Frequently asked questions

What is covered by the fields of Community, Environment, Welfare and Youth?

There is a wide range of charitable activity covered in these categories, and your charity may work across more than one category. For example, your charity may support people who are homeless, people with a disability, older people and other people who are vulnerable; your charity may offer activities for young people and be working to benefit a variety of communities; perhaps your charity provides mobile and outreach services or delivers support through community centres; your charity may be making practical headway preserving species or conserving the environment. We welcome applications from charities making a difference in any or all of these areas.

Take a look at our previous winners for the kinds of work and organisations that have been supported through the Awards.

Why are the Awards for Community, Environment, Welfare and Youth specifically?

Charities working in the fields of Community, Welfare and Youth can be especially hard hit by economic instability. When we established the Awards we wanted to work with charities in those fields as we felt they could really benefit from the support the Awards offers.

Despite growing recognition of the sheer urgency of environmental action, charities working in this field report that it is hard to access the funding and support that they need. By extending the Weston Charity Awards in 2023 to include organisations working within the Environment category, we are recognising the value of capacity building for the shift ahead to a sustainable economy and society.

As well accessing free expert advice and networks over a year, and the unrestricted grant funding, winners also benefit from a raised profile by being associated with the Awards. The Awards are intended to enable charities to become stronger, more effective and fit for the future.

What is the Garfield Weston Foundation?

Established in 1958, the Garfield Weston Foundation is a family-founded charitable grant-making trust which gives away around £90 million a year to charities across the UK. Each year the Foundation gives away its income and donations have continued to grow. Since it was established, it has donated over £1.4 billion, of which over half has been given away in the past 10 years alone. In the most recent financial year the Foundation gave away nearly £90 million to over 1,980 charities across the UK.

One of the most respected charitable institutions in the UK, the Weston Family Trustees are descendants of the founder, and they take a highly active and hands-on approach. The Foundation’s funding comes from an endowment of shares in the family business which includes Twinings, Primark, Kingsmill (all part of Associated British Foods Plc) and Fortnum & Mason, amongst others. A successful model that still endures today; as the businesses have grown, so too have the charitable donations.

Known for its transparency, flexibility and straightforward approach, the Foundation supports a broad range of charities from small community organisations to large national institutions. Around 2,000 charities across the UK benefit each year from the Foundation’s grants. The Awards are open to both charities who have already established a relationship with the Foundation, including current grant holders and charities the foundation doesn’t know yet. For more information about the Foundation and its grant-making, please go to www.garfieldweston.org

Please be aware that if you are eligible to apply for the Awards you can also apply separately for a grant – either or both can be considered independently.

What is Pilotlight?

Pilotlight is a charity that amplifies the impact charities, business and individuals can bring to make a better world. It creates and manage programmes that address the challenges charities face and provide them with the expertise and resources they need to thrive. Since 1996, we’ve helped over 1,000 charities who tackle social disadvantage to ignite change that lasts.

To find out more about how Pilotlight can support your charity please go to https://www.pilotlight.org.uk/join/charity

Which areas in the UK do you support?

Please take a look at this full list of locations that we support.

What if we are a national charity with an independent centre in one of the eligible areas of the UK?

We are very happy to receive applications from charities with affiliates or an independent franchise in one of our eligible areas. As long as your charity has an independent registration for the work it does in the region and the majority of this activity takes place in the North of England, the Midlands of England or Wales, then we’d be very pleased to receive an application from you.

What if our work also takes place outside of the eligible areas?

You are welcome to apply, provided that at least half of your beneficiaries and activity is within one of our eligible areas.

What if our charity has already worked with Pilotlight?

We are still delighted to receive an application from you, as long as you are not working with Pilotlight at the moment and your relationship with them was at least a year ago.

What if we currently have a grant from the Garfield Weston Foundation?

Then please apply! The Awards are entirely independent of grant decisions made by the Foundation. The Foundation is happy to hear from any charity working in the fields of Community, Environment, Welfare and Youth in one of the eligible areas, whether or not there is or has been a relationship with the Foundation.

What if the Garfield Weston Foundation turned us down for a grant recently?

Then do apply to the Awards! The Weston Charity Awards are separate from the Garfield Weston Foundation’s grant making and it may be that the Foundation just couldn’t support the project you applied for. However, you could still benefit from help with your planning and strategy via Pilotlight 360 – not to mention that winners receive additional unrestricted funds too.

How are applicants selected?

Firstly, we check that your charity fulfils the eligibility criteria and then we will look to understand how you make a difference, what is made better through your work, and how you think the Awards could benefit your charity. We are looking for a combination of enthusiasm to receive an award and to work with Pilotlight, along with existing great work that helps people in need – we don’t expect perfection!

Who decides on the winners?

Award winners are chosen by the Garfield Weston Foundation’s Board of Trustees following a longlisting and then shortlisting process delivered by Pilotlight.

What do the winners get?

Winning charities get a whole package of support over a year to help them thrive. This includes:

• Access to the Pilotlight 360 programme — an eight-month package of leadership coaching worth an estimated £16,000. This programme is tailored to each charity’s needs but often focuses on planning, finances, strategy development, fundraising and expansion.
• An unrestricted grant of £6,500
• Collaborative opportunities and events through Pilotlight’s network of charities across the UK
• Two peer-to-peer support sessions with fellow Weston Charity Award winners to share good practice and learn from each other
• A celebratory event for all winners on completion of the programme
• The enhanced profile associated with receiving this award grant for excellence.

What if we don’t win?

One of the aims of the Awards is to encourage charities to consider a broad range of income sources. Even if you don’t win an award this time, we hope you will take the time to look at the Garfield Weston Foundation website as well as other local and national grant makers. Ensuring your charity isn’t too dependent on one source of income is important so you can keep making a difference, even if one source of funding declines or stops.

Will we get feedback if we don’t win?

Yes. At each stage of the process, you will be informed if your charity has reached the next stage. Take a look at the application process for further details.

If your charity doesn’t win, where possible, we will indicate alternative support that might be of benefit. We hope that everyone who applies gets something out of the process, even if it is just the awareness of additional funding sources or other capacity building support that may be available to your charity.

What will we be expected to do if we win an award?

The winners participate in the Pilotlight 360 programme where they will work with Pilotlight over eight months, accessing the support of senior business leaders at monthly meetings.

You will also be included in press articles to launch the Awards in June. This means you will need to be available to provide quotes and/or case studies about your work.

During the year you and your board will engage closely with Pilotlight. We ask that the representatives of your charity who attend the meetings are the most senior individuals (e.g., the Chief Executive or equivalent and/or the heads of important roles such as operations, finance or fundraising). We also ask that the board is fully committed to engaging in the programme and that a trustee attends at least one in three meetings.

How much of my time will being a winner take?

Pilotlight 360 typically takes up to one day a month of the Chief Executive’s time. However, as with most things, the more you put in, the more you get of it. Working with Pilotlight gives you valuable space, time and guidance to think about your charity and what it needs to flourish.

Charities working with Pilotlight find the advice and support they receive from the empathetic senior business leader ‘Pilotlighters’ hugely valuable. Take a look at our case studies to see the kinds of outcomes you can expect.

You can consider this one day a month as an excellent investment in helping you and your charity become fit for the future.

My charity has never applied for any type of award before. Should we?

Yes. We understand that you may need a leap of faith and some confidence to apply to the Awards. However, if you think your charity makes a real difference to the people it serves and could do with some strategic support to help it get to the next stage of its development, then apply, because you never know what might happen!

How is Pilotlight 360 delivered?

Pilotlight 360 monthly meetings are a mix of in-person and virtual meetings. Those meetings that are in person, are held in Pilotlight’s London office. Charity leaders will need to be able to meet in person for four of the ten meetings, including one visit to the charity's location and three meetings in Pilotlight’s London office.

Please feel free to mention any concerns or Covid-19 related constraints to Pilotlight’s team regarding programme delivery.