One of the most impactful ways we support community organisations and groups is through our Fundraising Support Programme, which helps applicants secure external funding for their projects. A recent success story is Minds United Sports Club CIC, an organisation dedicated to improving mental health and well-being through the power of sport.
Founded by Tarik Kaidi, Minds United brings people together through a shared love of sport, creating a welcoming environment where individuals facing similar challenges can find connection and support. Tarik also established Minds United FC, an FA England Accredited Football Club with mental health and disability teams that compete across the UK and Europe.
Early on, Tarik and his team recognised the need for additional support with fundraising, especially around identifying and applying for grants that could help the organisation thrive. He had heard about our Fundraising Support Programme from a teammate and in 2020 decided to apply. The programme matches successful applicants with fundraising consultants who provide guidance and advice on the funding application process.
The consultant working with Minds United successfully secured two three-year grants: one from the Grenfell Young People’s Fund to support a project for 18–25-year-olds, and another through the Kensington & Chelsea Foundation as part of the Community Investment Programme for adults over 18.
When I first started on the Fundraising Support Programme in 2020, I didn’t know how to write high-standard grant applications or understand things like outcomes and impact.
The consultant was incredibly knowledgeable. He guided me through the process and helped me refine our applications. He was brilliant—if I could work with him again, I would.
The grants lasted until 2023, during which time Minds United grew significantly. They secured a clubhouse, added more football teams to their roster and expanded their reach. However, with growth came increased overheads, and funding remained a challenge. Tarik applied again to our Fundraising Support Programme in 2023 and was matched with a new consultant who already knew some members and was eager to help. “He went above and beyond,” says Tarik. “He gave us his time outside of the consultation process and attended what turned out to be an incredibly important review meeting with the National Lottery.”
The relationship with the National Lottery has proven to be an important one for Minds United. Tarik was advised to apply for an 18-month organisational development grant to support their core costs. In the end, the panel awarded them a 3-year grant of £183,000.
The experience has given us a much better understanding of how to approach grant applications and what funders are looking for.
At the same time, Tarik also applied to the City Bridge Foundation for funding for a disability sports project, drawing on the skills and knowledge he had gained from the Fundraising Support Programme. Although they were initially advised that mental health didn’t fall under the disability category, the feedback inspired Tarik to develop their first disabled football team – the only one operating in North Kensington, for which he secured a three year grant of £99,500.
Inclusion is a big thing for us. The creation of this team means we can support even more people in our community.
The grants secured in 2023 have allowed Tarik to step off the ‘hamster wheel’ of applying for short-term funding, giving him space to focus on the organisation’s future—both locally and internationally. Minds United FC have even participated in the Dream Euro Cup, the first European Championship for people with mental health issues, organised by Mind United’s European mental health partners ECOS in Rome.
We were the first English football team to take part and we reached the quarter-finals. Who knows, maybe next time we can go even further.