Smaller and medium sized grants, usually for between £1,000 and £30,000, are available to UK registered charities and individuals working in the UK and/or overseas.
The Maria Bjornson Memorial Fund primarily supports artistic enterprises, arts-related activities and individual artists. Its principal areas of interest are:
- The advancement of education by providing assistance to both individuals and organisations working in the areas of the performing arts and the visual and creative arts (most of the Trust’s grants are made against this objective).
- The advancement of education by promoting medical and scientific research, and
- The relief of hardship and suffering by promoting medical care and assistance to disabled and sick individuals and their carers.
Please note that, while the charity is known for providing smaller and larger grants to UK registered charities and individuals working in the areas of medical and scientific research, people with a disability, health and well-being, carers, in recent years the charity has focused its grant-making on organisations and individuals and organisations of the performing, visual and creative arts. The Charity’s website provides further information about its background and current priorities.
When making grants in response to applications from individuals, the Trustees typically required the grant payment to be made to another a charitable organisation, in order to ensure that it was applied for wholly charitable purposes. For example, a number of grants were paid to other registered charities that generously agreed to act as an individual's 'fiscal sponsor': the sponsor received the grant on behalf of the individual and agreed to ensure that it was applied for the purpose of the grant. Grants made to individuals were normally for study and to complete courses which will help them to contribute to excellence in the arts.
The Trustees consider that the Charity has adequate reserves and have reviewed and revised the financial plans for the coming twelve months, and intend to continue their programme of awarding grants on a quarterly basis, in accordance with their grant-making policy. Further information is available on the Trust’s website.
Applications may be made at any time in writing.