FAQs January 2024 application round
We are not being prescriptive about eligible income levels of charities as we are trying to encourage both small as well as large charities to apply. So, we encourage applications from charities whatever their income levels are and encourage charities not to be deterred from applying if small.
By location we mean within the local authority boundary of the town or city where our offices are located. So, you could have a project that would cover one or more Shoosmiths locations. Your charity may be based in another part of the country, but it is the location of your project that is the key. If your project is UK wide, please explain in the application any connection/relevance to our UK locations.
Yes, a London wide project would be eligible for an application.
No, not if the project is purely access to justice focused. The Shoosmiths Foundation has three areas of funding focus. Each time we announce a call for applications we define which funding theme and types of projects we are looking for. The current round is seeking applications for projects in the UK that advance a carbon net zero UK aligned with a just transition. The application form provides further details of eligible projects.
All applications need to be able to define net zero impacts, so including details about carbon emissions avoided as a consequence of the project. That would need to be made clear in all the answers. Could such a project be ringfenced so that any funds – if awarded – would be clearly spent solely on the net zero part of the project and the net-zero impacts measurable?
Yes, please ensure the application makes clear the relationship, how it operated and why the change etc.
The Shoosmiths Foundation is set up to award grants to UK registered charities only.
We have stated in the application form that if a charity seeks funding to assist switching to renewable energy source/s for the property/ies where it operates from this may form part of but must not be the sole scope of the application. So, to be eligible for this funding round we would be looking for evidence of your charity’s specific work to assist in the advancement of a net zero UK as part of this entry.
No, but we are looking for any application to be clear about how and when a project is going to be delivered.
It is difficult to define the decision and therefore grant awarding dates as it will partly be dependent on the number of applications received and therefore the assessment and decision-making process. We would understand, therefore, in terms of any proposed mobilisation that dates included in an application might change.
Shoosmiths could be the sole, principle or one of a number of funders of a project but we would need to understand the part any Shoosmiths Foundation funding would play so that the impact specifically of our funds would be clear.
Given the nature of this funding request it will be an important part of how a project’s impact is measured, so that might include predicted savings, savings achieved in similar projects as well as other key performance indicators the project will be measuring to define success. We are also keen to understand how a charity will report to the Shoosmiths Foundation about the project.
Yes, we encourage applications from charities in Northern Ireland and equally encourage applications local to our offices whether charities operate in England, Scotland or Northern Ireland. Shoosmiths has an office in Belfast. See the link here for all our locations.
We are trying to restrict funds to within the borough of an office location but if you view Q3 if for instance an application was made in London we would consider so the answer could be yes but please think carefully about any project applied for that it would be as close as possible to our Birmingham office as well as thinking about the just transition aspect of that project.
Our Solent office details are here, the work being undertaken would need to fall within the borough that the Solent office is located.
See answer 8.
Given that the Shoosmiths Foundation has advancing a net zero UK as one of its funding priorities any project this time needs to think carefully how it can evidence that this objective is being advanced if funded. So, what metrics as well as carbon emissions would be used to track success to evidence the project would be having such an impact and therefore advancing a net zero UK?
At this stage it is not possible to state timing of any future round or theme. That will partly be dependent on any grants awarded in the current round.
No immediate plans, so encourage any application by the 4pm Monday 26th February 2024 deadline.