Gatwick Airport calls for Sussex groups to apply for £200,000 of funding

The Gatwick Airport Community Trust is calling on local groups and projects throughout the Sussex area to apply for grants to support their ventures.

There is a total of £200,000 available for groups in Sussex, as well across Kent and Surrey – the application process is now open, and the deadline is 31 March 2023.

Melanie Wrightson, Stakeholder Engagement Manager at Gatwick Airport, said: “Through the Gatwick Airport Community Trust we have been supporting grassroots organisations, charities and voluntary projects to improve people’s lives and help those in need in the Surrey region since 2002.

“We want to urge these important groups to apply for funding. The trustees are looking forward to receiving and considering their applications.”

The Gatwick Airport Community Trust (GACT) encourages and supports schemes that benefit diverse sections of the local community, and are targeted towards the development of young people, the arts, sporting facilities, environmental improvement and conservation, enhancements to community facilities, volunteering, the elderly and the disabled.

Previous recipients of funding from GACT have included Kangaroos in Haywards Heath, a charity which provides year-round clubs and trips for people with learning disabilities and additional needs.

Kangaroos’ Grants and Contracts Manager and one of the initial founders of Kangaroos, Jenni Herrett said: “We are extremely appreciative of the support the Gatwick Airport Community Trust has provided, enabling us to deliver exciting and fun events for children and young people with disabilities, helping them to feel less isolated, be independent of their families and improve their confidence.

“The Community Trust has supported us consistently over the last ten years with grants totalling more than £20,000 which has helped us to organise experiential activities such as overnight and day trips, buying sensory equipment and buying toys.”

Another group which has benefited from the Community Trust is Age UK in Crawley.

Joanna Hatton, Crawley Development Manager at Age UK West Sussex, Brighton & Hove said: “We were so grateful to receive a grant of £2,500 from GACT which has allowed us to set up new social groups for older people in Crawley. We have an activity and lunch club, an afternoon tea group and a monthly film club. The grant has enabled us to hire venues and pay for staff, activities and refreshments. 

“We’d urge eligible organisations to apply for a grant from GACT as the money can make such a huge difference. In our case, we’re directly helping over 200 people in Crawley, tackling loneliness, promoting new friendships and helping older people make the most of later life.” 

In total £200,000 is available across the GACT area of benefit which includes Sussex, as well as Kent and Surrey.

The trustees adopt strict criteria when choosing where to channel funds, focusing on areas in the Gatwick Airport vicinity. As such, beneficiaries must live within the Trust’s Area of Benefit - click here for the map: https://www.gact.org.uk/area.php.

For more information about the Gatwick Airport Community Trust, visit: https://www.gact.org.uk/

The Gatwick Foundation Fund, which is currently closed for applications, will also make £100,000 available to Sussex beneficiaries during the course of 2023 in three funding rounds. 

For more information about the Gatwick Foundation Fund visit: https://www.gatwickairport.com/business-community/community/our-support/foundation-fund/

Sussex social media post

Gatwick Airport has announced a £200k funding pot for community groups helping those in need

#Sussex charities and voluntary projects can apply for grants before 31st March:

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Editors notes

About Gatwick Airport Community Trust The Trust is an independent charity that has been in operation since 2002 as part of the legal arrangements between West Sussex County Council, Crawley Borough Council and Gatwick Airport Limited following publication of the airport’s Sustainable Development Strategy. It awards grants annually for deserving projects within the area of benefit, which covers parts of East and West Sussex, Surrey and Kent. The demand for grants always exceeds the funds available, and the normal level of grants is from £1,000 to £5,000. Occasionally larger amounts may be considered if they will benefit a significant number of people and will make a valuable difference in the longer term. Applicants should seek advice from the Trust BEFORE applying for a larger grant. Gatwick Airport Limited funds the Trust, with the annual amount linked to passenger numbers. The purpose of setting up the Trust was to ensure that, as the airport continued to grow, funds generated by the existence of the airport should be made available to a board of independent trustees, to make a positive contribution to the quality of life of the communities affected by the airport and its continuing growth. Visit: https://www.gact.org.uk/ About Gatwick Foundation Fund The Gatwick Foundation Fund is managed by individual Community Foundations for Kent, Sussex and Surrey on behalf of Gatwick Airport, which oversees the programme and assesses all applications. Each year, there are three rounds of grants, which are split equally between Sussex, Surrey and Kent. Since it was founded in 2016, the Gatwick Foundation Fund has made more than £1m in donations, which support local grassroots community and voluntary projects that make a difference to people’s lives and meet local need. The Gatwick Foundation Fund was suspended in April 2020 due to the pandemic. It operates in Sussex across Crawley, Horsham, Mid Sussex and Wealden, in Surrey across Reigate & Banstead, Tandridge and the Mole Valley area, and in Kent across Tonbridge and Malling, Tunbridge Wells and Sevenoaks. Visit: https://www.gatwickairport.com/business-community/community/our-support/foundation-fund/