Policy article

Who can apply?

We offer funding to registered charities based in the UK, not-for-profit Community Interest Companies (CICs) and UK universities
2 min read
Which? Fund team

The Which? Fund is open to three different types of organisation: 

  1. Registered charities based in the UK 
  2. UK universities 
  3. UK not-for-profit Community Interest Companies.

 For charities and CICs, we have a set of supplementary criteria. These are about making sure the organisations we fund demonstrate best-practice governance, to help us manage the risk of providing charitable funding. 

If you’re a charity

To help us assure that your organisation is well-managed and to manage the risk we take when providing funding, we only fund UK-registered charities that have: 

  • a Board of at least five independent trustees or directors;
  • its own bank account; and,
  • at least one set of annual accounts published on the Charity Commission website, covering a 12 month operating period.

We also ask that charities do not have significant unrestricted reserves, defined as in excess of 12 months operating costs, as this will often suggest you could fund the proposed work yourself. We are also unable to fund organisations in serious financial deficit, or who have recently reported a serious incident to the Charity Commision. 

If you’re a Community Interest Company

We can only fund not-for-profit Community Interest Companies, to ensure that our money is spent in line with our own charitable objectives. Your CIC can be incorporated as a privatecompany limited by guarantee or a private company limited by shares under Schedule 2 of the Companies Act, but must have:

  • a not-for-profit clause in your company articles; 
  • an asset-lock in place; and 
  • at least three independent non-executive directors.

Still not sure?

Check out our Guidance for Applicants and FAQs for more information.