Sir George Earle Benevolent Fund

Sir George Earle Benevolent Fund Programme

The Sir George Benevolent Fund is named after its principal benefactor, the late Sir George Earle. The fund was established to support local projects supporting older people facing loneliness and isolation.

How much can I apply for?

Grants of £500 - £3,000 per organisation.

£25,200 in total is available.

What activity can I apply for and when can it take place?

The fund will support organisations who can make a difference in their local neighbourhood between 1st October 2024 - 31st March 2025, focusing on the following priorities:

• Improve older people’s access to social activity.
• Reduce feelings of loneliness or isolation in older people.
• Increase the availability of local projects or activity which supports older people.
• Respond to local social or economic needs.

Projects/activity can cover a small geographic area, e.g., housing estate/village, or larger areas e.g., town/borough where there is evidence of community involvement.

You can apply for anything that helps to achieve the above aims and priorities. This could include:

• Core costs and/or revenue, including room hire, volunteer expenses, sessional staff, or salaries (e.g., extra hours for an existing staff member, or a short-term contract)
• Small-scale capital work (e.g., equipment, building works or repairs, provided you own or lease the building/land being built on or repaired)
• Service provision, including e.g., materials, practical and specialist support for groups and activities.

Who can apply?

This fund is for community organisations in South Yorkshire. This includes charities, community groups, clubs, and not-for-profit social enterprises. To be eligible for a grant you must:

• Have a governing document (e.g., a constitution or memorandum of association),
• Have a board or management committee of at least three unrelated people,
• Have a bank account in the name of the group requiring at least two unrelated signatories,
• Have beneficiaries who live in South Yorkshire and be locally led and run. We will only fund local offices or branches of a national charity if they have their own local management committee and manage their own local finances.

What happens after I apply?

Your application will be assessed against the criteria, aims and priorities above and we may contact you to ask some additional questions or for missing information. Please ensure you attach or email the essential requested additional documentation when you submit your application to prevent delays to this process. If these documents are not received in a timely manner or do not meet the requirements of this fund, your application will be ineligible.

Decisions will be made independently, in September.