The Sunrise Foundation Cio

Charity Number: 1172756

Annual Expenditure: £0.2M

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £230,000 (approximate)
  • Success Rate: Competitive (6-7 grants awarded annually)
  • Decision Time: 8 weeks
  • Grant Range: No minimum or maximum limits specified
  • Geographic Focus: England, Wales, and Peru

Contact Details

Address: 501 Bridge House, Sion Place, Clifton, Bristol BS8 4BW

Phone: 07950 809012

Email: info@sunrisefoundation.org.uk

Website: http://sunrisefoundation.org.uk

Overview

Founded in 2017, The Sunrise Foundation CIO is a Bristol-based grant-making trust (charity number 1172756) that provides financial assistance to charities and individuals working to support disadvantaged people. With annual giving of approximately £230,000, the foundation makes 6-7 grants per year, demonstrating a highly selective approach. The foundation was established following founding trustee Maggie's volunteer work in Peru starting in 2007, where she became involved with a community in the Cusco region. The foundation maintains a dual geographic focus, operating throughout England and Wales while also supporting work in Peru. The trustees bring extensive business and educational experience to their grant-making, with founding trustees having backgrounds in engineering, education, and international development work.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation operates a single grant program with no specified minimum or maximum grant amounts. Applications are accepted throughout the year, with decisions made within eight weeks of receiving a complete application. The process involves a two-stage assessment:

  • Stage 1: Initial enquiry reviewed by trustees
  • Stage 2: Full grant application (if invited to proceed)

Applications are assessed competitively, meaning they are evaluated on merit against other applications.

Priority Areas

The foundation allocates funds where they can see the greatest impact upon disadvantaged individuals, particularly children, living with challenges including:

  • Disability (physical and learning difficulties)
  • Poverty and social exclusion
  • Abuse and neglect
  • Homelessness
  • Mental ill health
  • Dependency (including alcohol and drugs)

Funding supports:

  • Therapy services
  • Equipment
  • Transport
  • Education initiatives

The foundation prioritizes organizations that:

  • Present clear evidence of identified need within their community
  • Have a well-considered plan for service delivery
  • Operate inclusively and non-discriminatorily
  • Use a local workforce wherever possible
  • Enable smaller charities to be more sustainable and have greater impact

What They Don't Fund

  • Activities that schools have a statutory responsibility to provide
  • Projects that begin before grant approval is confirmed
  • Organizations without adequate governance structures (minimum three unrelated trustees/governing body members required)
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Governance and Leadership

Trustees

Maggie (Founding Trustee): After a career in education in Bristol, Maggie began volunteer work in Peru and Bolivia in 2007. She travels between the UK and Peru to oversee the foundation's operations and develop its work in Bristol. Her experience working with disabled children and adults in the Cusco region inspired the creation of the foundation.

Bryan: A Chartered Engineer from Bristol, Bryan retired as Executive Chairman of Integral UK Ltd in Spring 2019. He is married to Maggie and brings extensive business leadership experience to the board.

Sophie: Having worked closely with Bryan and Paul at Integral UK Ltd for over twenty years, Sophie was invited by Maggie to join the Board of Trustees. She works closely with Maggie managing the grant application process and administrative functions.

Paul: Worked at Integral UK Ltd alongside Bryan and brings business experience to the trustee board.

Additional Trustees: The board also includes Richard, Ben, and Edward (who joined in July 2023), expanding the foundation's expertise and governance capacity.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

Applications follow a 10-step process:

  1. Initial enquiry submission
  2. Review/Assessment by staff
  3. Trustees Review
  4. Decision: Proceed to Next Stage or Decline
  5. Complete Full Grant Application (if invited)
  6. Review/Assessment
  7. Trustees Review
  8. Decision: Proceed to Next Stage or Decline
  9. Terms & Conditions/Grant Agreement
  10. Project Start

Application Requirements:

  • Contact Information: Main contact and senior contact must be different people, both over 18 years old
  • Identity Verification: Date of birth and home addresses required for all contacts (fraud prevention)
  • Telephone: Landline numbers mandatory
  • Financial Documentation: Completed year-end accounts required; new organizations (under 15 months) should submit income/expenditure projections
  • Project Budget: Complete cost breakdown with totals, specifying amount requested from the foundation

Critical Stipulation: “You cannot start your project until we have received, checked and approved” the signed conditional offer letter and requested documents.

Decision Timeline

The foundation aims to provide a decision within eight weeks of receiving a complete application. Applicants may be asked for additional information during the assessment period.

Assessment Criteria

Applications are evaluated based on:

  • Evidence of project need
  • Number of beneficiaries reached
  • Alignment with foundation outcomes
  • Organizational annual income
  • Total project cost

Applications are assessed competitively against other submissions.

Success Rates

With 6-7 grants made annually from approximately £230,000 in total giving, the foundation operates a highly selective process. Specific application numbers and success rates are not publicly disclosed, but the competitive nature and limited number of awards suggests a rigorous selection process.

Reapplication Policy

Specific reapplication policies are not publicly stated. Unsuccessful applicants should contact the foundation directly for guidance on reapplying.

Application Success Factors

Evidence and Planning

The foundation looks for “organisations or individuals who present evidence of their identified need within their community and a well considered plan of how they will deliver their services to meet that need in an inclusive and non discriminatory way.”

This indicates successful applications must:

  • Provide concrete evidence of community need (not just assertions)
  • Demonstrate thorough planning and feasibility
  • Show commitment to inclusive, non-discriminatory service delivery
  • Use local workforce where possible

Organizational Capacity

Strong governance is essential:

  • Minimum three unrelated trustees (for charities)
  • Minimum three unrelated governing body members (for co-operatives, friendly societies, other not-for-profit associations)
  • Up-to-date financial records

Post-Award Expectations

If funded, organizations should be prepared for:

  • Monthly or quarterly progress reports (as specified in offer letter)
  • End of Grant Report confirming expenditure and achievements
  • Receipt retention for all purchases
  • Possible site visits for grant verification

International Dimension

While most grants support work in England and Wales, the foundation's connection to Peru and interest in international development may be relevant for organizations with international partnerships or experience working with diaspora communities.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • High selectivity: With only 6-7 grants annually, applications must be exceptionally strong and clearly aligned with priorities
  • Evidence is critical: Generic statements won't suffice; provide specific data about community need and how you identified it
  • Plan thoroughly: The foundation emphasizes “well-considered plans” - demonstrate you've thought through implementation details
  • Focus on impact: Emphasize how funding will enable sustainability and greater impact, particularly for smaller charities
  • Governance matters: Ensure your organization meets minimum governance requirements before applying
  • Be patient but prepared: Eight-week decision timeline, but have all documentation ready including detailed budgets and financial records
  • Local delivery preferred: Highlight use of local workforce and community connections
  • Don't rush: Never start your project before receiving formal approval - this is explicitly prohibited

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