The fund aims to support vulnerable, disadvantaged or under-represented communities in areas where Bentley has a corporate presence by providing small grants to charities working with local people. The Bentley Advancing Life Chances Small Grants Programme is provided by Bentley Motors and is being administered on its behalf by Charities Aid Foundation.
Grants of between £150 and £500 are available.
Grants must be spent within 12 months of award.
Applications are accepted from charities and not-for-profit organisations including:
- Registered charities, including charitable incorporated organisations (CIOs).
- Constituted organisations and non-registered charities.
- Community interest companies (CICs) and community benefit organisations (where there is a minimum of three unrelated directors).
- Churches and other religious organisations (if the funded activity is not deemed to be proselytising).
To be eligible, organisations must have:
- An annual income of less than £1 million.
- Been running community activities for a minimum of 12 months in the local area.
- Appropriate insurance in place for activities, staff and volunteers.
- Appropriate information, governance, policies, and procedures (such as Data Protection, Confidentiality and Information Security) that are appropriate for the organisation/activity and comply with all current legislation.
- Safeguarding policies and procedures (including DBS checks for staff, volunteers and trustees) that are appropriate for the organisation/activity and comply with all current legislation.
- Health and safety policies, risk assessments and procedures that are appropriate for the organisation/group/activity and comply with all current legislation.
- Equal opportunities policies and procedures that are appropriate for the organisation/group/activity and comply with all current legislation.
Eligible organisations must be based within a 20-mile radius of the nineteen specified Bentley locations across the UK (see scheme guidance for details).
These are, Bentley Birmingham, B24 9HF and Bentley HQ Crewe, CW1 3PL.
In working to advance life chances, the fund’s priority is to support organisations working with vulnerable people, disadvantaged and under-represented communities. The programme’s areas of focus are:
- Access – Remove the barriers and improve access to services, education and employability.
- Empowerment – Development of the life skills that enable people to be more self-confident, successful and thrive in life.
- Quality of Life – Provide support to live a healthier life both physically and mentally.
- Better Future – Safeguarding the environment, improving nature-deprived areas, drive improvement to ‘place’ and boosting community spirit.
Applications are reviewed quarterly:
- Quarter one 2025 opens for applications on 10 January with a deadline of 31 March with notification of decisions by 10 April 2025.
There is an allocated budget for each funding round and applications may close before the deadline. The funder advises applicants to apply ‘at their earliest convenience’ before the deadline for each funding round.
An online application form is available to complete on the Charities Aid Foundation website.
Eligible organisations must be based within a 20-mile radius of the nineteen specified Bentley locations across the UK (see scheme guidance for details).
These are, Bentley Birmingham, B24 9HF and Bentley HQ Crewe, CW1 3PL.
