CIPS Foundation grant application

CIPS Foundation funding is open to any UK registered charity. To apply, you must:

• Be a charity registered in the UK with the Charity Commission, although the project we support could be anywhere in the world.
• A registered social enterprise.
• Have been operating for at least 12 months and have published financial data available.
• Have a UK bank account in the charity’s name.
• Be a living wage, equal opportunities employer (if the organisation employs people), committed to the prevention of modern slavery.

CIPS Foundation awards grants to UK registered charities (registered with the Charity Commission) to support projects or initiatives that help to improve supply chains or develop new ones, eradicate poor practices within supply chains, develop best practice or support individuals within the chain to access better information and support.

We want to support with the funding of projects and initiatives where issues have been identified and projects are ready to be implemented in response to these problems. We are seeking to fund established charities that are skilled and knowledgeable in tackling issues affecting communities in the UK and/or worldwide. Although we currently only fund charities registered with the UK Charities Commission, we support projects being delivered anywhere in the world. 

We are particularly keen to hear about projects being delivered in low and lower-middle income countries, India and the Caribbean.  We also have an interest in projects that are addressing environmental impact.

All funding requests must be submitted in a single Word document, sent by email to foundation@cips.org If you consider applying to the CIPS Foundation, you should ensure that your proposal is closely aligned with our Funding Priorities.

There are some exclusions to our funding. Here are some examples of what can’t be funded:

• Organisations that are not UK registered charities.
• Privately owned and profit-distributing companies or limited partnerships.
• Public bodies to carry out their statutory obligations.
• Applications that will benefit only one person, including scholarships or bursaries. Contributions to general charity appeals.
• Religious activity which is not for wider public benefit. Activities that have already taken place.
• Any activities that are focused on political advocacy or policy change.  

Please refer to CIPS Foundation Theory and Change Model and our Body of Work for more information on the projects we are looking to fund. here . Please note that we only fund projects that clearly demonstrate a procurement or supply chain element.

Our funding priorities cover both project outputs and project outcomes.

Project Outputs

• Improving production and distribution of commodites and services.
• Assisting factors in supply chains: people, entities, information and resources.
• Developing elements of supply chains: producers, vendors, warehouses, transportation, distribution and retail.
• Refining the stages of supply chains: product development, marketing, operations, distribution, finance and customer service; and the efficiency and effectiveness of supporting supply chain/sub-contracting arrangements.
• Addressing ethical or sustainable issues within the supply chain: (all of the outcomes identified above).

Project Outcomes

• Eradication of bribery and corruption in supply chains
• Upheld Human Rights and abolition of modern slavery, including fair working contracts and conditions and health & safety considerations in supply chains
• Improved ethical procurement and supply chain practices, including treating suppliers fairly, being legally compliant and having transparency in processes and decisions.
• Developed sustainable procurement and supply chain practices, including robust operating models, policies and ways of working, underpinning longer-term strategic relationships and outcomes (e.g. considers total cost of ownership, whole life costs, cost of quality, future proofing/enabling innovation, supply chain efficiencies/effectiveness).
• Social outcomes, including tackling poverty, underpinning equality and inclusion and delivering wider community benefits through improved procurement and supply chain practices.
• Ecological procurement and supply chain outcomes, including supporting climate action and a more circular economy.