Lara Henwood, Grants Officer at Army Cadet Force Association, visited Essex Army Cadet Force Detachment Commanders at their annual conference in Chelmsford, to explain what funding is available to them.
In the East of England, most ACFA grant applications have been for battlefield tours and Adventure Training. Lara says: “Any ACF activity residential or non-residential, home or abroad will be considered for an ACFA Grant.”
From around the country she receives requests for musical instruments, sporting goods, expedition funding, first aid equipment and much more.
Grants can be awarded to individuals to reduce the cost of an approved cadet activity (to a cadet or an adult). Grants can be awarded to an ACF County to support the purchase of equipment not normally funded by the chain of Command.
Lara has been visiting ACF counties around the country to encourage more applications for funding, and this has yielded a 100% increase in applications in three years.
She was able to award Dorset ACF funding so that 12 senior cadets could participate in an overnight WW1 experience at the Bovington Tank Museum.
She enabled 10 cadets to participate in a 100 mile, 4-day march through the Netherlands.
She helped 20 cadets take part in a international military skills competition in Australia.
The ACFA, in partnership with CVQO, will award bursaries to support CFAVs enrolled on the ILM Level 5 in Leadership and Management through the KGVI Memorial Leadership Course. CFAVs have to pay the registration fee of the qualification but will receive a 65% rebate once they complete the qualification.
The ACFA also awards bursaries each year to enable cadets to take part in a 19-day ‘Skills for Life Award’, which would otherwise be beyond their financial means. The bursary is aimed at cadets with low self-confidence, who have not achieved their potential in the ACF, or who tend to hold back from engaging in cadet activities or other opportunities.
Lara Henwood is the Projects and Grants Officer at Army Cadet Force Association, the registered charity that carries out activities on behalf of the Army Cadet Force with funding by grants from the Ministry of Defence, donations from private individuals, grant giving organisations, membership fees from individual members, and income from the charity’s investments.
All grant applications must be supported by the ACF County’s chain of command and grant applications received from sub units will always be referred back to the relevant ACF County HQ for approval. Applications should be sent to Lara Henwood, Grants Officer grants@armycadets.com.
The application process is simple and Lara will guide people through the process. Remember: “Any ACF activity residential or non-residential, home or abroad will be considered for an ACFA Grant.”