Steve Morgan Foundation

If your charity works only in Merseyside, North Wales, Cheshire west of the M6 or North Shropshire, Steve Morgan is one of the few funders in the region that will pay for core costs, and its regional grants are open all year. Core funding isn’t tied to a project, so it can cover the running of your organisation, website and digital systems included. Make the case for your organisation, then put the money where it’s needed.

• What they fund: Salaries, ongoing project costs and core costs for organisations improving the lives of people in the region.
• Typical grants: There’s no fixed figure. Each year’s grant is capped at 25% of your annual turnover, and you can ask for up to three years.
• Who can apply: Charities, CICs and other not-for-profits that work only within the foundation’s area. Local branches of national charities generally can’t apply.
• The angle: Because core costs are in scope, you don’t have to dress a website up as a project. Show how a stronger organisation means better support for the people you work with.
• Worth knowing: The 25% cap means smaller charities get smaller grants, so budget realistically. After a grant ends you’ll need to wait at least a year before applying again. Use the foundation’s postcode and area guidance to check you’re eligible before you start. You must have an annual turnover of at least £300,000-£5,000,000

Timetable for applications

• Applications: open all year, no fixed deadline
• Gap between awards: at least one year after a grant ends