Bluespark Foundation

BlueSpark Foundation, a registered UK charity established in 2016, supports the education and holistic development of children and young people aged 5-22 in England through small grants for educational, cultural, sporting, and developmental projects. Founded by trustees Tim Davies (Chair), Robert Bartlett (Finance Director), and Sarah Budnik (Grant Applications Director), its mission emphasizes building self-confidence, teamwork, and future employability by valuing academic, vocational, artistic, and sporting pursuits equally. Core values of inclusivity and opportunity drive its focus on enabling grassroots initiatives that might otherwise not occur, prioritizing measurable impacts on skills and personal growth in under-resourced communities.

The foundation funds diverse activities including drama productions, music workshops, sports equipment, art resources, debating teams, public speaking, academic excursions, vocational training, enterprise projects, and skill-building tuition or competitions. Grants cover physical assets, services, or experiences that directly engage youth in schools, colleges, clubs, or community groups, fostering experiential learning and social prospects not typically supported by statutory funding.

Eligible applicants include schools, colleges, community groups, clubs, and not-for-profit organizations in England delivering public-benefit projects; it prefers small to medium-sized grassroots entities without strict income limits and accepts unsolicited applications. Typical grants range up to £2,000 (rarely exceeding £5,000–£10,000), applied for via a simple online form by project leaders, with rolling reviews every eight weeks at trustee meetings—no fixed deadlines.

Exclusions encompass capital projects, counselling, student fees/maintenance, holiday clubs, playgroups, and adult training. Its distinctiveness lies in straightforward, flexible support for targeted, outcome-driven youth programs emphasizing direct participation and employability readiness.