Refurbishment Fund | John Lyon's Charity

The Refurbishment Fund helps support groups most severely affected by Covid-19 continue to deliver their services as safely and efficiently as possible. Since the onset of the pandemic, John Lyon’s Charity has worked hard to respond to the crisis as quickly as possible to ensure all groups could continue delivering their vital services. The Refurbishment Fund has a particular focus on renovation and repair. Organisations can apply for a grant towards the one off refurbishment costs to the space(s) they deliver their services to young people from.

Eligibility

Organisations that have received funding from John Lyon’s Charity in the past and/or are being funded by JLC at the current time are eligible to apply. Please note - priority will be given to multi-use venues.
Organisations that have at least a minimum two-year lease or equivalent for a Small Grant or a minimum five-year lease for a Main Grant.
The building/venue must be used predominantly for the delivery of Children and Young People's (CYP) activities.

Please note, priority will be given to smaller organisations with a turnover of under £500k.

Schools are not eligible to apply to this Fund.

How much can you apply for?

There are two types of Refurbishment Fund grants available:

Refurbishment Small Grants – up to £10,000
Refurbishment Main Grants – up to £35,000. We envisage the average grant size to be £15,000. For Refurbishment Main Grant applications, the total cost of the project including the contribution from John Lyon’s Charity must not exceed £100,000.

10% of the grant requested from John Lyon's Charity must be allocated as contingency funding for unexpected costs. For example, if you applied for £5,000 from John Lyon's Charity towards a refurbishment project costing £7,500, £500 must be allocated as contingency funding.

What can this grant be used for?

The Refurbishment Fund can be used for:

Minor or essential maintenance to a building such as re-wiring, roof repairs or plumbing.
Small refurbishments such as upgraded kitchens, toilets or communal/delivery spaces.
Upgrading or refurbishing indoor or outdoor activity spaces.
Making spaces accessible to users.
For Refurbishment Main Grant applications, the total cost of the project including the contribution from John Lyon’s Charity must not exceed £75,000

We are unable to fund:

This Fund cannot be used to purchase/renew equipment. The refurbishments should be for delivery/service users’ space and not other spaces such as offices.
Retrospective grants or grants made towards works which have already begun.

Timeframe

Small Grants:
This is a rolling application process with no deadlines. Small Grant applications are considered six times per year.

Main Grants:
March 2024 Round

First stage proposals: Monday 4th December 2023
Application deadline if project taken forwards: Friday 19^th January 2024

Funding must be spent within one year of the grant being awarded.

How to apply

There is a Single-Stage and Two-Stage application process depending on which grant you are applying for. See below which grant applies to you:

Refurbishment Small Grants – Single-Stage application process. The application form can be found on our Grants Portal.
Refurbishment Main Grants – Two-Stage application process. The first step is to submit a proposal via our Grants Portal. Please click here for a brief about what to include in your proposal.

Further information about our Single and Two-Stage application processes can be found on our 'How To Apply' page. We encourage you to think carefully about the project you have in mind and have firm ideas of dates and costings before you apply. Only one refurbishment grant can be awarded per organisation.

Permissions and documentation needed in the application include:

Three quotes for works should be submitted as part of your application.
Relevant permissions, consent and regulatory checks have been obtained to carry out the project.

Additional:

The project should be completed within a year of the grant offer.
Works should be guaranteed by contractors for a minimum of 1 year.

If you are eligible to apply for the Refurbishment Fund, please apply via the Grants Portal here. If you do have any questions regarding this Fund, please contact your Grants Manager or email [email protected].