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Grants programme

We invest more than £500,000 in grant funding every year to support the staff at our Trust.

Announcement

Calling all Trust staff!

Funding call OPEN NOW:

Up to £10,000 available for VR and AR projects.

Email grants@cwplus.org.uk or follow the ‘Apply now’ link for more information.

Deadline: 6 February

£62,000 to fund a Specialist Palliative Care and End of Life Care Clinical Fellow to support the team at West Middlesex University Hospital

£74,840 to refurbish the NICU/paediatrics parent accommodation, providing a homely place for parents to rest while going through a worrying time

£979 to install a screen in a dental paediatrics consultation room showing moving portraits of domestic and wild animals, helping to distract and calm young patients

£350 for a watercolour painting session led by a fine art occupational therapist for the Critical Care Outreach Team at West Middlesex, to promote team building and wellbeing

Low lighting, candles and fairy lights in hospital room — £1,400 to equip the Birth Centre at West Middlesex University Hospital with items including mood lighting, battery-powered candles, fairy lights and a CD player to create a calm and relaxing environment

£1,480 so that staff can wash and store donated clothes as part of a wider project designed to ensure patients’ dignity on discharge

What we fund

The CW+ Grants programme funds a wide range of projects, from ‘quick fixes’ that help to improve patient experience and care to large-scale service development and transformation projects. We also contribute to staff training and development, and support staff wellbeing. Take a look at some of the recent projects we’ve funded.

Apply for a grant

If you’re a member of staff at our Trust, there are lots of ways we can support you.

Big Ideas

£10,000-£25,000

For projects that promote new clinical innovations, services, facilities and technologies, including pilots to develop business cases in the Trust.

CW+ and The Friends Charity Grant

£2,000-£10,000

For projects that promote new clinical innovations, services, facilities and technologies.

Training, Education and Development Grant (TED)

Up to £2,000

Non-mandatory career development opportunities for all clinical and non-clinical Trust staff.

Small Change Big Impact (SCBI)

Up to £2,000

Fast-track funding for ideas that support staff in the delivery of frontline patient care and patient experience.

Staff Wellbeing and Amenities Grant (SWAG)

Up to £500

For items and initiatives that support wellbeing and morale, including equipment for staffrooms and team-building opportunities.

Booster Grant

Up to £250

Aimed at junior and non-clinical staff members, this grant is for small items that enhance patient experience, such as sensory items, radios and children’s games.

Joint Research Committee (JRC)

CW+ co-funds the JRC grant programme. The JRC promotes and coordinates Trust-based research activity by supporting research at all levels and across departments. More information is available on the Trust website.

Special purpose funds

Special purpose funds arise when funds are donated to Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust or CW+ for specific purposes, often by grateful patients or their relatives, but can also be fundraised by Trust staff and teams to put towards a project or initiative. For special fund expenditure over £2,000, fundholders are required to notify the CW+ Team in advance.

To find out more about the special purpose funds or whether your department already holds one, email grants@cwplus.org.uk.

I’d definitely recommend applying for a grant – it’s very easy. You can make big differences to your team and your clinical area

Staff member

Having previously worked in a trust without charity support, I really do appreciate the incredible backing we get from CW+. I can’t thank you enough!

Staff member

Thanks to a CW+ grant, I attended an Occupational Therapy Congress in Krakow, which enhanced my knowledge and expanded my professional network. Thank you, CW+, for supporting this enriching experience!

Tiffany Lin, Team Lead Occupational Therapist at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital

Grants FAQs

Can I get help completing a grant application form?

Absolutely! If you have any questions while completing the form, or before starting it, just get in touch and we will guide you through it.

Are there terms and conditions?

Yes, you can find our terms and conditions here. They will also be sent to applicants once their applications are approved. We also have Special Funds Guidelines, which are sent to fundholders when opening a new fund.

Who can apply for a grant?

The CW+ Grants Programme is available to all Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust staff. If you are not sure if you are eligible, get in touch with the team.

Can I apply for a TED grant for my research project?

No, we don’t fund research through our grants budget. For information on funding for research, please get in touch with the Research & Development Team at the Trust at chelwest.research@nhs.net or 020 3315 6825.

When can I apply?

Our grants programme is ongoing, and Trust staff can apply at any time.

How long does it take to get a decision?

Expected timelines for decisions depend on the amount requested:

For grants under £2,000, the projects are approved internally at CW+. We aim to make a decision within 2-3 working days.
For projects between £2,000 and £10,000, applicants are required to present to an Operational Grants Group for feedback and decisions. The group meets monthly, and is made up of members of CW+, The Friends Charity and Trust staff.
Projects over £10,000 need to get all appropriate endorsements from the Trust (IC, IT, Medical Equipment, etc) and other Trust Boards. Once all these endorsements are in place, applicants will present to the CW+ Grants Committee for a final decision.

Get in touch with the Grants Team to learn more about the process and when key meetings are scheduled.

What if I’m not sure which grant scheme my project fits under?

Just get in touch with the CW+ Grants Team – they will let you know which scheme would be most appropriate for your application.

Top tips for submitting a successful grant

Read all the information on the grant you’re applying for, including the terms and conditions.
Make sure that you include as much detail as possible in clear, plain English, adding links if necessary.
Ensure the costs fit within the grant budget that you’re applying for. Include any quotes you have received.
Check with colleagues within the relevant department for suggestions that might strengthen your application.
Talk to your Divisional Director to get their approval and support for the project.

Are there deadlines for submitting a grant?

There is no cut-off for submitting a grant, apart from our Special Funding Calls, such as the CW+ Nurses, Midwives and AHPs Call, which opens once a year in the autumn. We will provide deadlines and timelines for any special funding calls on our website.

What happens now I've been awarded my grant?

Once you’ve been awarded, you’ll receive an award letter along with the grant terms and conditions. The Grants Team will follow up with next steps, but if you have any questions along the way, please get in touch by emailing grants@cwplus.org.uk.

Does anyone else need to approve my application?

The Trust team(s) that will need to endorse your application will depend on the funding being requested. Check with your ward manager(s) to get contact details for the teams below.

The project must meet all Trust regulations, including IPC, IG, procurement procedures etc.
Any project that affects the material structure of the hospital estate must be approved by the Estates Department.
If you are applying for any IT hardware, you will need to check with the IT Department that it meets the Trust’s requirements.