Swimming & water safety
Survival swimming, water confidence and practical water-safety education for children.
For organisations
Funding that helps communities keep children safe around water
SwimTayka supports charities, NGOs and community organisations working where children face a real risk of drowning and access to swimming and water-safety education is limited.
Apply for funding
We want to build something that lasts
Our aim is not simply to fund a short run of swimming lessons. We want to help local organisations develop strong drowning-prevention programmes that can increasingly be led, delivered and supported within their own communities.
Support may include grant funding, instructor development, training, equipment, programme design, skilled volunteers or a combination of these.
What we support
Projects that reduce childhood drowning risk
We are interested in practical, community-led work that gives children safer skills, safer environments and stronger local support.
Training local instructors
Developing local people so teaching skills and knowledge remain in the community.
Programme development
Helping organisations strengthen delivery, safety, equipment, monitoring and programme design.
Community prevention
Practical drowning-prevention activity that responds to the risks children face locally.
Who can apply?
Local knowledge matters
We normally work with organisations that already know their community, understand the risks children face and have trusted relationships on the ground.
- A registered charity, NGO, non-profit or recognised community organisation
- Working directly with children and young people
- Based in, or strongly connected to, a community with significant drowning or water-related risk
- Committed to safeguarding children and managing activities safely
- Willing to measure results and learn from the programme
- Interested in building long-term local capacity and sustainability
Organisations operate differently around the world. If you do not meet every point but believe your project could be a strong fit, we still encourage you to check your eligibility.
The grant-giving journey
A clear process, without asking for everything on day one
Start with a short expression of interest. Detailed information and due diligence only come later if there appears to be a good fit.
- 1
Check eligibility
Answer a few short questions to see whether your organisation and project fit our initial criteria.
- 2
Register interest
Tell us briefly about your organisation, community, drowning risk and the support you are looking for.
- 3
Initial SwimTayka review
We review the information and may ask questions, arrange a short call or invite you to a full application.
- 4
Full application
Selected organisations give us more detail on delivery, safety, safeguarding, outcomes, budget and sustainability.
- 5
Due diligence
We carry out proportionate checks on governance, finances, safeguarding, safety and the organisation itself.
- 6
Trustee approval
Where required, a clear recommendation is presented to the SwimTayka Board of Trustees for decision.
- 7
Grant agreement
We agree funding, outcomes, responsibilities, reporting and how the programme will be managed.
- 8
Deliver, learn and grow
We monitor impact together and work towards greater local leadership and sustainability.
Sustainability
From support to local ownership
The strongest programmes are those that communities can increasingly own and lead themselves.
A longer-term partnership might begin with programme set-up and SwimTayka support, then move towards more local delivery, stronger instructor capability, local partnerships and wider sources of funding.
Year 1Establish
Year 2Train
Year 3Localise
Year 4Strengthen
Year 5Sustain
The exact pathway is agreed with each partner. Every community is different, so the plan should reflect local needs and capability.
Step 1
Check your eligibility
Answer these eight questions. It should take less than two minutes.
Step 2
Register your interest
You do not need a full proposal yet. We simply want enough information to understand your organisation, your community and what you would like to achieve.
Keep it simple
At this stage we do not need accounts, bank details or a large bundle of documents. If there is a good fit, we will ask for more information later.
Questions
Before you apply
Do we need to be a swimming organisation?
No. SwimTayka can work with organisations that already support children and their community but do not yet have the expertise or resources to provide swimming and water-safety education.
Do you only provide money?
No. Depending on the programme, support may include funding, instructor development, training, programme expertise, equipment or skilled volunteers.
Does registering interest guarantee funding?
No. It allows SwimTayka to decide whether there may be a suitable opportunity to work together before either side invests time in a full application.
What if we do not yet have qualified swimming instructors?
That does not necessarily prevent an application. Developing local instructors is an important part of SwimTayka's approach.
Do we need a safeguarding policy?
Organisations working with children will be expected to demonstrate appropriate safeguarding arrangements before funding is agreed. If your procedures are still being developed, tell us at the expression-of-interest stage.