Practical support for the pursuance of achievements by those with physical and mental challenges.
The Bader Grant Scheme assists individuals and groups with physical and mental challenges as well as small businesses working alongside those individuals throughout the UK. Bader Grants have already helped successful applicants to achieve a wide variety of goals.
We consider all applications
The Grant Committee Team meet on a quarterly basis to assess applications and select those to go forward for final approval by the Trustees. Applicants are kept informed about the progress of their applications.
What will the Bader Grant cover?
We are a small charity with limited funds and our grants are therefore confined to supporting applications from people living in the United Kingdom.
Our Bader Grants are intended to be inspirational in nature and our charity remit restricts us to offering grants to assist with the pursuance of goals which may be personal or likely to improve quality of life. These may be in diverse areas such as education, the arts, sport and recreation, travel and more. We’re open to ideas and welcome initiative.
We consider all applications and, depending on the nature of the request, the scheme may help towards or provide equipment, training, services, further education, travel and accommodation costs or other practical support required by the successful applicant.
Please note that we are unable to support applications for living aids, construction or other capital projects.
Grant recipients
You can meet some recent successful applicants and read their blogs by visiting the Grant Recipients page.
Regular Bader Grant recipients
To ensure best use of our limited funds, DBF is committed to working in collaboration with like minded charities. Through the Bader Grant scheme the Foundation regularly supports other charities and organisations supporting the same disabled community. This way we can work together to offer sporting opportunities and other activities such as the Junior and Senior Amputee Games (Limbpower); Sailing Events (Sailability), Paratriathlons etc. (The Arctic One Foundation) to a wider group. These events give young people living with disabilities the chance to meet people, have a go at a new sport or activity and, if they’re keen, to investigate some of the Paralympic sports that are available in a safe and inclusive environment.
The inspiration behind the scheme
Sir Douglas Bader’s main message to the many people he visited who were living with disabilities was always about what you can achieve and not what you can’t. The DBF was founded on and still adheres to this message of inspiration, and the Bader Grant scheme aims to assist successful applicants on that fundamental premise.
Never let them persuade you that things are too difficult or impossible.