The GEM Road Safety Charity is inviting applications for grants of up to £10,000 for road safety projects.
The current funding window will remain open until Tuesday 31 December 2024.
Since it was established in 1985, the Charity has funded many projects which have aimed to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured on the UK’s roads.
Most recently these have included:
- A grant to the National Young Rider Forum for the production of videos to address knowledge gaps in knowledge of the Highway Code and road traffic law (pictured). The videos are aimed primarily at those with very little experience as motorised road users on busy urban roads. They will also help gig economy riders for whom English may not be their first language.
- A grant to Eye Health UK to support the production of a guide to vision and driving. This will highlight the legal eyesight standards, the importance of routine eye tests, an overview of prescription and non-prescription eyewear and tips for drivers on how to adapt driving behaviour to combat vision deficiencies.
The Charity Trustees are keen to encourage applications from community groups, registered charities, professional bodies, road safety organisations, partnerships, schools and colleges whose projects demonstrate a clear road safety benefit to the wider community at a regional or national level. This can include anything from educational initiatives through to research.
Previous examples of long-term successful funding include:
- A grant to Project EDWARD (Every Day Without A Road Death). The initiative won a Prince Michael International Road Safety award in December 2018, and GEM continues to be a principal supporter of Project EDWARD each year.
- Funding towards the production of Blue Light Aware, a video resource offering simple tips on how to stay safe and legal when assisting an emergency vehicle. The latest version was launched in Autumn 2020.
Laura Ward, chair of the Charity, reminded applicants of the importance they should place on evaluation. “Ensure you have a clear understanding of the issue to be addressed, including a workable plan, a realistic budget, a simple evaluation and an opportunity to sustain the messages in the long-term,” she said.
“We need a clear explanation of a project’s road safety benefit, and of the proposed wider impact, as well as a robust evaluation mechanism.
“If your proposal can satisfy these (and other) requirements, and you can show how you will keep people safe on our roads, then you will find the trustees enthusiastic to discuss how they may be able to assist you.”
Further information on applying for a grant, including a new ‘how to apply’ video and an online application form, can be found at roadsafety.org.uk.
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