Small Grants

Staff Hardship Fund

Since its introduction in 2018, demand for the Foundation’s Hardship Grants has increased year-on-year and the company has maintained its additional contribution of £50,000. This year, the Foundation has supported 190 (FY23/24: 252) grant applications to a total amount of £140,785 (FY23/24: £197,358). The rising cost of living has played a significant part in the high number of applications received across the year.

Community Grants

Demand for the Foundation’s Community Grants continued steadily again this year with £100,000 profiled for this financial year. During 2024/25, the Foundation has supported 98 (FY23/24: 78) Community Grants to a value of £109,831 (FY23/24: £101,344). Examples of grants made this year include the following:

A grant of £2,500 supported the ‘Up on a Star’ mixed arts project, which runs arts projects for adopted children. The Foundation’s grant paid for workshops for adopted children in Teesside, leading to a visual arts exhibition.

Growbaby Bury offers 0—5-year-old clothing and essential equipment free of charge to parents and carers in Bury. A£625 grant has expanded the organisation’s donation capacity and directly supported around 100 people.

The Lewis Foundation (TLF) provides free gift packs and support to adults going through cancer treatment in hospitals across the Midlands. A grant of £1,000 enabled TLF to provide gift packs for 550 individuals.

Match Funding Grants

Demand for the Match-Funding Grants increased considerably this financial year. The Foundation supported 89 Match-Fund grants (FY23/24: 49) to a total of £30,993 (FY23/24: £16,619), which showed a significant rise from FY23/24 numbers.

This year, we sustained the awareness of the ‘Match it’, launched in the FY22/23, which is an extension of the Match-Funding Grants, to reward those who are volunteering for registered charities. In an effort to continually engage and promote charitable giving for CareTech Ltd staff, ‘Match it’ ensures that staff can make contributions to their favourite charities beyond just fundraising for them, they can instead volunteer and secure up to £350 for the charity.

Awards for fundraising by staff and service-users are capped at £350 per eligible applicant participating in the activity. Where more than one eligible applicant participates in an activity, the award can be higher.

Examples of Match-Funding Grants made include:

Ayrshire Hospice is the only specialist palliative care for adults with life-limiting illnesses in Ayrshire and Arran. The CareTech Ltd team at Fosterhill took part in their ‘It’s a Knockout’ event and raised £1,025. With a further £1,025 in matched funding, Ayrshire Hospice received £2,050.

Both Kenton’s wife and mother were diagnosed with cancer and received support from the Christie Charity through
the pandemic and beyond. Kenton completed a 62-mile cycle from Manchester to Blackpool, raising £887 to ensure the organisation can continue to provide services to fund projects for cancer patients. The Foundation recognised his incredible effort with an award of £350.

Patrick completed a rough sleeping challenge with his wife, raising £250 for RBLI and veterans experiencing
homelessness in the UK. The Foundation awarded Patrick with a Match-Funding Grant of £250.