The Waterloo Foundation
Derren Hayes
Tuesday, July 31, 2018
The Waterloo Foundation (TWF) is a Cardiff-based independent grant-making foundation created in 2007 that supports projects that tackle disparity of opportunities and wealth and the unsustainable use of the world's natural resources.
One of its four key programmes is child development which focuses on funding research and support projects for the psychological and behavioural development of children. Other priority areas are world development, the environment and Wales.
The Child Development Fund is aimed at supporting research-based and practical projects covering a range of childhood developmental conditions.
What is funded?
TWF's main priority is funding research on the psychological and behavioural development of children, particularly in certain neurodevelopmental conditions and the factors that influence them. Projects can be delivered either by researchers themselves or support organisations.
In 2017/18, conditions covered by the fund included Rolandic Epilepsy, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, developmental trauma, sleep and exercise, diet and microbiome, and motor impairments.
An example of a research project funded by TWF is The Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children - a long-term health research project based in the University of Bristol that gathered genetic and environmental information about children born in 1991 and 1992 to more than 14,000 mothers. The study helped identify links between a mother's health and children's IQ.
TWF also supports the dissemination of findings from child development research. This can take the form of website development, helplines, newsletters and conferences.
Small-scale intervention projects are also supported. This may take the form of helping families who are affected by child developmental conditions. The foundation welcomes such applications at any point throughout the year.
The National Autistic Society received funding for its Help programme which offers support for parents and carers of school-age children, young people and adults who have a recent diagnosis of an autism spectrum disorder.
What is not funded?
Generally, TWF does not fund support for individual children with developmental conditions, including homes, equipment or therapists.
How much is available?
Levels of funding are typically between £40,000 and £60,000 per research project. It supports a wide range of projects, differing by research question, methodology, and existing funding.
For practical projects, there is no total amount available, but awards do not usually exceed £10,000.
Who can apply for funding?
TWF accepts applications from projects that have a recognisable charitable purpose. If applicants are not from a registered charity, they will need to send a copy of their constitution, to ensure that there is sufficient public benefit.
Applicants can be:
- A registered charity
- A charity with a formal constitution and an income of less than £5,000
- A social enterprise or not-for-profit organisation
- A community interest company
- A charitable incorporated organisation
- A non-governmental organisation based outside the UK
- A university/academic institution
How to apply
Applications should include a summary of the project, the rationale for it, key goals and how they will be achieved and any supporting evidence.
Other required information includes the project timescale, a summary of job descriptions for any posts included in the application, all sources of funding, expected impact of the project including how success will be measured, and plans for sharing learning from it.
Timescales
Applications are initially assessed according to general scientific quality and in terms of WTF's scientific strategy and interests. Applications successful at the initial stage are peer reviewed. Applicants will have the opportunity to respond to points raised by reviewers, which reviewers can then comment on.
Deadlines for 2017/18 funding applications have now passed. As a general rule the timing of practical and dissemination awards will be the same as for research awards, but there is scope for flexibility.
More from: waterloofoundation.org.uk
Funding roundup
- Initiatives that tackle loneliness among young people will be able to apply for funding as part of government efforts to tackle the issue. The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport said £1m has been allocated as part of a new £11m Building Connections Fund. The fund will open to bids from next month, with grants available until the end of December 2020.
- City Bridge Trust, the City of London Corporation's charitable arm, has awarded £110,000 to the Black Training and Enterprise Group, based in Islington. The funding will pay for the charity's BAME Connectivity Programme, which offers leadership training and workshops to organisations promoting education, employment and criminal justice.
- Railway Children has been awarded a new grant worth £3m from UK Aid Direct, which will help transform the lives of street children in Tanzania. The three-year project, funded by the Department for International Development, will promote the rights of children living and working on the streets in Tanzania, through advocating for the implementation of the UN General Comment 21 on children in street situations.
- Projects helping young people prepare for the world of work in and around Hastings have been given a £70,000 funding boost. They are among 21 to receive a share of £1.5m from the Careers & Enterprise Company Opportunity Area Fund. The money has been allocated to projects in deprived areas that focus on activities including work experience, volunteering and skills development, and are aimed at young people of secondary school age in greatest need of support.