SSAFA Volunteer Knowledgebase

The Worshipful Company of Security Professionals Charitable Trust

Updated on

Website      https://wcosp.org/

The Charitable Trust was formed in March 2001 by what has become The Worshipful Company of Security Professionals, the 108th Livery Company of the City of London.

The Charity is a grant-making Trust focused on the wider world of Security. This includes the private security industry, blue light services, and the Armed Forces (“the security profession”). 

As well as supporting members and former members of the security profession, the Charity also considers broader public protection benefits including the prevention of crime and the protection of others. The Charity has focused on domestic projects although, it has, in the past, funded a small number of overseas projects which both satisfy the funding criteria and usually have a UK connection, so that the Charity can ensure that funds are being well used.

Within the Charity there is the General Fund that deals with the majority of applications, but importantly there is a Restricted Fund - The Security Benevolent Fund. It was specifically created to support current and former Members of the wider world of Security who have fallen on hard times and need some support. It is the Security Benevolent Fund (SBF) that would be used to fund any requests for funding from SSAFA.

Funding

Trustees award three types of grant: 

• Small grants, under £500 

• Medium grants, £500 - £5,000 

• Large grants, over £5,000.

Large grants are only given to charities known to the Trustees and in all probability where a smaller initial grant will have previously been made. There is no requirement on the Trustees to make any large grants in a financial year.

The Charity receives more applications for donations each year than it has funds available to donate.

The expectation is that the majority of funding requests from SSAFA would be in the small category with possibility a few in the medium category. The SBF Fund has not so far made a large category donation.

The Charity does not support:

  • Debt
  • Salaries
  • SAI Licenses

It will also not make a payment directly to an individual applicant. Funds are paid either to another Charity or organisation managing the application or directly to a service or goods supplier for the service or product being supplied.

Previous Article Royal Voluntary Service, The (RVS )
Next Article Alison