Making A Difference Locally Ltd

Charity Number: 1123800

Annual Expenditure: £1.0M

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £1,000,000+ (2024)
  • Total Raised Since 2008: £18 million
  • Decision Time: Variable (depends on retailer nomination and trustee approval)
  • Grant Range: Typically £100 - £5,000 (up to £2,500 for time-sensitive needs via “A Moment in Time”)
  • Geographic Focus: UK-wide (must be local to a Nisa store, ideally within 10 miles)
  • Number of Grants: 1,340 donations in 2024

Contact Details

Website: https://www.nisalocally.co.uk/community/

Email: makingadifference@nisaretail.com

Phone: 01724 282028

Address: Nisa Todays Holdings Ltd, Waldo Way, Scunthorpe DN15 9GE

Store Locator: https://www.nisalocally.co.uk/stores/search (to find your local participating Nisa store)

Overview

Making a Difference Locally Ltd (MADL) was established in May 2008 as a registered charity (No. 1123800) to help Nisa's independent retail partners support their local communities through charitable donations. Since inception, MADL has raised an impressive £18 million for small causes and community groups across the UK. The charity operates through a unique model where funds are raised through the sale of Co-op own-brand and Nisa Heritage products in over 2,500 Nisa and Costcutter stores nationwide. In 2024, MADL surpassed £1 million in annual donations for the first time, supporting over 360,000 people through 1,340 individual donations. This achievement earned the charity the Outstanding Achievement Award at the 2024 Retail Industry Awards – a historic first for a charity in this category. Currently, over £100,000 per month is raised across Nisa's retailer group, with individual stores building their own MADL funds to support causes they choose in their local areas.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Standard Store-Based Donations: Variable amounts (typically £100 - £5,000)

  • Each Nisa store builds its own MADL fund through product sales
  • Retailers decide when to withdraw funds and which local cause to support
  • Funds available on a rolling basis as they accumulate in each store's account
  • Application method: Contact local Nisa store directly for nomination

A Moment in Time: Up to £2,500

  • Additional MADL funding for time-sensitive local causes
  • Available when store's own funds are insufficient or recently depleted
  • Suitable for upcoming events, anniversary celebrations, or urgent community needs
  • Application method: Retailers apply on behalf of local causes via dedicated MADL partner website

Heart of the Community Awards: £1,000 - £5,000 per cause

  • Themed funding rounds throughout the year (multiple rounds annually)
  • Recent themes: Food Pantries, Stronger Communities, Winter Initiatives
  • Total funding pots range from £50,000 to £250,000 per round
  • Application method: Through local Nisa retailers before published deadlines
  • Fixed deadlines for each round

Priority Areas

MADL supports a wide range of local charitable purposes including:

  • Sports clubs and youth teams
  • Schools and educational initiatives
  • Hospices and healthcare organizations
  • Food pantries and food banks
  • Community groups and local charities
  • Vulnerable populations (refugees, low-income families, elderly)
  • Inclusive projects (sensory projects, disability support)
  • Community events and celebrations
  • Winter warmth and safety initiatives
  • Cultural and social cohesion projects

Geographic Priority: Must be local to the nominating Nisa store (ideally within 10 miles)

What They Don't Fund

  • Individuals – Cannot make payments to individual people
  • Groups spending funds in Nisa stores – Cannot fund organizations that will use donations to purchase products from the nominating Nisa store
  • International causes – Cannot fund groups that send money outside the UK, even if UK-registered
  • Causes without bank accounts – Must have a dedicated business bank account
  • Non-transparent organizations – Must be accountable and transparent in operations
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Governance and Leadership

Making a Difference Locally Ltd is governed by a Board of Trustees who meet six times annually to approve donation requests and ensure proper governance of the charity.

Key Governance Features:

  • No trustees receive remuneration, payments, or benefits from the charity
  • All trustees serve voluntarily to ensure donations are used appropriately
  • Incorporated on 12 February 2007, amended by special resolutions in 2008 and 2013
  • Company registration: No. 6502266
  • The charity maintains regular reporting to the Charity Commission with annual returns and trustees' reports

Decision-Making Process:

  • MADL administration reviews all donation requests against set criteria
  • Approved requests are passed to the Board of Trustees for final approval
  • Retailers can view their accrued funds through a password-protected secure website

Judge's Recognition (2024 Retail Industry Awards):

"With MADL celebrating its 15th birthday this year, there's no better time to recognise its amazing contribution to good causes across the UK. Its success serves only to underline the position of independent stores at the heart of their communities."

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

IMPORTANT: Local charities and good causes cannot apply directly to Making a Difference Locally. All applications must be made through a local Nisa store.

Step-by-Step Process:

  1. Find Your Local Nisa Store: Use the store locator at https://www.nisalocally.co.uk/stores/search to identify participating Nisa retailers in your area (ideally within 10 miles)
  1. Contact the Store: Visit or contact your nearest Nisa store to discuss your cause and request nomination
  • Details of your organization
  • How funds will be used
  • How the donation will benefit the local community
  • Confirmation of charity registration or business bank account
  1. Administrative Review: MADL administration ensures the request meets eligibility criteria
  1. Trustee Approval: The Board of Trustees provides final approval at one of their six annual meetings
  1. Payment: Once approved, the donation is paid directly to the charity or good cause

For Heart of the Community Awards: Watch for announcement of themed rounds throughout the year and apply through your local Nisa retailer before the published deadline.

Decision Timeline

  • Standard donations: Variable – depends on retailer's accumulated funds and trustee meeting schedule (trustees meet 6 times per year, approximately every 2 months)
  • Heart of the Community: Applications reviewed within specific round timelines, with deadlines typically several weeks from announcement
  • Notification: Retailers are informed of trustee decisions and coordinate payment to approved causes

Success Rates

While specific success rates are not published, MADL made:

  • 1,791 grants in 2024
  • 1,340 donations in 2024 (another source)
  • 2,000+ donations since September 2023

The high volume of successful grants suggests that applications meeting eligibility criteria and supported by Nisa retailers have strong approval rates.

Reapplication Policy

There are no specific restrictions on reapplication. Organizations can be nominated multiple times by:

  • The same Nisa store once new funds have accumulated
  • Different Nisa stores in their local area
  • For different Heart of the Community themed rounds

Application Success Factors

Building Relationships with Local Nisa Stores

Most Critical Factor: Your success depends entirely on securing nomination from a local Nisa retailer. Build relationships by:

  • Shopping at and supporting your local Nisa stores
  • Introducing yourself and your organization to store managers
  • Explaining how your cause benefits the local community
  • Demonstrating transparency and accountability

Examples of Recently Funded Projects

  • Fife Gingerbread – £5,000 for Heat & Eat appeal
  • Mansfield Town Ability Counts Football Club – £5,000
  • Zoe's Place Baby Hospice, Coventry – £2,000
  • City of Hull Street Angels – £1,000
  • Food pantries – Slow cookers for service users, cookery lessons for low-income families
  • Ukrainian refugees – SIM cards for newly arrived refugees
  • Flood relief – £1,000 donations to flood-hit communities
  • Inclusive sensory projects – Supporting disability access
  • Sports clubs, schools, and hospices – Wide variety of local causes

What Makes Applications Stand Out

  1. Local Connection: Being genuinely local to the store (within 10 miles) and demonstrating community impact in the retailer's immediate area
  1. Clear Community Benefit: Articulating specifically how the donation will make a difference to local people – MADL wants to see direct, tangible impact
  1. Transparency: Being a registered charity OR having a dedicated business bank account with clear, accountable operations
  1. Timing: For standard donations, approach stores when they've had time to build up funds; for time-sensitive needs, explain urgency clearly for “A Moment in Time” applications
  1. Heart of the Community Themes: Align requests with current themed rounds when available (food security, stronger communities, winter support, etc.)
  1. Realistic Amounts: Request amounts appropriate to your need and the store's capacity – individual stores vary widely in their annual fundraising (from a few thousand to £30,000+)

Direct Guidance from MADL

The charity emphasizes that all donation requests must demonstrate:

  • Transparency and accountability in the organization
  • Local benefit to the community around the Nisa store
  • Proper charitable status OR dedicated business bank account
  • Alignment with charitable purposes as determined by trustees

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • You cannot apply directly – All funding must come through nomination by a local Nisa retailer. Invest time in building relationships with store managers in your area.
  • Think hyperlocal – MADL prioritizes causes within 10 miles of the nominating store. Emphasize your local presence and community impact.
  • Multiple stores, multiple opportunities – If several Nisa stores operate near you, you can approach multiple retailers for different projects or needs.
  • Monitor Heart of the Community rounds – These themed funding rounds offer larger amounts (up to £5,000) and specific focus areas. Stay informed through the Nisa website or local stores.
  • Be patient and flexible – Funding depends on how quickly each store accumulates funds through product sales. Some stores raise £30,000+ annually while others raise less; timeline varies accordingly.
  • Demonstrate transparency – Have your charitable registration or business bank account details ready, and be prepared to show how funds will be used and tracked.
  • Time-sensitive needs qualify for extra support – If you have an urgent deadline or one-off event, ask your local retailer about “A Moment in Time” funding of up to £2,500.

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