What is the House of Industry Estate and who can apply?
The House of Industry Estate is a charitable trust which is administered by the Council. Financial assistance is available to applicants throughout the year, subject to funds being available.
Grants are normally only awarded to registered charities.
All information, including your financial position, may be publicly disclosed at the committee stage.
Applications for funding from the House of Industry Estate are considered at trustee meetings throughout the year.
Whilst the deadline for applications is the 31st October in any year, a small sum is retained to enable grants to be considered throughout the year
Eligibility criteria
The House of Industry Estate guidelines (PDF) set out the criteria and eligibility for awards. Please read through the guidelines carefully to ensure that you can apply.
The guidelines were revised in September 2024 to give new charities within Bedford Borough who support the borough’s residents in need, hardship and distress, the opportunity to apply for funding.
Before you start – information and documents you will need
Please make sure you have the following information and documents (if you have them) ready before you start your application:
- Your Organisation’s constitution / set of rules / memo and articles of association
- Annual Report
- Business plan / programme of work for the next year
- Your latest set of audited or independently verified accounts, including balance sheet
- Your budget forecast (if you plan to use the money for emergency revenue funding)
- Your Equal Opportunities Policy
- Your Environmental Policy
- Evidence of your Quality Assurance system
- A copy of your Child Protection Policy / Vulnerable Adults policy if you work with or for children and/or young people/vulnerable adults
- Information on how your organisation's target audience(s) meet the key criterion of being 'in need, hardship or distress’
House of Industry Grant Terms and Conditions
If you accept a grant from House of Industry Estate, it will be on the understanding that you have agreed the following general terms and conditions:
- You will acknowledge receipt of the grant and confirm in writing that the money will be spent on the purpose approved by the House of Industry Estate Trustees.
- Reimbursement will be made on proof of purchase.
- No changes to the project will be made without the prior express agreement of the Trustees and the Trustees will be informed of anything exceptional relating to the grant purpose or the organisation as soon as reasonably practicable.
- Accurate and comprehensive financial records of the spending of the grant must be kept and submitted to the Council via completion of the End of Grant Monitoring Report. Your agreement of this condition and your acknowledgement of receipt of the grant allows the Trustees nominated officers to enter your premises to inspect the records upon reasonable notice being given during normal office hours. Use of the grant funding may be subject to an independent review.
- The Trustees are likely to use your name in their publicity material; you will acknowledge the grant in your annual report or other publicity relating to the work being funded.
- Any part of the grant that is not required for the purposes approved will be refunded to the Trustees.
- The Trustees reserve the right to withhold a grant or require repayment if it is found that any form of deliberately false or misleading information was provided.
- The Trustees reserve the right to withhold a grant or require repayment, if your organisation becomes insolvent or goes into administration, receivership or liquidation, provided the grant has not already been spent on its intended purpose.
- All or any part of the grant will be claimed within two years of funding being made available.
Apply online for funding from the House of Industry Estate
Please use the form below to apply for funding from the House of Industry Estate. The form will take approximately 20 minutes to complete.
To make your application you need a Council Services account. If you already have a Council Services account, use the button below to login and apply for funding from the House of Industry estate.
By submitting the form you agree that you have read and understood how we process your personal data.
Alternatively, please register for a Council Services account then return to this page to make your application.
If you wish to discuss your application, please email the Community Welfare Team.
Can’t complete your application in one go?
You will be able to save your application if you are unable to complete it in one go. You will need to go to your Council Services account to resume and complete your application.