The Victoria Wood Foundation

Charity Number: 1170494

Annual Expenditure: £0.2M

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £191,940 (year ending April 2023)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly available
  • Decision Time: Applications reviewed twice yearly (July and December)
  • Grant Range: Up to £5,000 (typically)
  • Geographic Focus: Primarily North of England (Greater Manchester, Lancashire), London; other UK regions considered

Contact Details

Website: www.victoriawoodfoundation.org.uk

Email: cathyedis@gmail.com / info@victoriawoodfoundation.org.uk

Phone: 07715 593995

Administrator: Catherine Edis

Overview

The Victoria Wood Foundation was established in 2016 following the death of the acclaimed British comedian, actress, musician, and screenwriter Victoria Wood CBE (1953-2016). The foundation is a grant-making charity supporting arts organisations across the UK, with a particular focus on theatre, music, and dance in the community. With annual grants totalling approximately £192,000, the foundation favours smaller charities where modest donations can make a significant impact. The trustees, all former friends of Victoria Wood, meet twice annually to consider applications from registered UK charities working in areas that would have interested Victoria, particularly in regions where she lived and worked throughout her lifetime.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation operates a single grant program:

  • Arts Grants: Up to £5,000 (typically) - Supporting UK arts organisations encompassing all aspects of theatre, music, and dance in the community. Applications reviewed at twice-yearly trustee meetings (rolling basis with July and December decision points).

Priority Areas

  • Theatre: Community theatre, emerging directors, theatrical productions
  • Music: Music education, community music projects, musical theatre
  • Dance: Community dance projects, dance education
  • Geographic Priority: Strong preference for projects in areas where Victoria Wood lived:
  • Greater Manchester (Prestwich, Bury, Rochdale, Manchester)
  • North London
  • Birmingham
  • Lake District
  • North Yorkshire
  • Organisation Size: Particularly interested in smaller charities where modest donations can make a significant difference

What They Don't Fund

  • Individuals
  • Study courses
  • Foreign travel or expeditions
  • General appeals
  • Youth and community associations (unless arts-focused)
  • Retrospective funding
  • Statutory bodies
  • Religious organisations
  • Animal, wildlife, or environmental causes
  • Theatrical productions (as standalone commercial ventures)
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Governance and Leadership

Trustees

The foundation has seven trustees, all former friends of Victoria Wood:

  • Charlotte Scott
  • Roger Glossop
  • Piers Wenger
  • Lucy Ansbro
  • Jane Wymark
  • Nigel Lilley
  • Davina Walter (also trustee of Tower Hill Trust and The City of London Endowment Trust for St Paul's Cathedral)

All trustees serve on a voluntary basis and receive no remuneration from the charity.

Administration

Catherine Edis serves as the foundation's administrator and is the primary point of contact for applicants.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

  1. Initial Contact: Contact the administrator Catherine Edis preferably using the contact form on the foundation's website, or email info@victoriawoodfoundation.org.uk with brief details of your project
  2. Review Criteria: Before applying, review the “What do we support?” page on their website to ensure your project aligns with funding criteria
  3. Guided Process: The administrator will guide you through the application process once initial contact is made
  4. Requirements: Applicants must be registered UK charities

Decision Timeline

  • Trustee Meetings: Twice annually, in July and December
  • Application Deadline: Applications must be received at least two weeks before the next scheduled meeting
  • Decision Time: Decisions made at trustee meetings; exact notification timeline not publicly specified
  • Key Dates:
  • For July meeting: Submit by mid-June
  • For December meeting: Submit by mid-November

Success Rates

Specific success rates and application volumes are not publicly available. The foundation distributed £191,940 in grants during the year ending April 2023, with individual grants typically up to £5,000, suggesting approximately 38-40 grants awarded annually.

Reapplication Policy

No specific reapplication policy is publicly documented. Applicants are encouraged to contact the administrator for guidance on reapplication.

Application Success Factors

Alignment with Victoria Wood's Interests: The foundation is explicitly designed to support areas that would have interested Victoria Wood. Understanding her artistic legacy is valuable:

  • Victoria Wood was a pioneering comedian who grounded her humor in everyday British life
  • She had diverse artistic interests spanning comedy, music, drama, and documentary
  • She cited music hall and variety greats as inspiration (Vesta Victoria, Gracie Fields, Max Miller, Hetty King, Ken Dodd)
  • Her later career included musical theatre, notably “That Day We Sang” for Manchester International Festival (2011)
  • She won more television BAFTAs than anyone in BAFTA history

Geographic Connection: Strong preference for projects in areas where Victoria lived - Greater Manchester (especially Prestwich, Bury, Rochdale), North London, Birmingham, Lake District, and North Yorkshire. If your organisation operates in these areas, emphasise this connection.

Community Arts Focus: The foundation explicitly favours “theatre, music and dance in the community” - projects that bring arts to everyday people and communities align well with Victoria Wood's artistic philosophy.

Small Charity Impact: The foundation explicitly states they favour “smaller charities where a modest donation can make a big difference.” If you're a small organisation, demonstrate how a grant up to £5,000 would have significant impact.

Recent Grant Examples:

  • The Light Inside received £25,000 - note this exceeds the typical £5,000 maximum
  • Victoria Wood Bursaries through JMK Trust supporting emerging theatre directors at Royal Exchange Manchester and Leeds Playhouse (2023)

Application Approach: Initial contact should be brief with key details; the administrator will guide you through the full process, suggesting a preference for concise, focused initial inquiries.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Regional focus matters: Strong preference for North of England (especially Greater Manchester) and London-based projects in areas where Victoria Wood lived and worked
  • Small is beautiful: The foundation explicitly favours smaller charities where £5,000 or less can make a meaningful difference
  • Community arts are key: Projects that bring theatre, music, or dance to communities align with the foundation's mission
  • Twice-yearly cycle: Plan applications around July and December trustee meetings, submitting at least two weeks in advance
  • Personal connection: Trustees are former friends of Victoria Wood; demonstrating alignment with her artistic values and legacy can strengthen applications
  • Initial inquiry approach: Start with brief details to the administrator rather than a full formal application
  • Know Victoria's legacy: Understanding Victoria Wood's artistic interests (comedy, music, everyday British life, variety tradition) can help frame applications appropriately

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