Blue Light Card Foundation

The Blue Light Card Foundation, established in 2022 as a UK-wide grant-maker backed by Blue Light Card Ltd, champions the physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing of the Blue Light community—those working or volunteering in health, emergency services, social care, and armed forces across England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. Responding to evidence of widespread wellbeing challenges driving staff attrition, its mission is to empower, support, and amplify these frontline heroes through resilience-building grants, guided by values of collaboration, gratitude, and evidence-informed impact drawn from lived experiences. With a dedicated board and manager steeped in the sector, it stands out for its laser-focused dedication to Blue Light roles, prioritizing proactive, peer-led interventions over generic support.

It funds tangible wellbeing enhancements, including life-changing experiences like bushcraft courses, surfing weekends, and trauma risk management (TRiM) training; mental health initiatives such as walk-and-talk peer support and hotlines; and infrastructure like renovated break rooms. Grants support projects, core costs, equipment, and capital for new or ongoing initiatives benefiting current or former Blue Light personnel, as seen in awards to The Woodland Warrior Programme and Walk&Talk999.

Eligible applicants include UK-registered charities, CICs, CIOs, and not-for-profits with charitable purposes, based anywhere in the UK—no income thresholds or regional limits apply, though organizations need three unrelated trustees, governing documents, and a named bank account. Typical grants range from £2,000 to £25,000. Unsolicited applications go via online form in three annual rounds (next deadline: 29 August 2025), with eligibility checks, shortlisting, and trustee decisions within six weeks; no applications outside rounds. It avoids emergency or seed funding, uniquely filling gaps in sector-specific, accessible resilience programs.