Apply for our Dragons' Den event
What is OneRichmond's Charity Dragons' Den?
The OneRichmond Charity Dragons’ Den aims to identify, showcase and support organisations that make a measurable difference in tackling social isolation within the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames.
The event reflects OneRichmond’s mission to strengthen community connection, reduce loneliness, and ensure residents feel supported, included and able to participate fully in community life.
Six organisations will be selected to pitch at the event, which will take place at The Exchange in Twickenham on Tuesday 9th June 2026. Grants will be awarded by our four ‘Dragons’ (local philanthropists and businesspeople) based on the strength of each pitch. This will be a public event, with an audience of 200-300, who will also be able to donate money, time, or pro bono services on the night.
Each pitch should be 5-7 minutes, and should be an engaging, exciting, and inspirational representation of the work you are doing, or the project you are pitching (if you are applying with a project). We will give you guidance on how to pitch, and work with you to develop and practice your pitch before the event.
We are particularly interested in organisations whose work:
- Connects people to their communities
- Reduces social isolation and loneliness
- Builds belonging, confidence and resilience
- Supports people at risk of exclusion due to age, disability, health, financial hardship or life circumstances
All applications must clearly demonstrate alignment with OneRichmond’s grant priority of combatting social isolation.
Organisations selected to pitch at the event are guaranteed a minimum award of £1000, with the potential to secure additional funding based on your pitch, the Dragons’ backing and crowdfunding. Organisations selected by the Dragons can expect to be awarded approximately £5000.
Applications will close on 12th March 2026.
Eligibility Criteria
You are a registered charity or Community Interest Company (CIC)
- You can provide at least one year of financial accounts for your time in operation
- Your organisation does not hold unrestricted reserves greater than the level set out in your reserves policy
Your beneficiaries live in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames
- Organisations based within the borough will be prioritised
- Organisations based outside the borough may apply where the project clearly benefits Richmond residents
Your work combats social isolation and/or directly impacts those vulnerable to social isolation through one of the following priority areas:
- Reducing isolation among people of all age groups and backgrounds
- Supporting people with disabilities or long-term health conditions
- Improving mental wellbeing through connection and peer support
- Supporting people experiencing financial hardship, crisis or life transitions
- Supporting families, carers and individuals at risk of exclusion
- Creating safe, welcoming spaces that build relationships and belonging
You are willing and able to:
- Pitch your work in front of a panel
- Present to a large audience (200-300 people) as part of the Dragons’ Den event
- Sell event tickets at £20 each
What OneRichmond Does Not Fund
We are unable to fund:
- Applications not aligned with tackling social isolation
- Activity that does not benefit residents of the Richmond borough
- Anything that is the primary responsibility of a statutory body
- Organisations that are not registered charities or CICs
- Individuals
- Medical research
- Political activity or campaigning
- Major capital appeals
- Activities that promote the practice of religion or specific belief systems
- Improvements to buildings mainly used for worship or religious activity
- Retrospective funding
- General charitable appeals
Guidance for Applicants
How We Assess Applications
We look for proposals that:
- Closely align with our priority of combatting social isolation
- Demonstrate a strong understanding of local need
- Provide clear evidence of demand
- Are informed by local knowledge, consultation and insight
- Add value to existing services and activities
Strong applications will:
- Be realistic, well-planned and achievable
- Clearly explain how beneficiaries will be reached and supported
- Demonstrate capacity to deliver at the proposed scale
- Operate within, or clearly engage, Richmond borough communities
- Support a significant number of Richmond residents
- Show a commitment to learning and continuous improvement
- Illustrate inclusive approaches that reach under-represented or vulnerable groups
We prioritise applications that:
- Make a demonstrable difference to people’s lives
- Have clear, measurable outputs and outcomes
- Include contingencies where funding is not yet confirmed
- Collaborate with partners to maximise impact and contribute to a stronger, more connected voluntary and community sector within the borough
- Consider equitable access and outcomes
Applicants must demonstrate:
- A successful track record of delivering similar work
- Appropriate skills, experience and capacity across staff, volunteers and trustees
- Good governance, financial management and accountability
- Effective risk management
- Appropriate safeguarding arrangements and insurance
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens if my organisation’s application is successful?
Six successful applicants will be invited to present a live pitch to a panel of ‘Dragons’ and a live audience. This is an opportunity to:
- Secure funding
- Raise your organisation’s profile
- Share learning and impact
- Connect with funders and partners
Please ensure you have the capacity and confidence to take part in the live pitch element of the process.
How long will the pitch need to be?
The pitch will be 5-7 minutes. There will be time for the ‘Dragons’ to ask questions, as well.
What criteria will the Dragons assess the pitches on?
Charities invited to pitch will be assessed on:
- Strength of alignment with OneRichmond’s mission
- Clarity and credibility of social isolation impact
- Level of impact especially in relation to money required
- Demonstrated benefit to Richmond residents
- Ability to communicate impact clearly and compellingly
The Dragons will be advised on grantmaking procedure for organisations within the voluntary sector and on OneRichmond’s due diligence process.
What support will I receive to prepare my pitch?
For the charities selected, OneRichmond is able to advise on how to adjust your proposal for the target audience and to format it as a 5-7 minute pitch. Our Marketing and Communications Officer will also be able to provide assistance with visual materials, if needed.
Who will the Dragons be?
Our 4 dragons will be local philanthropists and business people looking to give back to their local community. We will be announcing the individual Dragons in the lead up to the event, so be sure to follow us on our social media platforms and subscribe to our newsletter below to stay updated.
What is required in the application?
There are 4 main sections of the application: Your Organisation, Your Proposal, Financial, and Due Diligence. Prior to these sections, there is an Eligibility Check. Only if you are deemed eligible according to your responses will you be able to continue with the application. You can view the specific questions and corresponding guidance on the Dragons’ Den Pitch Application Form Guidance.
- Ogranisation details
- Number of people supported by your organisation in the last 12 months
- Outline of the proposed project or core activity
- Clear explanation of how the work tackles social isolation
- Evidence of local need and impact
- Number of Richmond borough residents supported by your proposal
- Funding request, budget and information on other funding sources
- Explanation of at least two outcomes that you hope to achieve
- Explanation of your capacity to deliver the work (skills, experience and qualifications of staff, volunteers and trustees)
- Safeguarding policy (upload)
- Latest annual accounts if not published (upload). Those that are published will be reviewed.
- Proof of insurance (upload)
What are ways to illustrate a link to combatting social isolation?
OneRichmond’s priority is combatting social isolation. Your work must combat social isolation and/or directly impact those vulnerable to social isolation, which can be through one of the following areas:
- Reducing isolation among people of all age groups and backgrounds
- Supporting people with disabilities or long-term health conditions
- Improving mental wellbeing through connection and peer support
- Supporting people experiencing financial hardship, crisis or life transitions
- Supporting families, carers and individuals at risk of exclusion
- Creating safe, welcoming spaces that build relationships and belonging
Why is there a requirement to sell tickets to the event?
We ask that each charity chosen to participate in the event aims to sell 20 tickets, with tickets priced at £20 each. In practical terms, this means we want you to promote and market the event across your own channels and with your own network.
This is because the Dragon’s Den will also work as a fundraiser for the participating charities; you will be pitching to the audience just as much as to the Dragons. We therefore are encouraging all participating organisations to invite anyone they see as a potential supporter – this is your chance to show the best of your work to potential new donors, so we want you to take an active part in also seeking these people out and bringing them along.
The event will be an exciting and entertaining celebration of your work, and we will release more details about Dragons, presenters, and the event schedule as the day gets closer. This will help you when promoting the event with your own network.
What can I expect if my application is shortlisted?
The first round of application review will conclude on 31 March 2026. All applicants will be informed of their application status by this date. Applicants that are shortlisted will be asked to respond to additional questions, including:
- How will you monitor and review progress towards your desired outcomes/impact and show reduced isolation or increased connection?
- What is an example of past impact?
- Who do you work with? Tell us about your main partners in the local community who you already have/or aim to build delivery or learning partnerships with and how you’ll work with them?
- Describe any key risks, how often risks are reviewed and how they will be managed.
There will also be an in-person discussion with shortlisted applicants, as being able to talk about your proposal is key to successfully pitching at the OneRichmond Dragons’ Den Event. This will lead into the second round of application review, which will conclude on 30 April 2026. In the second round of application review, six charities from the pool of shortlisted applicants will be selected to pitch at the OneRichmond Dragons’ Den Event. All shortlisted applicants will be informed of their application status by this date.
Can I access a Word version of the Application Form?
Our Application Guidance is available in Word format and includes all Application Form questions. If you would like to request any information from us in a more accessible format, please get in touch by email [email protected].
My application form won’t submit, what can I do?
Make sure that you have responded to any error message, for example, check that you have not exceeded the word count. The form will also not submit if you have entered any text where it should only include digits, such as in your response to how many people you will support and how much you are applying for. If there are still issues, please contact us at [email protected].
If our application is successful when and how is the grant paid?
A successful application means that you have been selected to pitch at the OneRichmond Dragons’ Den Event. Your grant will be paid by BACS within 10 working days from your return of our Terms and Conditions and evidence of your bank details after the event on 9 June 2026.
How much can my organisation expect to be awarded?
Organisations with successful applications that are selected to pitch at the event are guaranteed a minimum award of £1000, with the potential to secure additional funding based on your pitch, the Dragons’ backing and crowdfunding. The audience will have the ability to donate additional funds to each organisation live throughout the event. Organisations selected by the Dragons can expect to be awarded approximately £5000.
When do I need to report on the progress of my OneRichmond funded activity?
Organisations that are awarded funds from the OneRichmond Dragons’ Den Event are required to return their completed monitoring and evaluation (M&E) form by 9 June 2027 (12-months from the Dragons’ Den Event) or when the project is completed, whichever is first. OneRichmond will send you the M&E form to complete.
The application timeline is as follows:
Applications open: 22nd January 2026
Applications deadline: 12th March 2026
Shortlisted applicants invited for in-person discussion: 31st March 2026
Successful applicants informed: 30th April 2026
Pitch Preparation: 1st May – 1st June 2026
OneRichmond Dragon’s Den Event: 9th June 2026
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