Dorset Community Foundation

Charity Number: 1122113

Annual Expenditure: £0.7M

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Quick Stats

  • Total Distributed Since 2000: £22 million
  • Annual Distribution: Estimated £500,000-£800,000 (based on recent activity)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly available
  • Decision Time: Approximately 6 weeks after closing date
  • Typical Grant Range: £1,000 - £10,000
  • Geographic Focus: Dorset, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP)

Contact Details

Address: Dorset Community Foundation, Bournemouth, Dorset

Phone: 01202 670815

Email: Philanthropy@dorsetcf.org

Grants Manager: Ellie Maguire - 07592 032666 / grants@dorsetcf.org

Website: www.dorsetcommunityfoundation.org

Pre-application Support: Available - contact the Grants Manager to arrange a 20-minute phone call to discuss eligibility and suitability

Overview

Dorset Community Foundation was established in 2000 as a registered charity (1122113) and company limited by guarantee (05768612). Since its founding, the Foundation has distributed over £22 million in grants to communities across Dorset, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole. The Foundation acts as a bridge between donors (individuals, companies, and organisations) and local grassroots charities and community groups, managing multiple named and themed funds to address local needs. Most grants awarded range between £1,000 and £5,000, supporting organisations that are well-placed to identify and address local needs and deliver services that improve the lives of Dorset residents. The Foundation publishes grant data through 360Giving and works to highlight hidden poverty and disadvantage through its “Hidden Dorset” research initiative. In recent years, the Foundation has focused on addressing food and energy insecurity, mental health and wellbeing, support for refugees and asylum seekers, and strengthening community infrastructure.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Neighbourhood Fund

Currently accepting applications

  • Grant Range: £1,000 - £5,000 (typically)
  • Focus: Grassroots community groups delivering services/activities that address local social issues, poverty and disadvantage
  • Priority: Smaller community groups with annual expenditure under £250,000
  • Application Method: Fixed deadlines (check website for current rounds)

BCP Food and Energy Support Fund

Seasonal programme

  • Grant Range: Variable (previous rounds awarded grants of various sizes)
  • Focus: Supporting vulnerable and low-income households struggling with household essentials including energy/water bills, food, and wider essentials
  • Eligible Activities: Free or low-cost food provision, community meals, food vouchers, cooking equipment, food skills initiatives, warm spaces
  • Target Groups: Families with children, pensioners, unpaid carers, care leavers, disabled people
  • Period: Typically covers winter months (November to March)

BCP Thriving Communities Fund

Partnership with BCP Council

  • Capital Grants: Up to £3,000 for community building improvements
  • Social Action Grants: Up to £5,000 for volunteer-led projects
  • Application Method: Fixed application rounds (opens periodically)

Wessex Water Community Fund

Partnership programme

  • Grant Range: Up to £4,000
  • Focus: Voluntary groups and charities improving lives in communities across the Wessex Water region
  • Annual Funding: At least £500,000 per year since 2020
  • Application Method: Fixed deadlines (typically October)

Community Wellbeing and Mental Health Fund

NHS-funded programme (closed for 2024)

  • Grant Range: Up to £10,000
  • Grant Period: 6-12 months
  • Focus: Projects supporting adults (18+) with wellbeing and mental health
  • Total Fund: £725,000 awarded across Dorset
  • Note: Check website for future rounds

SWEF Enterprise Fund

For young people

  • Start-up Grants: Up to £500
  • Business Grants: Up to £2,000
  • Eligibility: Young people in Dorset needing support with business start-up costs within first two years of trading

DCF Bursary Scheme

For students

  • Focus: Young people aged 16-25 living in Dorset studying vocational courses at specific colleges and sixth forms
  • Application Method: Multiple rounds throughout the year
  • Decision Time: 6-8 weeks after each deadline

Priority Areas

  • Community wellbeing and mental health: Supporting vulnerable people dealing with mental health issues and isolation
  • Food and energy insecurity: Addressing poverty and helping households afford essentials
  • Refugee and asylum seeker support: Helping people build new lives in Dorset (e.g., Dorset Welcome Fund)
  • Young people and education: Bursaries and enterprise support for youth
  • Community infrastructure: Improving community buildings and spaces
  • Grassroots community action: Volunteer-led initiatives addressing local needs
  • Performing arts: Supporting community engagement through arts (themed funds available)
  • Environmental projects: Through specific funds like Wessex Water Environment Fund

Core Costs: Most funding programmes CAN support core costs including office overheads, insurance, and administration.

What They Don't Fund

  • Public bodies carrying out their statutory obligations
  • National charities, including those with distinct services in Dorset
  • Individuals (except through specific individual grant schemes)
  • Statutory bodies including Parish and Town Councils
  • Retrospective funding for items/costs already paid
  • Faith organisations where activities are designed to influence people's religious choices (faith organisations are eligible if activities are open and non-proselytising)
  • Multiple concurrent grants: Groups cannot hold more than one grant from the same funding programme simultaneously
  • Repeat applications: If already in receipt of a grant, applicants are a low priority for funding
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Governance and Leadership

Chair of Trustees

Tom Flood CBE

Tom took over as Chair after a 26-year career with The Conservation Volunteers. He became involved with the Foundation when he set up the Paul Cornes Fund supporting young people in memory of his late partner. Tom has stated: “I am enormously proud and honoured to be asked to be the chair-elect because my personal interest means I would like this organisation to be a real shining light of Dorset.” He emphasizes the Foundation's priority of “growing the revenue and endowment sides of the Dorset Fund by encouraging donations from individuals and organisations as well as legacies” to support disadvantaged individuals “now and for generations to come.”

On the challenges facing the sector, Tom noted: “The groups and charities we have spoken to have been brutally honest about what they are up against, a lack of funding, the difficulties in recruiting volunteers and challenges outside their control like public transport, the after effects of the pandemic and the rising number of people dealing with mental health issues.”

Vice-Chair

Terry Standing

Former Chief Fire Officer

Notable Trustees

  • Deb Appleby: Former Chief Executive of Quartet (community foundation for South Gloucestershire, Bristol, Bath and North Somerset)
  • Lee Hardy OBE: Born in Dorset, brings operational experience from Royal Navy career
  • Samantha Everard: Founder of SAMEE charity

Patron

Michael Dooley LVO MMs FRCOG

Her Majesty's Lord-Lieutenant of Dorset (appointed September 2024)

Key Staff

Grants Manager: Ellie Maguire

Contact: 07592 032666 / grants@dorsetcf.org

The trustees and patrons ensure the Foundation follows best practice in governance and management and lead on development strategy.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

Pre-Application Support (Strongly Encouraged)

  • Contact Grants Manager Ellie Maguire to arrange a 20-minute phone call
  • Particularly encouraged for first-time applicants
  • Phone: 07592 032666 / Email: grants@dorsetcf.org
  • Discuss whether your project is suitable and get advice on the application process

Application Method

  • Online application forms via the Foundation's website
  • Different forms for different funding programmes
  • All forms include an “any other information” box (added based on applicant feedback) where you can clarify anything after the main questions
  • Alternative formats available on request (contact 01202 670815 or grants@dorsetcf.org)

Before Applying

  • Read criteria carefully: It is very important to read the criteria and guidance information thoroughly before applying
  • Trustee awareness: Ensure your trustees are aware the application has been submitted
  • Check eligibility: Verify your organisation type and project fit the specific fund criteria
  • Review examples: Look at previously funded projects to understand what succeeds

Support for Policy Development

  • BCP area groups: Community Action Network offers support
  • Dorset Council area groups: Volunteer Centre Dorset and Dorset Community Action provide support

Grant Alerts

Sign up for email alerts to be notified when programmes open for applications or new funds launch

Decision Timeline

Standard Timeline: Approximately 6 weeks after the closing date, unless stated otherwise

Decision-Making Process: Decisions are made by a grants panel

Notification: Applicants are informed of decisions after the grants panel meets

For DCF Bursary Scheme: 6-8 weeks after each application deadline

Success Rates

Success rates are not publicly available. The Foundation distributes funding across multiple named funds with varying levels of competition depending on the fund size and number of applications.

Reapplication Policy

  • During Active Grant: Organisations currently holding a grant are a low priority for additional funding
  • Multiple Concurrent Grants: Cannot hold more than one grant from the same funding programme
  • After Grant Completion: No specific waiting period mentioned, but applicants with existing grants are deprioritised
  • Unsuccessful Applications: Specific reapplication policy not publicly stated - contact Grants Manager for guidance

Application Success Factors

Direct Advice from the Foundation

Pre-Application Engagement: The Foundation explicitly encourages applicants to use the pre-application support service, particularly for first-time applicants. This 20-minute consultation with the Grants Manager can help ensure your project aligns with the fund criteria before investing time in a full application.

Read Criteria Thoroughly: The Foundation emphasizes the importance of reading criteria and guidance carefully. Many unsuccessful applications likely fail on basic eligibility grounds.

Use the “Any Other Information” Box: This section was added based on applicant feedback. Use it strategically to clarify aspects of your application that might not fit neatly into the standard questions.

Trustee Involvement: Ensuring trustees are aware of the application signals organisational buy-in and governance strength.

Projects They've Recently Funded

Community Infrastructure Examples (BCP Thriving Communities Fund 2024):

  • Townsend Community Association: £1,379 for equipment including glass-fronted refrigerator for Community Fridge project, shelving, urn, and litter-picking equipment
  • North Bournemouth Crime Prevention Panel: £3,400 for scam awareness sessions at lunch clubs

Performing Arts (Dorset Performing Arts Fund 2023/24):

  • As One Theatre Company: Community workshops sharing stories from Ukrainian refugee families
  • B Sharp: Live interactive music experiences for young children and families
  • Brave Bold Drama: Research and development of show about British lighthouse keeping
  • Common Ground: Performance workshops for outdoor participatory show

Social Support:

  • Change For Good campaign: £10,000 supporting 140+ rough sleepers, people with addiction/mental health issues, and those at risk of losing homes

Refugee Support (Dorset Welcome Fund):

  • £100,000 distributed to help refugees build new lives in the county
  • Small grants welcomed; new groups operating less than 6 months can apply for up to £2,000

Language and Terminology

The Foundation uses language emphasizing:

  • “Local grassroots organisations”: They prioritize small, community-rooted groups
  • “Hidden Dorset”: Their research initiative highlighting unseen poverty and disadvantage - aligning with this narrative may strengthen applications
  • “Community-led” and “volunteer-led”: Emphasizing local ownership and participation
  • “Improving lives” and “addressing needs”: Focus on tangible impact on residents
  • “Most vulnerable”: Clear priority for projects serving those facing greatest disadvantage

Standing Out

  1. Demonstrate Local Knowledge: Show deep understanding of specific local needs in your Dorset community
  2. Align with Hidden Dorset Research: Reference findings from their Hidden Dorset reports if relevant to your project
  3. Show Volunteer Involvement: Projects with strong volunteer engagement align with their grassroots ethos
  4. Evidence of Need: The Foundation values honesty about challenges - be specific about what you're addressing
  5. Small Can Be Powerful: Don't assume you need to request maximum amounts - they support small grants and value projects of all sizes
  6. Core Costs Are Acceptable: Don't hide core costs or pretend everything is project-specific - they explicitly welcome core cost funding requests
  7. Multi-Year Thinking: While grant periods may be 6-12 months, show how your work contributes to longer-term community change

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

  • Applying to wrong programme (each fund has specific criteria)
  • Retrospective costs (cannot be funded)
  • Not being Dorset-based or serving Dorset residents
  • Being a national charity (even with local branch)
  • Applying while already holding a grant from the same fund
  • Insufficient detail about local need and impact
  • Ignoring pre-application support opportunities

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  1. Take Advantage of Pre-Application Support: The 20-minute call with the Grants Manager is explicitly offered - use it. This is particularly valuable for first-time applicants and can prevent wasted effort on unsuitable applications.
  1. Prioritize Local, Grassroots Credentials: The Foundation explicitly favors smaller organisations (under £250,000 annual expenditure for many funds) with deep community roots. Emphasize your local knowledge, volunteer base, and community connections.
  1. Core Costs Are Welcome: Unlike many funders, DCF explicitly states most programmes can support core costs. Don't artificially project-ize your budget - be honest about operational needs.
  1. Align with Hidden Dorset Narrative: The Foundation's research initiative highlights unseen poverty and disadvantage. Referencing this research or demonstrating how your project addresses “hidden” needs can strengthen your case.
  1. Fixed Deadlines Require Planning: Most funds operate on fixed deadline cycles rather than rolling applications. Sign up for Grant Alerts and plan application schedules carefully to avoid missing windows.
  1. 6-Week Decision Timeline: With decisions typically taking 6 weeks post-deadline, factor this into your project planning and cash flow management.
  1. Smaller Grants Are Valued: Don't feel pressured to request maximum amounts. The Foundation distributed 548 individual grants averaging just £343 in one period - they value projects of all scales and welcome small grant requests.

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