About Us
A Glimmer of Hope UK is an independent funder. The trust seeks to make a significant and lasting improvement to the lives of excluded young people through funding community-led projects that show an enterprising approach and which focus on building self-esteem and skills through equality of opportunity and respect.
Since its launch in 2001, the trust has contributed more than £2.25 million to organisations that share the trustees' vision of enabling young people to raise their aspirations and make choices towards fulfilling lives.
Our trustees have wide and varied experience in the not-for-profit sector and we employ one member of paid staff to support them in their work.
The funding partnership
We believe that the first cheque is only the starting point to a partnership with each of our funded projects. We are an engaged funder, which means that support can be made available to all our funded projects, either directly, or in the form of signposting to other appropriate individuals or organisations.
In return, we expect that our funded projects should be willing to think about what they have learnt from their work, and be willing to share these general principles with us (without breaking confidentiality of vulnerable young people), and with others of our funded projects if appropriate. This shared learning can promote links between projects with similar missions and help our trustees to make informed choices with funding decisions and support to funded projects.
How to apply
Generally, the trustees prefer to invite applications from small community-based organisations, led by a social entrepreneur, whose work is of interest to the trust. This means that speculative (uninvited) applications for funding are less likely to be successful. However, all projects that meet the trust's criteria will be considered. A Glimmer of Hope will not award funding to or for:
Individuals (applications for educational needs, equipment for special needs/disability, respite care/holidays or individual volunteering activities will not be accepted).
- Projects outside London UK, unless a trustee has invited an application.
- Projects in organisations with more than £100,000 income, unless a trustee has invited an application.
- Building/premises purchase or improvements or capital projects, where the only funding requested is to purchase equipment.
- Unfortunately we do not have the resources to respond to applications for funding that are clearly excluded by one or more of the above criteria. Requests for funding to replace statutory or major trust funding for an existing project are unlikely to be successful.
If your organisation appears to be eligible for funding, please e-mail ukenquiries@aglimmerofhope.org with your organisations full contact details and we will send our detailed application guidelines to you.
