£25,000 to bring a contemporary solution to an everyday problem

The Christian Initiative Trust has announced the launch of its 2015 awards scheme, renamed simply ‘The Christian Initiative Trust Awards’ or ‘CIT Awards’ for short, and this year they’re bigger and better than ever before!

Previously known as the Mustard Seed Awards, the scheme is open to Christian-based charities, individual Christians and churches of all Christian denominations, as well as organisations throughout the UK which share CIT’s Christian values. The awards are focused on furthering entrepreneurial spirit in order to maximise the impact that these individuals and groups can have in their own local communities.

With a total prize fund of £100,000 available, the effect that these awards can have is quite significant as Michael Robson, Chairman of CIT, explains: “Our founder, Cecil Jackson Cole, was passionate that individuals and organisations should be enabled to share their faith and support those in need in their communities. That very much remains our focus today.

“There are many organisations and individuals already doing wonderful work to make a difference to those who are vulnerable or most in need of help and support. The funding that CIT is able to award through this scheme enables those with the greatest ambition and determination to make a significant impact where it is needed most. We’ve seen in the past that it’s often the smallest, more embryonic idea that, with a little support, can go on to make the most significant difference.”

It is for this reason that this year, for the first time, the awards scheme is inviting previous winners to apply for a ‘Capacity Builder’ award of £10,000. Two recipients will be awarded with this additional funding which is intended to top-up to their previous funding and enable them to further their work and continue with the progress their initiative has already made.

Entry for the Capacity Builder Awards is by invitation only and entries for this aspect of the scheme only close on 30 June. The recipients of the Capacity Builder Awards will be notified by the end of August.

The main awards scheme will, meanwhile, award a Gold winner with £25,000 of funding, whilst a Silver winner will receive £20,000 and a Bronze winner will pick up £15,000. Four ‘highly commended’ entries will also receive £5,000 towards their project or scheme.

One previous award winner, Stephen Addison of Box Up Crime, a charity set up to help young people turn away from crime by taking up boxing in a safe and secure environment, explains the difference that the awards can make: “The difference receiving an award from this scheme makes simply can’t be underestimated. The money we received in 2013 kept Box Up Crime sustainable for almost a year. Having used a lot of my own money initially to set the charity up, the prize money enabled us to grow and extend the projects we’re involved in and reach many more kids, much more quickly, than we had thought possible. My aim is to see a Box Up Crime programme in every school in the country.”

Entries to the CIT Awards are now open and close on 6 October 2015. Winners will be informed by the end of November 2015.

* More information can be found at: http://www.christianinitiativetrust.org.uk/cit-awards/

* For media information, please contact Cath Shuttlewood at Trailblazer PR on 07990 505 522 or cath[dot}shuttlewood[at]trailblazerpr[dot]com

* More information on the CIT Awards is available at: http://www.christianinitiativetrust.org.uk/cit-awards/