Clean Break
Clean Break was founded by two women in prison who believed in the power of theatre to transform lives.
Criminal justice: building settled lives for those leaving custody or serving community sentences
Funding theme: Criminal justice, better futures for people leaving custody
We want to fund services which prepare people for release from the custodial system or who are reaching the end of community sentences. By supporting people in this transitional period we hope to reduce the risk of further prison or community sentences.
Grant details
- Area: Greater London or for work with beneficiaries that are Londoners
- Open to: New and pervious applicants
- Deadline: Applications accepted on a rolling basis
- Funding length: Up to 5 years
- Funding size: There is no minimum or maximum limit to how much we will give, however we never give revenue funding exceeding 50% of the applicants turnover/income in any one year
- Average award: Based on grants made to date, we have awarded between £45,000 and £154,000, the average award size has been £87,000*
*These figures are illustrative and we will award more or less than these amounts depending on the applications we receive. You can find out more about our approach to funding here.
What we fund
Examples of projects and organisations we will fund include those that:
prepare and support people for and on release from prison and directly provide or connect them with key services and support, such as safe and secure housing, access to employment and self-employment opportunities
deliver work at specialist premises that support marginalised prison leavers, for example, women who have survived domestic abuse
tackle inequalities in custodial sentencing
advocate for evidence of alternatives to custody
We can support work taking place within prisons and young offenders institute only when that work is in preparation for release and when these facilities are in Greater London or the beneficiary groups are Londoners.
Wherever possible, we seek to support projects and organisations that involve the communities the project or organisation serves in shaping its services and/or that are majority-staffed or run by those with lived experience of the issues they address.
How to apply
Before beginning your application, please ensure you have thoroughly read steps one and two to check that our funding is a good fit for you. Please note, we only fund organisations that meet our eligibility criteria.
Application steps:
If you are a previous grant holder, or an unsuccessful applicant, please read our reapplication criteria before submitting a new application.
In 2019 City Bridge Foundation awarded Clean Break Theatre Company £150,000 to support their participation and reach in women’s centres, prisons and in the community. This photography, by Jemima Yong, shows actors rehearsing for Clean Break’s production of Inside Bitch.