The Gosling Foundation Cadet Fund
The late Vice Admiral Sir Donald Gosling KCVO was a keen supporter of the Royal Navy in all its forms. In 1985, he founded The Gosling Foundation to support his interests and philanthropic priorities, the Royal Navy and the Royal Marines, Youth, Education and Health.
On 11 November 2022, the Gosling Foundation Cadet Fund was formally launched as a sub-Committee of The Gosling Foundation specifically to help Sea Cadet units fund activities which would otherwise be unavailable to them or to contribute to larger projects.
The Fund is focused on the units recognised by the Marine Society and Sea Cadets, which,
unlike other Royal Navy recognised cadet forces, have no direct financial support from the Ministry of Defence.
The maximum sum which can be applied through this process is £5000.
The first awards from this initiative were decided in January 2023, when The Gosling Foundation awarded £22,700 to cadet units, with support ranging from building repairs and refurbishments, minibus funds and an expedition.
Only the unit chairperson may make applications by completing the online form on this website.
Although there are two main application windows, which close at 1200hrs (London Time) on 30 June and 31 December each year, applications will be reviewed regularly.
If the case is sufficiently strong to require immediate action, funds may be released earlier.
Units may only apply once in any two-year period.
If grants are made earlier than a closing window, the 2-year period will start at the next window, i.e. if awarded a grant in April 2023, the earliest an application can be made is 1 July 2025.
Please be aware that awards may be lower than the sums requested as the funds available to support units are finite, and that matched funding may be offered to some applicants.