This Fund supports marginalised young people to do their DofE for whom one or more of the below applies:

• Those who have additional needs
• Those who are deemed ‘at risk’*
• Those who receive Free School Meals (FSM)
• Those who are eligible for Pupil Premium (PP), Pupil Equity Funding or the 16- 19 Bursary
• Young people at risk of exclusion from education
• Those who are looked after or in care
• Young people who are responsible for caring for someone else
• Parents under the age of 18
• Young people whose first language is not English, Welsh or Gaelic
• Asylum seekers
• Refugees
• Young people in custody
• Other – please discuss with your Operations Officer

* By ‘At risk’ we mean any young person who may be vulnerable due to, for example, their age, mental health, disability, illness, gender, race, religion, or belief sexual orientation, economic status or who may be unable to protect themselves from abuse.

Participant places

• Bronze, Silver and Gold participants.

Participant bursaries

• Up to £125 of support for eligible young people*

Sectional equipment

• Up to £2,000
• Maximum expedition section support of £1,250*
• Volunteering/Physical and Skills sections have a maximum of £250*
• Funding excludes VAT

External Adult Training for DofE Leaders

• Up to £500
• Up to 50% of the total cost for adult DofE Leaders to undertake appropriate expedition related training*

Licence Fee support

• 25% of the 2025/26 DofE Licence Fee

Licensed Organisation Delivery support

• up to £250*
• See fund guidance for eligibility.

*Eligibility criteria/items can be found in the guidance document.

All costs should exclude VAT unless the Licensed Organisation self-declares on the grant application form that they are unable to reclaim VAT. Then they should only include VAT for items which are eligible for VAT reclaim.

Funding window 1

Applications open week commencing 20 May 2024 and close 19 July 2024.

Funding window 2

Applications open week commencing 19 August 2024 and close 29 November 2024.

Funding window 3

Applications open week commencing 6 January 2025 and close 28 February 2025.

Step 1: Contact your DofE Operations Officer to find out more.

Step 2: If eligible, complete the DofE’s Grant Application Form with the support of your Operations Officer.

Step 3: Submit your application form, including reading and confirming you agree to the DofE’s Terms and Conditions.

Step 4: Your application will be reviewed, and you will receive an email from your Operations Officer confirming whether it has been successful or not.

Step 5: If successful, use your grant in line with the agreement, making sure you keep copies of all receipts/invoices.

Step 6: Complete an interim and final report by the dates stated on your application form.

Successful DofE Licensed Organisations will be required to complete an interim and final report by the dates stated on their application form detailing how their grant has supported young people from marginalised backgrounds to do their DofE and the impact this has had.