The Spectacle Makers' Charity

Charity Number: 1186122

Annual Expenditure: £0.1M

Stay updated on changes from The Spectacle Makers' Charity 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: £78,000
  • Success Rate: <10% (student bursaries; charity grants data not publicly available)
  • Decision Time: Quarterly review meetings (4 per year)
  • Grant Range: £1,000 - £10,000 (£10,000+ exceptional cases only)
  • Geographic Focus: UK-based charities and institutions (some international eye health programs)

Contact Details

  • Website: www.spectaclemakers.com/charity
  • Email: charity@spectaclemakers.com
  • Phone: 020 7236 2932
  • Grant Application Portal: Online applications only via website

Overview

The Spectacle Makers' Charity (registered 2019, charity number 1186122) consolidated two predecessor charities in 2021: The Worshipful Company of Spectacle Makers Charity and The WCSM Education Trust. The charity distributes approximately £78,000 annually to support vision-impaired individuals and their families, and to advance education and research in optics and eye health. Its mission centers on the relief of those in need by reason of vision impairment and/or sight loss, and the advancement of study, knowledge and education in the field of optics for public benefit. The charity takes a focused, themed approach to grant-making, with trustees meeting quarterly to review applications aligned with specific priority areas each cycle.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Charitable Grants (Quarterly Themed Rounds)

  • Small grants: £1,000 - £2,000
  • Medium grants: £2,000 - £5,000
  • Large grants: £10,000 (exceptional cases only)
  • Application method: Online applications with quarterly deadlines aligned to themed meetings

Student Bursaries

  • Amount: Up to £1,000 per student
  • Eligibility: Students on degree and diploma courses in dispensing, orthoptics, optometry, ophthalmic imaging, and allied eye health subjects; nurses studying MSc in clinical ophthalmic practice or primary care ophthalmology
  • Success rate: Fewer than 1 in 10 applicants receive funding
  • Application method: Online form, applications anonymised for assessment

Academic and Institutional Research Grants

  • Typical range: £10,000 per year for up to three years for major projects
  • Eligibility: Academic and hospital departments in the UK teaching and researching in eye health; institutions undertaking lens development research

Quarterly Grant Themes

The trustees meet four times annually, each with a specific funding theme:

  1. February Meeting - “Information and Support” theme (Deadline: January 3)
  2. May Meeting - “Non-UK Healthcare and Training” theme (Deadline: April 4)
  3. August Meeting - “Employment and Education” theme (Deadline: August 1)
  4. November Meeting - “Wellbeing (Arts, Culture and Sport)” theme (Deadline varies)

Priority Areas

  • Direct support for vision-impaired individuals and their families
  • Educational institutions teaching and researching in eye health
  • Projects with visible and meaningful impact on lives of vision-impaired people
  • Research in optics and lens development
  • Eye health training and capacity building (including international programs)
  • Access to arts, culture, and sport for vision-impaired communities
  • Employment support for vision-impaired individuals
  • Information services and advocacy for sight loss communities

What They Don't Fund

  • Individuals undertaking Master's or PhD research projects
  • Projects where funds will not be received and accounted for within the UK
  • General appeals without clear vision impairment focus
  • Projects without direct benefit to vision-impaired people
Helpful Hinchilla

Ready to write a winning application for The Spectacle Makers' Charity?

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

The charity is governed by the Master, Deputy Master, Upper Warden and Renter Warden of the Worshipful Company of Spectacle Makers, assisted by a Court of Assistants. The charity is administered by a Clerk and Assistant Clerk. No trustees receive remuneration, payments, or benefits from the charity.

David Parkins, Chair of the Spectacle Makers' Charity, has emphasized the charity's commitment to supporting students: “We know that a bursary can only cover a small part of the costs involved in studying for a career in eye health, and we cannot help everyone who applies, but we want to do what we can.” He added: “We ask all applicants to complete the same online form. Everyone has the same chance to tell us why they chose their course, what they love about it, what makes them different, and why they specially deserve that little extra bit of help.”

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

Charitable Grants:

  • Applications accepted online only via the website
  • Must be submitted by the deadline before each quarterly trustee meeting
  • The charity deliberately keeps the application form simple to avoid requiring extensive time and resources from applicants
  • A reviewing trustee will ask further questions as needed after initial submission

Student Bursaries:

  • Complete online application form
  • Applications are anonymised before assessment
  • Panel of trustees individually assesses each application
  • Full board decides on award amounts

Research Grants:

  • Apply via the academic and institutional research grants portal
  • Contact charity@spectaclemakers.com for guidance

Decision Timeline

  • Trustees meet four times per year (quarterly)
  • Applications must be received by the deadline to allow trustees time to review before the next meeting
  • Decisions are made at the quarterly meeting following the application deadline
  • Applicants are notified after trustee decisions are made

Key Deadlines:

  • January 3 (for February meeting)
  • April 4 (for May meeting)
  • August 1 (for August/September meeting)
  • Check website for November meeting deadline

Success Rates

  • Student bursaries: Fewer than 1 in 10 applicants receive funding (less than 10% success rate)
  • Charitable grants: Success rate not publicly disclosed
  • Over 120 students have been supported through bursaries since the program's inception

Reapplication Policy

For organisations that have previously received grants: “Honest reporting of outcomes and an analysis of the long-term benefits delivered by past projects will form a major part of their decision making if a benefiting charity decides to re-apply for funding.”

For unsuccessful applicants, no explicit waiting period or restriction was found. Organisations may reapply in subsequent rounds, particularly if aligning with different themed meetings.

Application Success Factors

Advice from the Funder

David Parkins emphasizes that the charity wants to understand the individual behind each application. For bursaries, applicants should clearly communicate:

  • Why they chose their course
  • What they love about it
  • What makes them different
  • Why they specially deserve support

The charity values simplicity and accessibility in their process, stating: “The Trustees do not want charities to have to spend a lot of time and resources making an application.”

Examples of Funded Projects

Goalball UK: Received a substantial 3-year grant (starting June 2018) to develop goalball in London and raise awareness nationwide, supporting the creation of elite teams for vision-impaired athletes.

Northern Ballet: Funded to create audio-described versions of performances including “What Used To, No Longer Is,” “Have Your Cake,” and "Hansel & Gretel" to make ballet accessible to blind and visually impaired audiences, particularly children.

Glaucoma-NET: Awarded £10,000 per year for up to three years to establish a dedicated website where glaucoma practitioners from low-income countries, especially in Africa, can discuss cases and share learning.

Vision 2020 Links Programme: Long-term support for this initiative launched in 2004 to improve the quality and quantity of eye care training and services in Africa.

Baluji Music Foundation: Supported for their work in music education and performance opportunities for vision-impaired musicians.

Key Success Factors

  1. Alignment with quarterly themes: Match your project to one of the four themed rounds
  2. Clear vision impairment focus: Demonstrate direct, meaningful impact on vision-impaired people
  3. UK accountability: Ensure funds will be received and accounted for within the UK
  4. Specific project focus: Trustees prefer funding specific projects rather than general running costs
  5. Co-funding welcome: The charity considers co-funding larger projects where it can make a meaningful contribution
  6. Track record matters: For repeat applicants, demonstrate honest reporting of outcomes and long-term benefits from previous grants
  7. Keep it simple: The charity values concise, straightforward applications

Language and Terminology

The charity uses terminology including:

  • “Visible and meaningful impact”
  • “Vision impairment and/or sight loss”
  • “Eye health field”
  • “Direct benefit”
  • “Relief of those in need”

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Align with quarterly themes: Time your application to match one of the four themed trustee meetings for best strategic fit
  • Small to medium grants are the norm: Most awards are £1,000-£5,000; don't expect large grants unless truly exceptional circumstances
  • Simplicity is valued: Keep applications concise and focused; trustees prefer not to burden applicants with excessive paperwork
  • Direct impact is essential: Clearly demonstrate how your project will directly benefit vision-impaired people in tangible, measurable ways
  • Consider co-funding: If you have a larger project, position your ask as a meaningful contribution alongside other funders
  • Past performance matters: If reapplying, be prepared to honestly report outcomes and demonstrate long-term benefits from previous funding
  • Competition is high: Particularly for bursaries (sub-10% success rate); make your application stand out by showing what makes you or your project unique

🎯 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