Grants of between £500 and £1,000 are available for locally-based UK registered charities with an annual turnover of under £100,000 for children's play schemes this summer.
The Woodward Charitable Trust’s Summer Play Schemes Grant programme awards small one-off grants, normally of between £500 and £1,000 to locally-based UK registered charities with an annual turnover of under £100,000. There is a matched funding requirement for the Trust’s Summer Play Scheme grants: the Trust will only funds up to 50% of the cost of providing a play scheme up to the maximum grant value of £1,000 (this was previously £2,000, although the majority of grants made last year were for £750).
The Trust sets aside a budget every year for summer play schemes that take place during the long summer holidays for disadvantaged children aged between 5 and 16. Grants are made to charities that run summer play schemes for a period of at least 10 full days or more (alternatively, 2 weeks or 20 half days) across the summer holidays will be considered. Play Schemes should be inclusive and encourage integration by accepting those of differing abilities, social and ethnic backgrounds. Applications from charities that encourage past users to come back as volunteers are particularly welcomed, as are applications that can demonstrate that their play scheme makes a real impact in the local community.
The Trust tries to ensure its funding is distributed across the UK.
Preference is normally given to:
- Play schemes catering for those from disadvantaged backgrounds or who have a disability.
- Play schemes that involve a large number of children.
- Play schemes where past users are encouraged to come back and help as volunteers.
- Small local play schemes that provide a wide-ranging programme of activities. Trustees prefer activities that are relatively inexpensive such as crafts and cooking, as well as outdoor activities and sport, and
- Trips that are educational and motivational or relate to the natural environment such as to the seaside or countryside.
Further information, guidelines and an online application form is available on the Trust’s website.
The deadline for 2025 applications has now passed. The scheme should reopen in 2026.