Apply for Funding

Purpose of The Vision Fund

Our social impact funding supports projects that are designed to improve the experience of being blind or partially sighted, or at risk of sight loss, in the UK. We are an evidence-led funder and base our programmes on where we feel our funding will have the greatest impact.

Our current funding round focuses on projects designed to reduce levels of loneliness and/or isolation experienced by blind and partially sighted people throughout the UK. It is open to organisations across the UK.

We’re particularly keen to support organisations who demonstrate a strong commitment to involving experts by experience, i.e. blind and partially sighted people or people at particular risk of sight loss, in their work.

Further Guidance

Our latest research suggests that loneliness and isolation affects blind and partially sighted people more than both the general and disabled populations. We’re looking forward to sharing the detailed findings of our work in the New Year but in the meantime you can find out more by watching our webinar here.

Through our funding rounds we like to explore some of the emerging themes from our research, including projects that:

• Reduce loneliness and isolation for people living in rural areas
• Increase people’s confidence in engaging in activities that reduce loneliness and isolation and improve well-being, e.g. cultural, physical and work related activities
• Equip people with practical and sustainable tools and skills that reduce anxiety about interacting in person or online, e.g. digital or interpersonal skills
• Support people to build and maintain healthy personal relationships that reduce feelings of loneliness and isolation
• Address specific challenges faced by under served groups, e.g. the LGBT+ community, black or Asian communities and people with multiple disabilities or learning differences
• Focus on the ways that challenging life events can increase loneliness and isolation for blind and partially sighted people, e.g. relationship breakdown, bereavement or experiencing domestic violence and abuse.

Who Can Apply For Our Funding

The Vision Fund supports organisations who directly support blind and partially sighted people or people at risk of losing sight. The following types of organisation are eligible:

• UK Registered Charities
• Registered Charitable Incorporated Organisations (CIO)
• Charitable companies, limited by guarantee
• Community Interest Companies (CIC), limited by guarantee
• Exempt charities (e.g. educational establishments)

We can only fund registered organisations as above and are unable to support individuals.

What will happen after a grant is awarded?

Successful applicants will be asked to agree to our Grant Terms and Conditions. These include regular reporting about the progress of your project, the reach of your work and the impact you are making. We hope that you will work with us to share news of your work and success stories.

Contact us

If you have questions about applying to The Vision Fund, please email grants@visionfoundation.org.uk and include the words “Vision Fund” in your subject line.