The Worshipful Company Of Information Technologists Charity

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £180,193 (2024)
• Success Rate: 2-3%
• Decision Time: 6-8 weeks after quarterly deadlines
• Grant Range: £5,000 - £15,000 (exceptionally higher)
• Geographic Focus: UK-wide
• Application Method: Rolling applications, quarterly decisions

Contact Details

Website: www.wcit.org.uk / wcitcharity.org.uk

Email: charity@wcit.org.uk / info@wcit.org.uk

Phone: 020 7600 1992 / 020 3871 0253

Address: 39a Bartholomew Close, London EC1A 7JN

Application Portal: https://bbgm-apply.yourcausegrants.com/apply/programs/4d3674f5-bf3d-4474-9357-79ca31d692c9

Overview

The Worshipful Company of Information Technologists Charity (registered 2006, charity number 1113488) is the charitable arm of the WCIT, founded in 1987 as the 100th Livery Company in the City of London. With total assets and annual income of approximately £422,625, the charity has distributed almost £4.5 million in grants over its history, supporting hundreds of causes. In 2024 alone, they awarded over £130,000 to 12 organizations across the UK. The charity's mission is “to use the power of tech for impact through digital inclusion, education, charitable, and public engagement initiatives across the entire UK.” They are committed to transparency through the 360Giving Data Standard and follow principles of “open and trusting grant-making,” including commitments to not waste time, ask relevant questions, accept risk, and act with urgency.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Standard Grants (£5,000 - £15,000): Rolling application basis with quarterly decision meetings (February, May, September, November). Applications considered four times per year. Most grants fall within this range.

Major Grants (£15,000+): Available in exceptional circumstances with additional scrutiny. Past examples include £300,000 awards to CALM and Missing People for AI chatbot solutions, and ongoing support for Gresham College's IT Professorship.

Small Ad-Hoc Grants (under £5,000): Available for smaller projects through the same application process.

Priority Areas

The charity funds projects that make innovative use of information technology in one or more of these areas:

• Education: Enhancing opportunities for young people through more effective IT education and training
• Inclusion: Improving quality of life for the disadvantaged, disabled, or socially excluded through digital access
• Tech for Charities: Helping charities and not-for-profit organizations maximize their IT effectiveness
• Public Understanding of IT: Improving public awareness and understanding of IT capabilities

What They Prefer to Fund

• Development and delivery of innovative new services, solutions, or training
• Apps, analytics, AI, robotics, or accessibility features/hardware
• Projects where WCIT is a material or sole funder
• Projects where they are the sole funder of the IT component within a larger initiative
• Projects demonstrating innovative use of IT
• Scalable projects with potential for wider replication
• Sustainable projects with long-term impact
• Organizations that could benefit from pro bono support alongside funding

What They Don't Fund

• Hardware refreshes (replacement laptops/desktops)
• Off-the-shelf software packages
• Basic websites
• Network and telephony costs
• Migration to cloud services
• Large national charities with significant income and reserves
• Small contributions to large projects (e.g., £15,000 toward a £300,000 initiative) where impact would be minimal

Ready to write a winning application for The Worshipful Company Of Information Technologists 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

Chair of Board of Trustees: Jo Connell OBE DL (Past Master of WCIT, received OBE in 2012 for services to older people)

Chair of Trustees: Stefan Fafinski (Past Master of WCIT, Founder Governor of Hammersmith Academy)

CEO: Susan Hoefling (25+ years in financial services, 5 years as school business manager)

Board of Trustees: 11 trustees total, including Stefan Fafinski, Richard Pone, Serena Chaudhry Pandey, David Berry, Maxine Ricketts, Matt Eglin, John Angel, Gary Moore, Peter Cordery, Rob Wirszycz, and Bryan Parkinson (Mercer trustee).

The Board generally meets quarterly and has strategic responsibility for the charity's management. No trustees receive remuneration. The charity also benefits from 20 volunteers who support its work.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

1. Review Guidelines: Download and read the Application Guidelines and Grant Making Policy

1. Prepare Application: Download the offline draft application form (available in Word format) to prepare your submission

1. Submit Online: Complete the online application through the charity's portal at https://bbgm-apply.yourcausegrants.com/apply/programs/4d3674f5-bf3d-4474-9357-79ca31d692c9

• Grants £5,000-£15,000: One external referee contact
• Grants over £15,000: Two external referees plus most recent annual report or AGM minutes

Decision Timeline

• Application Deadlines: Quarterly (February, May, September, November)
• Meeting Schedule: Charitable Operations Committee meets four times per year
• Decision Timeframe: 6-8 weeks after each deadline
• Volume: Approximately 60 applications received per quarter
• Awards: Typically 2 grants awarded per quarter

Success Rates

• Current Success Rate: 2-3% of all applications
• Competition Level: Extremely competitive due to high application volume relative to available funding
• 2024 Awards: 12 organizations funded from hundreds of applications

Reapplication Policy

No specific reapplication policy is published. Unsuccessful applicants should contact the charity directly for guidance on reapplying.

Application Success Factors

Based on WCIT Charity's documented preferences and recent grant awards, successful applications typically demonstrate:

Innovation in IT Use: Projects that go beyond basic technology implementation to innovative solutions. Recent funded examples include AI chatbots for crisis support (CALM, Missing People), Soundbeam technology for children's hospices (Lifelites), and robotics education modules (Royal Signals Museum).

Material Impact: WCIT emphasizes they want to “put money where it can have the most impact.” Applications where their grant is a small fraction of a large budget (e.g., £15,000 toward £300,000) are unlikely to succeed. They prefer to be material or sole funders.

IT as Core Component: Technology must be central to the project, not peripheral. They fund projects “where they are sole funder of the IT component of a larger project.”

Scalability and Sustainability: Projects should demonstrate potential for “wider replication” and be “sustainable over time.” Show how the project can continue after funding ends or be adapted by other organizations.

Measurable Outcomes: Applications must focus on “outcomes which can be formally reported on.” Include clear metrics and evaluation plans.

Organizational Capacity: Smaller organizations are preferred over “large national charities with significant income and reserves.” Demonstrate need alongside capacity to deliver.

Alignment with Vulnerable Communities: Recent grants show strong preference for projects supporting homeless individuals (Thames Reach), older Londoners (Age UK London), young people in hospices (Lifelites), and coding education in custody (Code4000).

Digital Champions Model: The Age UK London grant (£14,599) for training “digital champions” who cascade learning suggests the charity values train-the-trainer approaches that multiply impact.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Be realistic about your chances: With a 2-3% success rate and 60 applications per quarter for 2 awards, competition is fierce. Only apply if you have a genuinely innovative, IT-centered project with material impact.

• Focus on innovation, not infrastructure: Hardware refreshes, cloud migrations, and basic websites are explicitly excluded. Focus on innovative solutions like apps, AI, robotics, or accessibility technology.

• Make WCIT's contribution meaningful: Don't request £15,000 as a small part of a much larger budget. Position WCIT as a material funder whose contribution makes a significant difference to the project's success.

• Demonstrate scalability: Show how your project can be replicated by other organizations or expanded to reach more beneficiaries beyond the initial implementation.

• Prioritize vulnerable communities: Recent grants heavily favor projects supporting disadvantaged groups—homeless individuals, isolated elderly, children in hospices, young people in custody. Clearly articulate how your project serves vulnerable populations.

• Allow adequate time: With quarterly deadlines and 6-8 week decision periods, plan your application timeline carefully. The next deadline is February 6, 2026, with decisions by mid-March.

• Prepare strong references: For grants over £5,000, you'll need external referees who can speak to your effective project delivery. Identify and brief these referees in advance.

References

• WCIT Charity official website: https://wcitcharity.org.uk/
• WCIT Charity application page: https://wcitcharity.org.uk/apply-for-a-grant/
• WCIT Charity about page: https://wcitcharity.org.uk/about/
• WCIT Charity small grants page: https://wcitcharity.org.uk/small-grants/
• WCIT Charity major grants page: https://wcitcharity.org.uk/major-grants/
• WCIT Charity latest grants announced: https://wcitcharity.org.uk/latest-grants-announced/
• Charity Commission Register: https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-details/?regId=1113488&subId=0
• 360Giving GrantNav - WCIT Charity: https://grantnav.threesixtygiving.org/org/GB-CHC-1113488
• The Worshipful Company of Information Technologists: https://wcit.org.uk/