Funding for new research projects exploring the consumer harms faced by diverse and disadvantaged communities, or identifying innovative solutions to these issues.
There is a total funding pot of £75,000.
There is no set minimum or maximum grant.
It is anticipated that a small number of high-quality projects will be funded. Applicants should cost their project based on what they need.
It is expected that projects will take up to 12 months to complete.
Who Can Apply
Applications will be considered from UK registered charities, UK universities that are exempt charities and not-for-profit Community Interest Companies (CICs) registered in the UK.
UK registered charities must have:
- A Board of at least five independent trustees or directors.
- Their own bank account.
- At least one set of annual accounts published on the Charity Commission website, covering a 12-month operating period.
Community Interest Companies (CICs) must have:
- A not-for-profit clause in their company articles.
- An asset-lock in place.
- At least three independent non-executive directors.
CICs may be incorporated as a private company limited by guarantee or a private company limited by shares under Schedule 2 of the Companies Act.
Applications that involve partnerships are welcome as long as the lead organisation meets the eligibility criteria and the relationships and division of labour between the parties is clearly set out in the application.
The following are not eligible for funding:
- Projects providing direct support to individuals, such as existing communiity projects.
- Unregistered charities.
- For-profit organisations
- Organisations that are based outside of the UK.
- Proposed research that does not address the issues for the current call.
- Work already completed.
- Registered charities with significant unrestricted reserves (e.g. in excess of 12 months of normal operating costs).
- Charities that are in serious financial deficit or have recently reported a serious incident to the Charity Commission.
- Charities with fewer than five independent trustees or non-executive directors.
Eligible Expenditure
The Summer 2024 call offers restricted grant funding to support work aiming to:
- Improve understanding of consumer harm affecting diverse and disadvantaged communities, including novel harms in digital markets.
- Identify evidence-led, pragmatic solutions to consumer harm.
- Develop partnerships and encourage collaborative working to provide a more powerful voice for all UK consumers.
The funding is for specific, strategic projects, with the potential to benefit large numbers of people by changing policy, regulation or practice.
The grant will cover costs which are directly attributable to work furthering the Consumer Association’s charitable purposes:
- For charities, the funding will cover staff salaries and a reasonable amount of core costs/ overheads, in proportion to the size of the project. Capital costs for equipment will only be funded where specifically required to complete a project.
- For UK higher education institutions (HEIs) and not-for-profit CICs, the grant will cover all direct costs related to the management and delivery of the project, but not indirect costs.
Full details can be found in the guidance notes available on Which? website.
How To Apply
There is a two-stage application process:
- Stage 1 (outline) applications are accepted from 17th June 2024 to 16th September 2024 (5pm). Notification of short-listing within approximately six weeks.
- Stage 2 applications (by invitation only to successful stage one applicants) will be accepted for an 8-week period, from the week commencing 21st October 2024. Notification of decisions within approximately 10 weeks.
The Stage 1 (outline) application form is available upon request by sending an email to:
- Raveene-Jonelle Dompreh
Which?
2 Marylebone Road
London
NW1 4DF
Email: funding@which.co.uk
The guidance notes and FAQs can be found on the ‘Consumer insight’ page on the Which? website: Which? – Search results for Which? Fund 2024
An organisation can only submit one application for funding per funding round.
Applicants who have questions or need support with the application process may contact the Which? Fund via email.