FAQs

The next grant round opens on Monday 5th October and closes on Thurs 15th October at Midday.

PLEASE NOTE: We close the application form at Midday for all of our deadlines - we cannot accept applications after the deadline has passed.

Any Young Person aged 11-19 (up to 25 with additional needs) who has been a 'continuous' residence in Plymouth for 3 years before the date of the award.

Applications should be from young people who have a passion, an aspiration, a goal for the future. Who have overcome significant difficulties / challenges in their lives or who do not have the financial means to take advantage of opportunities available to them.

Grants are available for up to £500.

We expect applicants to be able to detail what they want to spend the grant on. Also, only ask for £500 if you require that amount.

The Plymouth Aspirations Trust aims to assist individual young people in Plymouth who have been recognised by a supporting organisation as having an aspiration to achieve higher and greater things towards recognising their wider aspiration to include sporting, musical, artistic, vocational or academic endeavours.

Examples of applications that have been funded in the past include:

Army cadet residential, boxing lessons, dance lessons, attendance at sporting competitions, purchase of musical instruments, engagement in activities that further a particular interest.

FUNDING THE UNUSUAL

In addition to the examples above, we want to hear from people who have passion and interests that are different.

We are very open to supporting young people with ideas they may consider unusual. If you want to be the world's best jungle explorer or you have passion for the stars or want to learn to code the next best selling computer game, we want to hear from you.

• We don’t fund retrospectively - If you have already paid for the item / activity you are requesting, the charity will not award a grant.

  Please only apply for future activities, items and costs, not for expenses you have already paid out.

• New computers and Laptops - we will consider second hand

• Group applications from a school, group or club attending the same event.

• General gap year/work experience/overseas school trips, including volunteering where there is no link to future ambitions.

• General trips that have no clear link to future goals / aspirations

• Historically applications that are raising confidence and self-esteem in the short term don't score as highly as those who detail the impact longer term.

• Applications where the amount requested is not realistic or there is no breakdown of costs

• We don’t fund driving lessons

• We don’t fund gym membership unless it links clearly to a future goal / ambition

• As stated in the Grant Guidance document, we do not fund retrospectively.

Our trust policy requires the details of a parent or guardian for all applications. Because our funding is given out in 'trust' and we do not meet applicants in person, we rely on this secondary contact to verify the application. This is a standard accountability measure we use across the board to ensure our funds are distributed correctly. Having a parent or guardian confirm the application helps reduce the chances of the funding being spent inappropriately.