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Grants for charities

We provide grants and wider support to charities that can deliver innovative, practical skills and employment opportunities for individuals facing barriers to work.

The programmes we fund are often experimental in nature, and help prove that through taking a creative, targeted approach to widening talent pools and supporting harder to reach groups, we can build a better, fairer, more productive society.

We are currently focused on:

  • Helping prisoners gain skills and move into lasting employment on release
  • Removing barriers faced by refugees to develop skills and get meaningful work
  • Supporting people at Critical Transition Points in their lives and careers

The latest Charity partner stories on the City & Guilds Foundation website:

Supporting young carers in employment

Supporting young carers in employment

by | 15 Mar 2023 | , , , , , ,

Young carers provide unpaid care and support to family members or friends who have a disability, illness, mental health condition, or substance misuse problem. According to our partners the Carers Trust there were 177,918 young carers in England and Wales at the last census and additionally there are 29,000 young carers in Scotland. However, this is widely believed to be the tip of the iceberg, with some estimates suggesting that as many as one in five schoolchildren are young carers...

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Applications for Cockpit September intake now open including six funded places

Applications for Cockpit September intake now open including six funded places

by | 13 Mar 2023 | , , , ,

For over 30 years, Cockpit has provided funded and subsidised studio spaces for talented craftspeople in London, along with in-house business support and coaching. Applications are now open for our September intake, with a number of funded places you can apply for listed below. The deadline for applications is 11th April. The Radcliffe Emerging Maker Award is for a maker from any craft discipline who has already reached a level of excellence in skill and is looking to take their practice to...

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Reflecting on our achievements in 2022

Reflecting on our achievements in 2022

by | 14 Dec 2022 | , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

As the end of 2022 fast approaches, the team at the City & Guilds Foundation took some time to reflect and share their top highlights and achievements from the last year and moments to be proud of. Laura Mountain “Thinking about what we’ve collectively achieved over the past year, it is really incredible and just goes to show what you can do with brilliant, passionate people who constantly pull together – and challenge each other – to do the best they can. A particular highlight for me has...

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Invitation to take part: Improving Diversity in Craft Businesses with Cockpit

Invitation to take part: Improving Diversity in Craft Businesses with Cockpit

by | 20 Sep 2022 | , , ,

Calling all craft businesses. The craft world has a diversity problem – let’s change that. Craft businesses are invited to get involved in a new project to help improve diversity in the craft workforce. Our vision is a future industry where anyone, from any background, can get in and get on. Help us make it happen. Between October 2022 and July 2023, we will work with five businesses to explore and develop new approaches to improving workforce diversity. The opportunity is open to companies...

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City & Guilds Foundation & The WOW Show release new wellbeing resources for students

City & Guilds Foundation & The WOW Show release new wellbeing resources for students

by | 12 Sep 2022 | , , , , ,

With the new school year in full swing and student wellbeing a priority, the City & Guilds Foundation have teamed up with The WOW Show and partners Votes for Schools to launch an exciting new film and classroom resources to help young people build self-confidence. The animated film - The skills you didn’t know you had! - features a cast of near-peer characters in everyday situations underlining messages about the skills that are inside us all – if only we recognise them: Resilience,...

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Widening participation in heritage crafts: training bursary for Black and ethnically diverse makers

Widening participation in heritage crafts: training bursary for Black and ethnically diverse makers

by | 2 Aug 2022 | , , , , ,

The City & Guilds Foundation sponsors the Heritage Crafts training bursary targeted at Black and ethnically diverse makers, which is an under-represented group in heritage crafts. This guest post is by Daniel Carpenter of Heritage Crafts. For more information, see their website: heritagecrafts.org.uk. It is still the case that the UK craft sector does not accurately reflect the diversity of the UK as a whole and, for this reason, we are taking positive action to target this grant at Black...

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Applications for the London Creative Network (LCN) Programme at Cockpit open until 08 August 2022

Applications for the London Creative Network (LCN) Programme at Cockpit open until 08 August 2022

by | 22 Jul 2022 | , , ,

The London Creative Network (LCN) Programme at Cockpit is a professional development programme designed to provide free creative business support to craftspeople who have talent and aspiration to succeed. They are now inviting applications to join them from September to December 2022. What's included Whatever stage you are in business or practice, confident communication is key to success. This autumn, our workshop programme will focus on advancing your business practice through communication...

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Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust (QEST) Applications for funding opening 11 July 2022

Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust (QEST) Applications for funding opening 11 July 2022

by | 6 Jul 2022 | , , ,

The Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust (QEST) awards scholarship and apprenticeship funding of up to £18,000 to talented and aspiring craftspeople working in a broad range of traditional and contemporary skills, from farriery and thatching to jewellery design, glassblowing and millinery.  Our next application round is open 11 July - 15 August 2022 and we are looking for more talented applicants - would you be able to help us spread the word to your members, followers and network?...

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City & Guilds Foundation supports new bursary for Black and minority ethnic trainees

City & Guilds Foundation supports new bursary for Black and minority ethnic trainees

by | 26 May 2022 | , , , ,

The City & Guilds Foundation and Heritage Crafts are delighted to announce a new bursary for Black and minority ethnic trainees in heritage crafts. The first bursary is being awarded to Nkosi Kerr, who moved to the UK from Tobago in 2019. An incredible talent, he was taught carpentry by his father, a well-respected craftsman. With the support of the bursary, Nkosi will complete a Level 3 Bench Joinery course at the Building Crafts College in London setting himself up to make...

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Connecting Communities: new free service to support London residents into full time employment

Connecting Communities: new free service to support London residents into full time employment

by | 22 Apr 2022 | , , , , , ,

Connecting Communities: Your Bridge to Success Connecting Communities is a free service that can support eligible individuals* into full time employment. There are lots of jobs in the City of London, and Connecting Communities can help individuals by: Improving basic skillsLearning new skillsPreparing for a jobPutting together a CVGaining work experienceAccessing and applying for local jobs To arrange a meeting with one of their experienced Caseworkers, email...

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