THE MARIA BJORNSON MEMORIAL FUND
Smaller and medium sized grants, usually for between £1,000 and £30,000, are available to UK registered charities and individuals working in the UK and/or overseas in the areas of medical and scientific research, people with a disability, health and well-being, carers, and – in particular – the performing, visual and creative arts.
_________
o Application deadline: none – applications may be made at any time in writing and are considered every three months by the Charity.
o Funder: The Maria Bjornson Memorial Fund (founded 2008. Charity number 1126096. Total value of all grants awarded during the year ended 31 December 2023: £438,750 (2022: £398,050)).
o Who can apply: UK registered charities working in the UK and/or overseas. Individuals may also apply for a grant through a recognised UK registered charity.
o Key words: Performing Arts, Visual Arts, Creative Arts, Education, Medical Care, Disabled/Disability, Research, Ill-Health, Individuals, Overseas, United Kingdom.
__________
The Maria Bjornson Memorial Fund primarily supports artistic enterprises, arts-related activities and individual artists. Its principal areas of interest are:
o The advancement of education by providing assistance to both individuals and organisations working in the areas of the performing arts and the visual and creative arts (most of the Trust’s grants are made against this objective).
o The advancement of education by promoting medical and scientific research, and
o The relief of hardship and suffering by promoting medical care and assistance to disabled and sick individuals and their carers.
Please note that, while the charity is known for providing smaller and larger grants to UK registered charities and individuals working in the areas of medical and scientific research, people with a disability, health and well-being, carers, in recent years the charity has focused its grant-making on organisations and individuals and organisations of the performing, visual and creative arts. The Charity’s website provides further information about its background and current priorities.
During the year ended 31st December 2023, the Trust awarded 66 grants totalling £438,750 (2022: 52 grants totalling 398,050). Awards ranged from £1,000 to £30,000. The Trustees received more than 130 grant applications in 2023, approximately 30% of which were successful.
A list of all awards made to organisations during the year ended 31 December 2019 can be viewed on pages 11 and 12 of the Charity’s annual accounts.
When making grants in response to applications from individuals, the Trustees typically required the grant payment to be made to another a charitable organisation, in order to ensure that it was applied for wholly charitable purposes. For example, a number of grants were paid to other registered charities that generously agreed to act as an individual’s ‘fiscal sponsor’: the sponsor received the grant on behalf of the individual and agreed to ensure that it was applied for the purpose of the grant. Grants made to individuals were normally for study and to complete courses which will help them to contribute to excellence in the arts.
The Trustees consider that the Charity has adequate reserves and have reviewed and revised the financial plans for the coming twelve months, and intend to continue their programme of awarding grants on a quarterly basis, in accordance with their grant-making policy.
Further information is available on the Trust’s website.
Applications may be made at any time in writing, addressed to:
Sir Richard Hastings Eyre
Chair
The Maria Bjornson Memorial Fund
5 Fleet Place
London
EC4M 7RD