Spectra Charity

Spectra Charity (Reg 1174045) aims to promote and protect the good health and wellbeing of individuals in London and surrounding areas; in particular, groups who are socially marginalised, at particular risk and/or economically disadvantaged, by providing peer led clear, accurate and credible information, advice and support services.

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Spectra Charity

Spectra Charity (Reg 1174045) aims to promote and protect the good health and wellbeing of individuals in London and surrounding areas; in particular, groups who are socially marginalised, at particular risk and/or economically disadvantaged, by providing peer led clear, accurate and credible information, advice and support services.

The work of Spectra Charity reflects and supports the work of Spectra CIC (Reg 07975254). Spectra CIC work particularly with LGBTQ+ communities, including young people and adults, offering counselling, independent health advocacy, social groups, peer mentoring, sexual health support, testing, training and outreach. Spectra CIC and Charity are working towards a world where all communities reach their full potential by being empowered and supported to make positive, informed life-choices.

In addition to the grants, individuals may apply for a hardship grant at any time of the year if they are a current service user at Spectra. You will need to do this via a staff member who you interact with at Spectra.

Mission & Aim

The Simon Dennis Award, established in memory of our friend, Board Member and Trustee who sadly died in 2022, are grants from Spectra Charity to support small, grassroots organisations with aims and objectives that align with Spectra’s own vision.

The Simon Dennis Award are grants of up to £2,500 for grass-roots organisations or community groups that are supporting individuals who are experiencing discrimination, stigma, lack of opportunity and/or health inequalities on the grounds of gender, sexuality, trans status or sex worker status.

These awards are especially suitable for initiatives that are challenging and dismantling barriers experienced as a result of deprivation and inequality.

The deadline for current round grants application is 30th November 2024.

This round we especially want to hear from applicants working with and / or providing services for people who engage in sex work.

Eligibility Criteria

  • Grants will be considered and awarded up to twice per year.
  • Organisations who can apply include registered charities or constituted not-for-profit groups, unincorporated community/support/ membership groups of individuals operating not-for-profit.
  • Ability to evidence your organisation/groups purpose, need, relative financial stability, capacity to manage the grant and deliver the project.
  • If you are as unincorporated group you will need a charitable or not for profit organisation to sponsor your application and provide banking administration for the grant. In exceptional services Spectra CIC may be able to provide such sponsorship.
  • Grants are not available to statutory providers, local council’s or NHS Trusts.
  • Organisations already in receipt of a Simon Dennis award within the previous two funding cycles are not eligible to apply.

Grants criteria

  • Up to a maximum value of £2,500.
  • Proposed projects, activities or services must align with Spectra’s mission, aims and the type of work we do.
  • Proposed projects or activities that are not direct service provision (for example research, policy, advocacy or partnership activities) must be demonstrably relevant to service delivery.
  • If the grant is for provision of services these must be free for the service user at the point of delivery.

Grant Rounds

Where funds permit, Trustees aim to hold two grant rounds per year.

It is expected that these will be publicly announced and communicated to stakeholders, with clear closing dates stated, however Trustees reserve the right to dedicate one or more funding round to a particular cause or purpose. Where they do so they will directly invite applications from parties serving the issue in question, at the Trustees discretion.

Any applicant who believes they are eligible may submit a bid at any point in the year, however they will only be considered and awarded as part of each promoted grant round.

The maximum number of grants awarded will be 6 in each grant round.

Reporting requirements

At the end of the project, recipients will be required to:

  • complete a one-off narrative report, including (if appropriate) a case study, photos (if available, with consent)
  • account for the expenditure of the grant in line with the agreed budget of the grant (a financial reporting template will be provided)

Application is via submission of a Grant Application Form and all supporting documentation via email to: grants@spectra-london.org.uk.

Deadline for current round grants application: 30th November 2024.

Supporting documentation should include:

  • Copy of the last accounts of your group (and/or sponsor)
  • Copy of the constitution (rules) of your group (and/or sponsor)
  • Copy of the latest annual report (or equivalent) of your group (and/or sponsor)

If your group is unable to provide any of these documents please note this on the application form with a justification and provide alternative evidence wherever possible. N.B. Spectra CIO will not award any grants without suitable evidence of your organisation/groups purpose, need, relative financial stability, capacity to manage the grant and deliver the project.

Spectra CIO understands that small and grass-roots organisations may have limited human resource and/or be inexperienced in grant applications such as these. We also know that un-constituted organisations will have very diverse types of supporting evidence for their application – we aim to offer as supportive, flexible and inclusive application process as possible.

If you wish to discuss any aspect of your application or need additional support to complete the application process please contact Aneela Majid at aneela@spectra-london.org.uk

Spectra will notify applicants of the outcome a maximum of 6 weeks after the closing date. Where an application has been refused, we will aim to provide feedback whenever possible. We are a small team at Spectra, please bear in mind that this may not always be possible.

Grant Application Form