In partnership with the National Autistic Society, Thea and Peter Boshier have established a new grant scheme, The Boshier Grant Scheme.
Priority Areas
Projects must align with one of the following priority areas and must have a direct benefit to autistic people:
Public understanding and representation
Increase public understanding and acceptance of autism
Support increasing numbers of autistic people in influential positions within the media, government or via health and education.
Education
Improve access to education for autistic children
Improve the quality of education for autistic children
Improve knowledge, understanding and skills of teachers who look after autistic children.
Work and employment
Increase employment opportunities for autistic people
Improve the workplace environment for autistic people
Offer vocational training opportunities for autistic people
Increase employment opportunities for autistic people from minority and marginalised backgrounds.
Diagnosis
Reduce diagnosis waiting times
Provide advice and guidance around diagnosis
Pre- and post-diagnosis support for parents, carers and autistic people themselves.
Public services and specialist care
Develop new financial models of providing support (supporting people who opt for self-directed support)
Improve environments in specialist settings.
Families and support networks
Respite care and support for parents/carers, including day trips and outings
Community support groups
Support for families when carers are no longer able to provide care (for example, through the death of a carer).
Themes
Applicants must also be able to demonstrate that their project enables at least one of the following themes:
Values autistic individuals
Maximises autistic power
Guarantees support
Adapts public spaces and services
Is free from discrimination.
Funding Information
Grants of up to £25,000 will be awarded to registered charities throughout the UK, who share the National Autistic Society’s vision to create a society that works for autistic people.
Eligibility Criteria
The Boshier Grant Scheme is open to charitable organisations of any size in the UK. Applicants must be registered with the Charity Commission and have a charity number and bank account.
They will only award grants to projects which benefit the lives of autistic people in the UK. They will not consider applications from outside the UK.
They will not consider applications for multi-year funding and successful applications must be able to show clear consideration of the financial sustainability of the project and demonstrate how the project will last beyond the lifespan of this funding.
They prefer to fund projects in full, however, they also accept that large scale projects with large budgets can have enormous benefits to the community. If the contribution from The Boshier Grant Scheme is less than 100% of the total project cost, they expect to see clear evidence of the impact the funding from The Boshier Grant Scheme will have and evidence of match-funding so that the project can go ahead (this includes if unrestricted funds are being used).
Theywill not fund core costs (the running costs of your organisation, including administration costs, accountancy and audit costs, general office costs). However, they will consider all costs related to a project (including staff costs and overheads).
