The Equilibrium Foundation has announced the launch of the Equilibrium Foundation Grant Awards, through which it will provide £60,000 in funding annually to smaller and lesser-known charities in the North West of England, centering around a different theme each year.
A staggering 34% of children in the North West currently live in poverty (compared to 28% in the rest of England), and 1.1m homes in the North have failed to meet ‘decent homes’ criteria. With the cost-of-living crisis worsening many families’ situations, the inaugural awards will support charities which are helping to address the geographical imbalances that exist within the region.
Applications are now open to charities based in the North West with a turnover of less than £1m, closing on the 26th of May. A judging panel made up of Equilibrium staff, clients and associates will decide on the winning charities based on application information. The winners of this year’s awards will be announced in July.
Established in 2010, The Equilibrium Foundation is the charitable giving arm of Wilmslow-based Equilibrium Financial Planning LLP. Since 2015, it has been supporting charities across the North West through its Community Support Scheme which provides grants of up to £500 to five winners every six months. The foundation has also launched a financial skills programme which aims to equip children with a financial understanding that will carry them through life. So far, the foundation has raised over £750,000 for charitable organisations and aims to raise £4m by 2028.
Sarah Warburton, Head of Culture and trustee of the Equilibrium Foundation, said: “There are countless charities doing vital work in our community and beyond that most people will never get to hear about unless we actively give them the opportunity to introduce themselves.
“We already support a wide range of charities across the North West through our Community Support Scheme and the Equilibrium Foundation Grant Awards will ensure that we give where it matters most.
“As an annual event, the awards will have a different theme each year, enabling us to spotlight a range of issues. We encourage applications from smaller, newer charities to increase awareness of how they’re making a difference.”
