mixture of both core and project costs

FUNDING FAQs

1. How much do you fund?
Grants of up to £35,000 are available. However:
• Projects whose income is below £231,000 may only apply for up to 15% of annual turnover. For example, if you have a turnover of £125,000, the maximum amount that you could apply for is £18,750.
• Projects whose income is between £231,000- £1m can apply for a maximum of £35,000, not 15% of turnover.
• We do not fund projects with an income in excess of £1m.

Who can apply?
• Registered charities
• Community Interest Companies
• Co-operatives - registered Community Benefit Societies and registered Industrial and Provident Societies
• Social Enterprises

2. What don’t you fund?
Grants will not normally be made to the following types of organisations or to fund the following types of activity:
• Any organisation with turnover of £1m or more.
• Limited companies
• Individuals or sole traders
• Animal welfare
• Arts projects with no community or charitable element
• Direct replacement of statutory funding
• Political groups or activities promoting political beliefs
• Religious groups seeking to influence people’s religious choices
• Sports projects with no community or charitable element
• Retrospective grants – expenditure already incurred
• Commercial or profit-making organisations or projects
• Contribution to endowment fund, payment of deficit funding or repayment of loans
• Overseas travel or expeditions
• Funding for projects taking place overseas
• Contribute to major capital or ‘bricks and mortar’ projects
• Sponsored or fundraising events or groups raising funds to distribute to other causes
• Schools, Churches, Parish Councils or PTAs.
• Contingency or unspecified expenditure

3. I’ve successfully applied for a grant before, can I apply again?
From 2024 grants will be awarded for a maximum of 12 months. All applications are assessed on their merits and fit with our financial criteria.

4. My grant application was unsuccessful, can I have feedback?
CABWI is a small organisation, and unfortunately we do not have the resources to provide feedback.

5. May we discuss our application with you before we apply?
Contact us by email at [email protected] and we will arrange a time to discuss your application.

6. Do you provide core funding?
We provide both core and project funding.

7. Do you fund retrospectively?
No.

8. Will my application be acknowledged?
Yes.

9. How will I know if I get a grant?
You will be notified by email if you are successful.

10. What is the timeframe for applications?
Please see timeframe section under Application Guidelines.

11. Do you visit applicants?
No. Interviews are held via Zoom, TEAMS, or by telephone. However, we do like to be invited to visit successful beneficiaries so they can show us how they are using the CABWI grant.

12. How do we publicly acknowledge the grant from CABWI?
We will email our logo to you, and ask that you acknowledge our grant in your publicity material and on your website.

13. We already have a grant from you. When may we reapply?
From 2024, grants will be awarded for a maximum of 12 months. All applications are assessed on their merits and their fit with our priority themes and financial criteria.

14. Where does the money come from?
CABWI is the recognised awarding body providing vocational qualifications for individuals who work in the water and wider utilities and construction industries. The excess income from the fees generated by its commercial arm is donated to the CABWI charity, whose charitable aim is promote learning, education and development in young people and adults.