Frequently asked questions

Established in 2022, the Blue Light Card Foundation exists to give back to those who dedicate their careers to keeping the UK safe, healthy, and supported.

We champion the physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing of the entire Blue Light Community—across health, emergency, social care, and armed forces—recognising the vital role they play in our society every day.

Building mental health resilience: Grants will support initiatives that promote proactive measures to strengthen mental health resilience, support staying well, and prevent challenges before they arise. 

An example could be funding a programme that provides evidence-based workshops for emergency responders, teaching stress management techniques, mindfulness practices, and peer support strategies. These initiatives aim to build resilience, enhance overall wellbeing, and equip individuals with the tools to stay mentally healthy in high-pressure environments. 

Supporting people living with mental health issues: The grants will support mental health services, including formal therapies such as counselling and psychotherapy and crisis lines. As well as informal approaches like peer support groups and mindfulness workshops, retreats, alongside practical assistance to ensure emergency responders receive the care they need during challenging times.  

We make grants to a wide range of organisations: 

• registered or exempt charities whose charitable purposes fall within the Charity’s charitable objects 
• not-for-profit organisations set up for charitable, social, philanthropic, or other purposes and which provide a public benefit 
• specific charitable or not-for-profit events, projects and programmes run by individuals or non-charitable organisations 

You do not have to be a registered charity to apply, but the work you ask us to support must be legally charitable. However, please note that we can only make grants for general running costs or unrestricted purposes to charities. Grants to any other organisations will always be restricted for a specific charitable purpose. 

You must have a governing document (constitution, rules, memorandum, and articles of association etc.), a governing body of at least three unrelated individuals, and a bank account in your group’s name with at least two unrelated signatories. 

Community Interest Companies (CICs) and other non-charitable social enterprises with a business plan that shows realistic aspirations for non-grant income generation can apply for a restricted grant to support the charitable costs of any start-up or expansion. We do not normally support such organisations with the costs of continuing services, which should be financed by the sale of goods and services in line with the governance model they have chosen.  

You can apply through our online grant application form.

Yes, we encourage collaborative approaches across our aims. We can fund both existing or new collaborations. 

One organisation will need to apply as the ‘lead’ – they will be treated as the grant-holding organisation in our system and hold responsibility for the progress of the work. 

We’ll need the collaboration partners to confirm their involvement. Not all partners have to be registered charities. You’ll also nominate two contacts; one from the ‘lead’ organisation and one of the partners. 

You can include anticipated costs of setting up and coordinating networks or partnerships in your application. 

Please note: The ‘lead’ organisation will need to meet our minimum eligibility criteria. If you would like to discuss this further, get in touch through our contact form.

Please read our eligibility and frequently asked questions – most queries will be answered here. If you still need help, please reach out through our contact form.

If you have a press enquiry, please get in touch through our contact form.

We would love to hear from you as supporting our projects and programmes wouldn’t be possible without extra help. Contact our fundraising manager through our contact form.

If a complaint is about the Blue Light Card Foundation, then there are three stages that can be used to try to resolve the problem. 

If a complaint is about the CEO, then it should be addressed to the Chair of the Board of Trustees (marked private and confidential), which is responsible as trustees of the organisation. 

Stage One (Informal) 

To make an initial complaint (Stage 1), please speak to or email the individual(s) concerned or their line manager and we will endeavour to satisfy your complaint and let you know of any remedial action that is to be taken. 

• If you don’t know who to contact or do not wish to contact the individual involved, please email us through our contact form.
• All complaints will be acknowledged by the member of staff to whom you communicated your complaint within three working days from the date it is received.
• For us to resolve your issue to the best of our ability, please include as much detail as possible regarding your complaint, including any relevant communications or documentation.
• We will respond to Stage 1 complaints within 7 working days

Stage Two (Formally registering a complaint) 

• If you are not satisfied with the response you receive at Stage 1, or you would prefer your complaint to be formally investigated, you can request your complaint to be escalated to Stage 2, either through your contact at Stage 1.
• Please submit the details of your complaint in person by emailing emmawoods-bolger@bluelightcardfoundation.org 
• Your complaint will be acknowledged within 3 working days.
• The CEO will investigate your complaint and you will receive a full written response within 20 working days from the date of the acknowledgement.
• If you are not satisfied with the response to your complaint, you will be given the opportunity to speak to the CEO and given the option to appeal (Stage 3).

Stage Three (Appeal) 

• To appeal, please outline the reasons for your dissatisfaction in writing or electronically to the CEO.
• This will be the final decision of the complaints process and will ensure the CEO has reviewed the investigation, made any further enquiries, and then delivered the reason for the final decision.
• The CEO will write within 30 working days of receiving the appeal.

If you are dissatisfied with Blue Light Card Foundation’s response to a fundraising complaint you can contact the Fundraising Regulator (FR) to access their independent complaints procedure. 

Any appeals or complaints regarding grant activity will be subject to the Grant appeals and complaints policy.

If you are dissatisfied with the Blue Light Card Foundation complaints process, you can contact the Charity Commission, who will be able to guide you on whether they may be able to advise on the matter. The Charity Commission can be contacted here.