The Western Front Association
At a glance
This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. Don't spend time on an approach; the similar funders below support the same kind of work.
Key takeaways
- This funder is relevant mainly to schools and to doctoral researchers working on the First World War, so a small charity outside those groups is unlikely to fit.
- Its small grants of £100 to £500 go only to schools that have taken part in its competitions and activities, and it does not accept unsolicited requests, so a school should first join in and wait for the invitation the charity sends to eligible schools in the summer term.
- Individual PhD grants of up to £2,500 are open only to students in their second or later year, and anyone who has already received one of these grants is not eligible; applications run from 1 September to 1 December, with a supervisor's reference required.
- Because the annual report gave no usable grants total and no grant range is stated, the charity's wider competitiveness cannot be judged from these facts.
Overview
The Western Front Association is a charity registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales (charity number 298365).
The Western Front Association is a registered charity that exists to educate the public in the history of the Great War, with particular reference to the Western Front. It was established by a military historian and has grown to around 6,000 members worldwide. Its giving is split between grants for schools, which include travel expenses, small grants of £100 to £500, and exceptional support for special battlefield tours for groups of young people, and individual grants of up to £2,500 for doctoral research through its university scheme.
What they fund
Priority Areas
The Western Front Association supports education and research about the First World War. Its education initiatives encourage critical and creative engagement with Great War history, offer grants and competitions to inspire new learning and research, and fund opportunities for young people to learn more about the conflict. It makes grants to schools for teaching and learning projects, including workshops, classroom artefacts, museum or battlefield visits, travel and special battlefield tours. Its university scheme offers individual grants to doctoral candidates for research that makes a new and definitive contribution to knowledge of the First World War; projects need not be limited to the Western Front. School competitions and awards also encourage pupils to undertake local and historical research. The Association combines this support with publications, events and projects to educate the public about the Great War.
Themes
- Great War education
- First World War research
Geographic Focus
UK; International.
What they don't fund
- University PhD Grant Scheme only: Individuals are not eligible if they have already been awarded one of these grants
How to apply
Eligible schools receive an invitation to apply for a small grant in the summer term.
Application windows:
- University PhD Grant Scheme: Applications are accepted from 1 September until 1 December.
- Malcolm Doolin Award for Local History Research: The project starts 1 September and closes 11 June; registration closes 31 January.
Who can apply:
- University PhD Grant Scheme: Registered on a recognised PhD/DPhil/MPhil Programme, either full or part time. Can be registered at a UK or International Higher Education Institution. Applicants must be in their second (or later) year of study when they hold the award.
- Malcolm Doolin Award for Local History Research: Open to primary and secondary schools
What to send:
- University PhD Grant Scheme: A reference from one of the applicant’s supervisors.
- Malcolm Doolin Award for Local History Research: A completed registration form.
Applying again: University PhD Grant Scheme: Individuals are not eligible if they have already been awarded one of these grants, but those who have applied in the past are eligible to apply again.
Application success factors
What the charity says:
- Schools applying for the small grants must have participated in WFA competitions and activities.
Where they fund
Where it says it funds
- United Kingdom
- International
Similar funders
Funders supporting work similar to The Western Front Association.
Five years of accounts
| Financial year | Income | Expenditure | Grants paid | Accounts document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| year to 30 June 2021 | £415,356 | £223,281 | — | Accounts for year to 30 June 2021 |
| year to 30 June 2022 | £492,387 | £358,007 | — | Accounts for year to 30 June 2022 |
| year to 30 June 2023 | £480,583 | £426,684 | — | Accounts for year to 30 June 2023 |
| year to 30 June 2024 | £404,013 | £405,591 | — | Accounts for year to 30 June 2024 |
| year to 30 June 2025 | £385,231 | £466,702 | — | Accounts for year to 30 June 2025 |
Figures from the charity’s filed accounts and its register entry. The document icon links to the charity’s entry on the Charity Commission register, where its filed accounts can be found.
Sources
Registers and filings
Other sources
- westernfrontassociation.com
- westernfrontassociation.com/about-the-wfa/schools-and-universities · read on 24 October 2026
- westernfrontassociation.com/about-the-wfa/schools-and-universities/schools-and-competitions · read on 24 October 2026
- westernfrontassociation.com/about-the-wfa/schools-and-universities/university-phd-grant-scheme · read on 24 October 2026
- westernfrontassociation.com/about-the-wfa/schools-and-universities/malcolm-doolin-award-for-local-history-research · read on 24 October 2026
- westernfrontassociation.com/about-the-wfa/history-and-purpose · read on 24 October 2026
- westernfrontassociation.com/about-the-wfa/contact-us · read on 24 October 2026
This profile draws on the funder’s own website as well as its filed accounts.
Sources last checked on 24 October 2026.
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At a glance
Applying to The Western Front Association?
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Applying to The Western Front Association?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required