Prosper Wakefield District Ltd

Charity Number: 226121

Annual Expenditure: £0.3M

Stay updated on changes from Prosper Wakefield District Ltd and other funders

Get daily notifications about new funding opportunities, deadline changes, and programme updates from UK funders.

Free Email Updates

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £260,400 (2023)
  • Success Rate: 13.8% (18 awards from £1.3m in requests, 2023)
  • Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed
  • Grant Range: £500 - £20,000
  • Geographic Focus: Wakefield District, West Yorkshire

Contact Details

  • Website: https://prosperwakefielddistrict.org/
  • Email: info@prosperwakefielddistrict.org
  • Phone: 01924 373500
  • Address: The Junction, Horbury, Wakefield WF4 5FH
  • Charity Number: 226121
  • Pre-application Support: Available - contact via email or phone to discuss ideas

Overview

Prosper Wakefield District Ltd (formerly Wakefield & District Health & Community Support) is the largest independent grant maker in the Wakefield district with over 200 years of history supporting local communities. The charity underwent a rebrand in 2022 and officially changed its name in July 2023. In 2023, Prosper distributed £260,400 through 18 grants in partnership with Nova, supporting charities and community organisations working in the most deprived areas of Wakefield district. The charity focuses on addressing poverty's root causes and supporting people with the greatest health and wellbeing needs. Their independence enables them to influence policy and drive social change. For the year ending December 31, 2022, the charity had total income of £142,845 and total expenditure of £758,704.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Small Grants Round: £500 - £5,000 (twice yearly, fixed deadlines)

  • Supports core costs, new projects, or sustaining existing work
  • Eligibility: VCSE organisations (charity, CIC, constituted community group, sports club) based in or delivering work within Wakefield district
  • Income must be less than £250,000 per year with 6 months or less unrestricted reserves
  • Must demonstrate work that promotes connectivity

Main Grants Programme: £5,000 - £20,000 (twice yearly)

  • Supports larger projects and core costs
  • Application form available through website or by request

Prosper Together Fund: Up to £150,000 per year for 3 years

  • Pilot fund putting decision-making directly into the hands of local community organisations
  • Supports “Households on the Edge” - those at risk of falling into poverty due to low incomes and other factors

Infrastructure Support: £25,000 grants

  • Awarded to key infrastructure organisations like Nova and Young Lives

Emergency Fund: Created in 2023 (£20,000 allocated)

  • Responds to requests from VCSE organisations facing short-term budget challenges

Priority Areas

Prosper supports families and individuals throughout their lives across five main areas:

  1. Improving Access to Homes
  2. Health - Mental health support, tackling social isolation
  3. Education - Early years resources, training
  4. Employment & Financial Inclusion - Addressing poverty and food insecurity
  5. Social Inclusion - Youth work, connectivity initiatives

For 2025, applicants are particularly encouraged to demonstrate how their work fosters connectivity within the Wakefield District, including:

  • Social and emotional connection
  • Tackling social exclusion and improving access to services
  • Connecting people with opportunities and developing skills
  • Transport connectivity
  • Digital inclusion
  • Collaborative working with other VCSEs

What They Fund

Grants can support:

  • Staffing and salaries
  • Training
  • Essential supplies and equipment
  • Facility renovations
  • Projects
  • Materials for the organisation
  • Operational expenses and core costs (bills, overheads)

What They Don't Fund

Specific exclusions are not publicly detailed on their website. Applicants are encouraged to contact Prosper directly to discuss eligibility.

Helpful Hinchilla

Ready to write a winning application for Prosper Wakefield District Ltd?

Our AI helps you craft proposals that match their exact priorities. Save 10+ hours and increase your success rate.

Get Free Beta Access

Governance and Leadership

Key Personnel

Staff:

  • Kath Lindley DL - Chief Executive Officer
  • Sarah Birtles - Communications Officer

Board of Trustees:

  • Cath Longley - Chair of Trustees
  • Simon Topham - Trustee
  • Cynthia Bell - Trustee
  • Mike Holt - Trustee

Leadership Philosophy

The team describes themselves as “a tight-knit team who are all passionate about our love for the Wakefield district” and are “champions of understanding with personal responsibility” who take “a kind and thoughtful approach to colleagues, partners and communities.”

Key Quotes from Leadership

CEO Kath Lindley DL on the Children's Bed Appeal: "To hear that 6,000 children in the Wakefield district don't sleep in a bed was a huge shock, we felt compelled to do what we can to help."

On partnership working: "We are so pleased that the strategic partnership we have with WACCL during 2024 will positively impact so many young people throughout the district. While it's great that we can work with so many organisations, it's a stark reminder of the help that is needed throughout the region."

On match funding approach: “For every penny raised at the WACCL event, Prosper pledges to match it, doubling the donations and bringing more opportunities to children in the area.”

Governance

No trustees receive any remuneration, payments or benefits from the charity. Audit fees for 2022 were £6,000.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

  1. Review Eligibility: Check that your organisation meets the criteria for the relevant grant programme
  2. Contact for Support: If needed, contact info@prosperwakefielddistrict.org or call 01924 373500 to discuss your idea
  3. Complete Application Form: Available on the Apply for Funding page or by request
  4. Submit Application: During open application windows (twice yearly)

Application documents available:

  • Fund Criteria (details eligibility and award requirements)
  • Application Form (.docx file)
  • Combined Documents Package

Decision Timeline

Decision timelines are not publicly disclosed. In 2023, Prosper worked in partnership with Nova, and together they received requests totalling £1.3 million and awarded 18 organisations grants totalling £260,400.

Success Rates

2023 Statistics:

  • Total requests received: £1.3 million
  • Total awards made: 18 organisations
  • Total funding distributed: £260,400
  • Approximate success rate: 13.8%

The high demand (£1.3m requested vs £260,400 available) indicates highly competitive rounds. The majority of grants in 2023 were for running and core costs due to the Cost-of-Living Crisis, rising fuel bills, and staffing costs.

Reapplication Policy

Information about reapplication policies for unsuccessful applicants is not publicly available. Applicants should contact Prosper directly for guidance.

Application Success Factors

Strategic Alignment

  • Demonstrate connectivity: Show how your work promotes social and emotional connection, tackles social exclusion, or improves access to services
  • Focus on deprivation: Target work in the most deprived areas of Wakefield district
  • Address root causes: Demonstrate how you're tackling poverty's root causes, not just symptoms
  • Support health and wellbeing: Show impact on people with the greatest health and wellbeing needs

Examples of Funded Projects

Recent grant recipients include:

  • Five Towns Christian Fellowship: £9,000 to address the root causes of anti-social behaviour
  • Star Bereavement: £16,802 (small grants round)
  • Citizens Advice Wakefield District: £19,472.92 (small grants round)
  • Wakefield District Sight Aid: £19,906.40 (small grants round)
  • Open Country: Outdoor activities and accessibility
  • Bag Fairies: Volunteer-run community support
  • Leeds GATE: Community outreach
  • Disability Sport Yorkshire: Sports activities for disabled people
  • Red Roof Centre: Community facility support

Process Tips

  • Seek pre-application support: Prosper actively encourages applicants to contact them to discuss ideas before applying
  • Be realistic about reserves: Organisations with more than 6 months unrestricted reserves are ineligible for Small Grants
  • Core costs are welcome: Don't shy away from requesting funding for salaries, bills, and overheads - these were the majority of grants in 2023
  • Use clear, accessible language: Prosper values understanding and listening to diverse community viewpoints
  • Submit complete applications: Ensure all required documentation is included

Relationship Building

  • Engage with infrastructure partners: Prosper works closely with Nova and other infrastructure organisations
  • Attend networking events: Prosper hosts events like “We Are Wakefield” at Tileyard North
  • Consider partnership approaches: Prosper values collaborative working with other VCSEs
  • Demonstrate local knowledge: Show understanding of Wakefield district's specific challenges and communities

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  1. Connectivity is key: For 2025 onwards, demonstrating how your work promotes connectivity (social, digital, physical, or collaborative) is essential for success
  2. Core costs are fundable: With demand far exceeding supply (£1.3m requested vs £260k available in 2023), don't hesitate to apply for running costs - they're actively supported
  3. Competition is high: With a 13.8% success rate in 2023, applications must be exceptionally well-crafted and clearly demonstrate alignment with priorities
  4. Pre-application engagement is encouraged: Take advantage of Prosper's offer to discuss ideas before submitting - this relationship-building could strengthen your application
  5. Focus on deprivation and health inequalities: Prosper specifically targets the most deprived areas and people with greatest health and wellbeing needs - quantify your impact here
  6. Independence matters: As the largest independent grant maker in the district, Prosper values its role in influencing policy - show how your work contributes to systemic change
  7. Demonstrate kindness and understanding: Prosper's team values these qualities - ensure your application reflects understanding of the communities you serve and shows thoughtful, person-centered approaches

🎯 You've done the research. Now write an application they can't refuse.

Hinchilla combines funder's specific priorities with your organisation's past successful grants and AI analysis of what reviewers want to see.

✓

Data privacy and security by default

✓

Your organisation's past successful grants and experience

✓

AI analysis of what reviewers want to see

✓

A compelling draft application in 10 minutes instead of 10 hours

Get Beta Access NowLearn More

References