Frequently Asked Questions

When can I apply?

Calls for proposals are advertised via our mailing list, on our website, and through academic channels. Please do keep an eye on our website and on social media for updates.

How should I expect my Concept Note to be acknowledged?

We acknowledge all Concept Note submissions within 48 hours of receipt Mon-Fri (and on Monday morning if received Friday). For those applications sent 48 hours before the deadline, these will be acknowledged by 9am the working day after the deadline. If you have not received an acknowledgement of your application having been received please chase us immediately after these time periods have elapsed. We will not be able to accept any late applications which were not chased in this way, even if they can be proven to have originally been sent before the deadline (but, for example, were not received due to a technical fault).

I am an individual seeking a scholarship/money for study/a grant for personal or family use - can I apply?

No - AMF only grants to registered charitable organisations.

Can my organisation apply if it is not a registered charity but a School/social enterprise/CIO/Company Limited by Guarantee with charitable purposes?

Yes - as long as your organisation is formally registered and has charitable purposes we will accept your application. Further due diligence will be done (for example, close inspection of your accounts) if the project is shortlisted.

Can I apply with a partner?

As per our guidance - yes.

One question on the application form asks, “Would AMF be the exclusive funder of this project/the proposed new element?” Is it a requirement of the AMF to be the sole funder?

AMF needs to be the sole funder of the innovation part. If it is an already running program and you are adding a new element to submit to this grant, AMF needs to be the sole funder of this new element and this needs to be clearly separated on the budget. If you are starting a completely new project then, yes, AMF needs to be the sole funder.

Is there a limit to the amount I can apply for as a new prospective grant recipient?

No - but please do bear in mind that any application should represent great value for money. Please do not apply for the full amount of the grant (£100,000) unless you are absolutely sure it is all needed - we look much more favorably on amounts that appear to match the project.

My organisation works with displaced individuals/individuals without refugee status - can I apply?

Yes - AMF understands that for various reasons it is not always possible for individuals to have formal 'refugee' status and will take this into account.

AMF states that this grant is for ‘children’ – would a programme for ‘youth’ (defined by the UN as 15-24) be eligible?

Yes – AMF will consider projects for youths aged 15-24, however, our focus is on ‘children’ (defined by the UN as aged under 18) so we would expect a significant proportion of any project targeting youths to include the 15-18 age-group. We cannot be more specific about the exact proportion and would look at the whole project on its merits on the basis of our usual criteria. In short, we would not rule out a project that included beneficiaries/service-users aged over 18, particularly as one of our special interests is using vocational training to help young refugees into work.

Do you make grants for non-formal education?

Each grant cycle we receive around 50% applications from organisations seeking funding for non-formal education. Generally speaking this is an area of interest for us but we will only contribute towards projects that are a new aspect of an existing programme which promotes integration into formal education or a career. Some examples might be: language training for pupils who require this to attend public school, or vocational training with a clear pathway into a career.

If the innovation is attached to an existing non-formal education programme, there should be an existing path into formal education or a career. If the intention is to go into formal education, it is absolutely essential that pupils are eligible to attend a formal education system within the locality of the project and that this is a feasible pathway for them (i.e. they have fulfilled necessary criteria, they have received tuition in the necessary language(s), travel is possible). Where the project is an innovation added to an existing centre we will be looking for statistics on the number of children who have successfully made the transition to formal education and without this information it is unlikely that funding will be granted. Likewise, for existing vocational training we will ask about pupils who successfully moved into a career.

You refer to 'indirect' and 'direct' costs in relation to the budget. Please could you provide further details?

Al Madad Foundation aims to engage in open and honest dialogue with prospective grantees about the costs involved in their project. Our expectation is that the prospective grantee is as passionate about stewardship as we are and that they are always evaluating and evolving to ensure that their overhead cost is the right size to operate efficiently and effectively. However, within this framework we recognise that it can be useful to have a figure in mind, and this is why we state in our Grant Application Form that in order for projects to be eligible, the budget should include no more than 15% indirect costs.

Definitions are given below to help clarify the terms used:

Direct Costs

Direct costs are the expenses required to execute a grant that are directly attributable and can be reasonably allocated to the project (e.g. teachers’ salaries, travel expenses and educational materials). Costs that would not be incurred if the grant did not exist are often indicative of direct costs.

Indirect Costs

Indirect costs are general overhead and administration expenses that support the entire operations of a grantee and that may be shared across projects (e.g. headquarters staff expenses for work related to the project such as HR, finance and legal). Expenses that would be incurred regardless of whether the grant is funded are often indicative of indirect costs.

​How are applications assessed?

AMF first considers the project's alignment to the stated strategic priorities (objectives) for that particular call, and our confidence in the ability of the applying organisation to carry out the project successfully. The application is reviewed by three members of the team independently, then short-listed collaboratively. Short-listed applications are presented to the Board, which makes the final decision.

Successful applications will be selected based on their creativity, innovation, practicality and ability to add value to the efforts of Al Madad Foundation in providing the best possible foundation from which refugee and displaced children can begin to rebuild their futures. Kindly note that simply meeting all eligibility criteria and/or project compatibility with our strategic priorities does not automatically determine the success of an application and that we expect to receive many more submissions than we are able to fund.