The Ragdoll Foundation
The Ragdoll Foundation’s Open Grants Scheme supports the cultural sector’s work with children and young people. Our vision is to support high quality, innovative arts engagement projects where the concerns of childhood can be heard.
During 2022 the Ragdoll Foundation is refocusing its grant-making. The open grants scheme will close after the spring main grants round. A new priority area is being researched and developed, currently articulated as: supporting gifted young women from disadvantaged backgrounds to develop their talents and skills in the arts and creative media, with a view to achieving their full potential.
We do not yet know whether the new programme will include an open grants element, but in this final main grants round, eligible organisations can apply to either priority – please note the different deadlines:
NEW – Initiatives that support gifted young women from disadvantaged backgrounds to develop their talents and skills in the arts and creative media, with a view to achieving their full potential. The deadline for stage one applications that respond to the NEW priority is Thursday 31 March, for projects where delivery begins in September 2022 or later.
Details of eligibility criteria, timescale, and how to apply are in the guidance documents in the left-hand column above. Please download and read either the CYP or NEW guidance notes before applying. Please also visit our FAQ and Grants Awarded pages to understand more about the kinds of projects we support. The application form cannot be filled in online: you must download and save it to a laptop or desktop, complete using Adobe Acrobat DC, save, and send.
As a small foundation, we keep administrative costs to a minimum to focus resources on grant giving. We are not able to discuss prospective applications or to give extensive pre-application advice. Thank you for your interest in the Ragdoll Foundation.
Who can apply
Not for profit organisations in the Arts and cultural sector
Restrictions
Individuals, sole traders, or proposals that only benefit one individual
Organisations that do not have a formal constitution or governing document
Organisations or activities that are for profit
Organisations that have been operating for less than one year, or that cannot provide one full year of accounts
Proposals from organisations based outside of the UK
Local authorities, other statutory bodies, or organisations delivering statutory services
Schools or other formal education institutions (state, private, mainstream or special) as applicants, including ‘friends of’ school groups
Activity that is not legally charitable
General circulars or fundraising appeals
Capital costs (including property, building renovations and equipment costs)
Websites, apps, resources, publications or seminars, unless part of a wider proposal
Academic research, scholarships, bursaries, or any kind of student fees
Training courses or qualifications (including informal qualifications such as Arts Award or Duke of Edinburgh’s Award)
Overseas travel or residential projects
Core organisational, operational or staff costs (other than a small percentage related to the project)
Regular, ongoing, continuing or core projects and programmes
Retrospective funding: any costs incurred before we make our funding decision
Retrospective funding: funding for projects that have already started or are fully committed to at the time of making the application, OR projects that will begin or must be fully committed to before we make our funding decision
Top up or emergency support where an existing funder has pulled out for any reason
Projects which effectively replace school provision
Projects which include competitions or prizes
Projects which have largely therapeutic aims, including art therapy projects
Projects that seek to promote religious or political views
Animal welfare or medical research
Resubmissions of projects that have previously been unsuccessful in securing Ragdoll Foundation funding, unless we advise you to apply to a different Open Grants strand
How to apply
Application form (available on website) should be completed and submitted by email to applications@ragdollfoundation.org.uk.