The Bearr Trust

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £147,000 (2024 provisional)
• Success Rate: 13-40% (varies by strand, highly competitive)
• Decision Time: 8-12 weeks
• Grant Range: £1,000 - £4,000
• Geographic Focus: Eastern Europe, Central Asia, Caucasus (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan)

Contact Details

Website: www.bearr.org

Email: info@bearr.org

Phone: 020 7922 7849

Small Grants Scheme Enquiries: sgs@bearr.org (English, Russian, or Ukrainian accepted)

Small Grants Officer: Anna Lukanina-Morgan

Overview

Founded in 1991 as “British Emergency Action in Russia and the Republics,” The BEARR Trust emerged from the humanitarian crisis following the Soviet Union's collapse. Formally registered as a charity on 18 May 1992, the organization has evolved from delivering emergency medical supplies to supporting civil society organizations across Eastern Europe, Central Asia, and the Caucasus. With total income of £244,576 in 2023 and provisional income of £147,000 in 2024, BEARR operates with exceptionally low overheads (17% administration costs), directing the vast majority of funds toward grant-making. The organization's strategic focus centers on building partnerships, knowledge-sharing, and capacity-building for small CSOs working in health and social welfare. Since February 2022, BEARR has also raised over £600,000 through its Ukraine Emergency Appeal, supporting more than 60 organizations providing humanitarian assistance.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Small Grants Scheme - Strand A: £1,000 - £4,000

• Annual thematic grants for joint partnership projects
• Open to CSOs across all ten countries in BEARR's geographic focus
• Recent themes: Community Integration of Displaced People (2024-2025), Social welfare of migrant workers (2022), Reducing social isolation (2021)
• Application method: Annual call with fixed deadline (February-March)
• 11 grants awarded in 2024 from 67 applications

Small Grants Scheme - Strand B: Up to £1,000

• Staff/volunteer welfare and organizational resilience
• Restricted to Ukraine and Moldova CSOs with previous BEARR funding
• 5-6 grants awarded annually from 15 applications
• Application method: Same annual cycle as Strand A

Ukraine Community Resilience Fund

• Ongoing support for Ukrainian and Moldovan organizations
• Focus on sustaining local organizations working on recovery
• Replaced the Ukraine Emergency Appeal (now closed)

Priority Areas

The BEARR Trust focuses exclusively on health and social welfare projects that:

• Support vulnerable populations (homeless, young offenders, disabled people, victims of human trafficking, elderly, displaced persons, women experiencing violence)
• Foster partnerships and collaboration between two or more organizations
• Take an imaginative or unusual approach to problems
• Demonstrate community integration and social inclusion
• Build organizational resilience and capacity
• Address social isolation and marginalization

BEARR particularly welcomes applications from new and small CSOs.

What They Don't Fund

• Individual applicants or unregistered volunteer groups
• Universities or schools
• Projects where BEARR's contribution exceeds 50% of total project budget
• Projects allocating over 20% of requested BEARR funding to technology purchases
• Organizations in Russia and Belarus (due to current fund transfer difficulties)
• Applications submitted by CSOs outside their ten eligible countries

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Governance and Leadership

Chairman

Ross Gill (appointed 2024, Trustee since 2015) - Works in UK local economic development and regeneration. Previously served as branch/regional director with Samaritans. Long-standing interest in Eastern Europe since the 1990s.

Notable Trustees

Nicola Ramsden (Trustee since 1997, Chairman 2018-2024) - Former Bank of England and NatWest Investment Bank employee. Worked on economic reform and capital markets programmes in Russia, Ukraine and Kyrgyzstan from 1992-1997.

Megan Bick - First Moscow Director (1992) who carried out BEARR's first emergency aid trip. Focuses on civil society development and minority social inclusion.

Clare Brooks - 30+ years with grant-making trusts and foundations across UK, Central/Eastern Europe, and Australia. Former Director of London Chamber of Commerce Education Trust.

Charles Garrett - Former HM Ambassador to North Macedonia and Kyrgyzstan. Now Director for Strategy at Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

Helen Goodman - Professor in Practice at Durham University's School of Government, former MP. Chair of Church Action on Poverty.

Janet Gunn - Former British Foreign and Commonwealth Office research analyst (36 years), with postings in Moscow, Kyiv, Dushanbe.

Michael Rasell - University Lecturer in Disability Rights at University of Innsbruck. Qualitative sociologist researching international social welfare.

Key Staff

Anna Lukanina-Morgan - Small Grants Officer (since September 2014). Master's in Law from Kyiv University. Manages the Small Grants Scheme and accepts inquiries in English, Russian, or Ukrainian.

Valdonė Šniukaitė - Information and Administration Officer. Master's in International Conflict Studies (King's College London).

The organization is managed by a board of trustees with extensive expertise in Eastern Europe, international development, diplomacy, and social welfare. Trustees volunteer significant time beyond formal duties, meeting six times annually. All trustees are unpaid volunteers.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

The Small Grants Scheme operates on an annual cycle:

1. Application Window: BEARR publishes its call for applications on its website in January-December
2. Deadline: End of January/early February
3. Required Format: Applications must use the official application form provided on BEARR's website
4. Language: Applications must be completed in English
5. Length Limit: Maximum 5 pages (4 pages for application + 1 page for budget as Word or Excel document)
6. Submission: Email to sgs@bearr.org

Critical Requirements:

• Must be a joint project between two or more organizations
• BEARR's contribution cannot exceed 50% of total project budget
• Clear description of project activities and beneficiaries required
• Projects should normally complete within six months of receiving funds
• Successful applicants must complete a monitoring form and write an article for BEARR's website

Eligibility: Only registered CSOs (charities, NGOs, associations, non-profit organizations) are eligible. Individuals, unregistered volunteer groups, universities, and schools cannot apply.

Decision Timeline

• Application Deadline: End of January/early February
• Board Review: February-April (evaluated by trustees, approved by board or sub-groups)
• Notification: April-May for successful applicants
• Public Announcement: May-June once grants are finalized
• Total Timeline: Approximately 8-12 weeks from deadline to notification

Success Rates

BEARR's Small Grants Scheme is highly competitive:

2024 Statistics:

• 82 applications received from 8 countries
• 16 total grants awarded (11 Strand A + 5 Strand B)
• Strand A: ~16% success rate (11 from 67 applications)
• Strand B: ~33% success rate (5 from 15 applications)

2021 Statistics:

• 227 applications received
• 15 projects selected
• ~7% success rate

Applicant Profile (2024):

• 27 applications from organizations with previous BEARR funding
• 55 applications from organizations new to BEARR (including some former applicants)

The significantly lower success rates in years with higher application volumes (like 2021) demonstrate the competitive nature of the scheme.

Reapplication Policy

BEARR welcomes reapplications from unsuccessful applicants. The 2024 application statistics confirm that “former applicants” are among those who apply alongside former grantees and first-time applicants. There are no documented restrictions or waiting periods preventing unsuccessful applicants from reapplying in subsequent years.

For specific questions about eligibility or reapplication, contact Anna Lukanina-Morgan at sgs@bearr.org.

Application Success Factors

Based on BEARR's stated priorities and successful project examples, strong applications demonstrate:

Partnership Focus

BEARR explicitly states: “BEARR is most interested in projects that will work in partnership with, or extend collaboration to, other organisations in the same country or in another country.” Priority is given to new partnerships or pre-existing partnerships showing clear signs of development. All Strand A applications must be joint projects.

Imaginative Approaches

BEARR values projects that “take an imaginative or unusual approach to the problems” faced by beneficiaries. Successful 2024 examples include:

• Adapting ethnic minority programs to support IDPs, combining community kitchens with peer-to-peer art therapy
• Joint agricultural activities where IDPs and locals grow organic vegetables and participate in “Seed Bank” projects
• Multi-generational cooking classes connecting elderly people with teenagers (Tvory Dobropillya, 2021)

Theme Alignment

Applications must align with the year's specific theme. Recent successful themes include community integration of displaced people, social welfare of migrant workers, and reducing social isolation.

Realistic Budgets

Applications are automatically rejected if:

• BEARR's contribution exceeds 50% of total project budget
• Over 20% of BEARR funding requested for technology purchases
• Total request exceeds £4,000 (Strand A) or £1,000 (Strand B)

Clear, Concise Presentation

• Must fit on 5 pages maximum (including budget)
• Must include clear description of activities and beneficiaries
• Ross Gill, BEARR trustee, conducted a webinar on “how to prepare a strong application” and “what makes a good project” (2022)

Support for Small, New Organizations

“BEARR particularly welcomes applications from new and small CSOs.” Don't be discouraged if you haven't received BEARR funding before—in 2024, the majority of applicants (55 of 82) were either new to BEARR or former applicants.

Target Beneficiaries

Successful projects support vulnerable groups including: people with disabilities, displaced persons, elderly people, single mothers, domestic violence victims, people with mental health conditions or eating disorders, those with HIV, and communities affected by conflict.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Partnership is non-negotiable: All Strand A applications must be joint projects between two or more organizations. Build genuine partnerships before applying.

• Stay under budget thresholds: Keep BEARR's contribution to 50% or less of total project budget and tech purchases under 20% of requested amount to avoid automatic rejection.

• Be creative, not conventional: BEARR specifically seeks “imaginative or unusual approaches”—showcase innovative methods that differentiate your project from standard service delivery.

• New organizations encouraged: Don't assume you need prior BEARR funding to succeed. The majority of applicants in 2024 had no previous relationship with BEARR.

• Prepare for high competition: With success rates ranging from 7-16% in Strand A, ensure your application is exceptional and directly addresses the annual theme.

• Follow format requirements exactly: Five-page limit, English language, official application form, clear budget. Non-compliance leads to automatic rejection.

• Plan for article publication: Successful applicants write about their projects for BEARR's website. Include compelling storytelling and human impact in your approach.

• Contact Anna Lukanina-Morgan with questions: You can email in English, Russian, or Ukrainian at sgs@bearr.org. Use this resource if you're uncertain about eligibility or requirements.

References

• The BEARR Trust Official Website: www.bearr.org
• Charity Commission Register - THE BEARR TRUST (1011086)
• The BEARR Trust Small Grants Scheme 2025
• Small Grants Scheme 2024: Application Statistics
• SGS 2024 - The BEARR Trust
• Small Grants Scheme (SGS) Overview
• BEARR's Origins
• Governance and Management
• Our Team - The BEARR Trust
• BEARR's 2021 Small Grants Scheme: Results
• The BEARR Trust Small Grants Scheme 2022
• BEARR's Emergency Appeal: A Year On
• 360Giving GrantNav - THE BEARR TRUST