We've decided to pause our Main grants programme, meaning the next expected opportunity to apply will be in the autumn.

This short pause gives us time to bring in a new, updated grants system and to make some thoughtful changes to improve how we work at the Foundation. We're using this opportunity to:

• Streamline our internal processes
• Improve the experience for applicants
• Reflect on our funding priorities
• Review how we assess applications
• Explore introducing an Expression of Interest (EOI) stage to help groups know sooner if they are likely to be eligible

We know this news might raise some questions, so we want to reassure groups of the following:

• Our overall grants budget for the year will stay the same – we're still committed to giving out the same amount of funding as planned
• Any Additional grants programmes (separate to our Main grants) will continue to run as normal
• If you've already applied for the May deadline, there's no need to reapply – we'll automatically move it to the next round
• We'll review May applications now and if there are any we don't believe we could fund in the autumn, we'll be in touch as soon as possible to let you know
• The changes we're making are designed to make the process simpler and clearer for everyone applying for a grant in the future

We know how much effort goes into applying for funding, and we want to make sure your time is well spent. Thank you for bearing with us while we make these changes. In the meantime, if you have any questions or feedback, please don't hesitate to contact us.