Sponsor a Hardman Trust grant

The Hardman Trust offers financial support of up to £1500 to help people find their feet after prison. By sponsoring someone, you can be sure that your money will go directly to a person who needs it today, making a real difference to their life and the people around them.

Why sponsor a grant?

When someone leaving prison enters work or training they are less likely to reoffend and more likely to resettle back into their communities successfully. They are better able to support themselves and their families, have improved wellbeing, and financial independence. Each individual we support has a plan for their future, and they need a helping hand to turn that plan into reality. By sponsoring a grant you can be assured that your money will go directly to someone that needs it. The money you donate will cover the cost of training, work related tools or equipment – practical solutions that make a real difference. We’ve been offering this support for 30 years and know it makes a real difference to each person, their family and their wider community.

Some people choose to sponsor a grant in memory of a loved one, to give something back, or to give someone they don’t know a helping hand. Our grant sponsors like knowing their money is going directly to an individual who can benefit from it immediately.

Can I choose who gets the money?

You can specify a criteria for the grant, or leave it open. Some of our sponsored grants are for a specific industry (e.g. people wanting to enter the construction industry). Others are for a specific group of people (e.g. women, or people in a certain part of the UK). Others like to keep the criteria open so that it can go to where the need is greatest. The Hardman Trust will process all applications for support to ensure the money goes to those who need it, and that they receive it at the right time.

How do The Hardman Trust choose who gets the money?

Anyone on a long term prison sentence can apply for financial support from us. Having a limited budget, we focus our financial support on people who are nearing release and who have a clear plan of how to use the money to take their next steps in life. This could be having a clear idea of a job they’d like to get, or a plan for a new business. When we receive an application for support one of our volunteers will meet with the individual and talk through these plans. A committee then makes the final decision on each financial grant, based on feedback from our assessors. If someone is declined support we invite them to reapply once they have completed further research and preparation.

How will I be updated?

For confidentiality reasons we won’t tell you the name of the person who received the financial support, but we will tell you what the money will be spent on and what difference it has made to the individual. You’ll know the age of the person, their gender and their plans for the future. Where possible we will also invite you to any celebration events, so you can meet the grant recipients and see the impact of the grant yourself.

How much will it cost?

A grant can be anything from £150 – £1,500 depending on what the individual needs support with. We provide grants for training and education, tools for work, IT equipment, travel, and items that support wellbeing – such as art equipment, or travel costs to stay in touch with family. The average grant is around £900. You can sponsor a grant at any level.

“Hardman Trust helped me with my confidence. I feel very focused on my future and what I want to do”

Hardman Trust Client

How many grants can I sponsor?

You can choose between a one-off grant sponsorship to help one person, or multiple grants to help several people, depending on your budget.

Can I name the grant?

Yes, the grant can be named after you, in memory of a loved one, or named after your organisation or business.

We’re a business interested in
sponsoring grants

If you are a business with an interest in a certain trade or industry, why not sponsor a grant that focuses specifically on supporting people leaving prison to enter that area of work? We have specialist grants for people entering the construction industry, along with specialist grants for women or people in certain parts of the country. Consider making this part of your corporate social responsibility programme. We’d be happy to discuss naming a grant after your business.

We’re funders interested in
sponsoring grants

We are seeking funding for core costs, projects and our directory, but we are always grateful for funding that is directed specifically towards our grants programme. Some of our funders choose to sponsor specific grants that align with their own aims as a charitable trust or foundation, or a certain location. We’d be happy to discuss naming the grant after your foundation.