THE SWIRE CHARITABLE TRUST
Grants, generally for up to £50,000, are available for core costs, salaries and capital expenditure for UK registered charities that are directly addressing environmental causes, UK heritage and the challenges faced by the most marginalised and disadvantaged members of society.
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o Application deadline: none – applications may be made at any time via the online application form available on the Trust’s website.
o Funder: The Swire Charitable Trust (founded 1975. Charity number 270726. Total value of all grants awarded during the year ended 31 December 2022: £4,778,121 (2021: £3,970,985)).
o Who can apply: UK registered charities.
o Key words: Environment, Biodiversity, Heritage, Ex-Service Personnel, Victims of Slavery, Children and Young People in Care, Criminal Justice, People from Disadvantaged Backgrounds, United Kingdom.
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Family grant-making Trust the Swire Charitable Trust usually awards a significant number of grants each year to charities in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. During the year ended 31st December 2022, it made 193 grants of between £1,000 and £55,000, with an average grant award of just under £25,000.
The Trust will award grants for core costs, salaries and capital projects, with no matched funding requirement, against the following programmes and priorities:
1. The Opportunity Programme, which aims to improve life chances for ex-service men and women; victims of slavery and trafficking; children and young people in the care of their local authority, involved with the criminal justice system, or from the most socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds.
2. The Environment Programme, which funds charities that can connect people to the environment and support the UK’s biodiversity, and
3. The Heritage Programme, which funds heritage work that can deliver social and economic benefits to deprived communities or disadvantaged people and support charities working to safeguard endangered skills.
The Trust will prioritise applications from charities that:
o Are well placed and well qualified to deliver the proposed work/project.
o Are seeking to make their income streams more sustainable.
o Can clearly demonstrate the needs they are addressing.
o Can show a proven track record as well as solid ambitions.
o Have strong and quality leadership.
o Have the potential to change the way issues are tackled more widely.
o Know what they are aiming to achieve and plan to monitor and evaluate outcomes.
o Manage their finances prudently.
o Operate in some of the most economically disadvantaged parts of the UK and work with people from the most challenged backgrounds, and
o Take an effective approach to using volunteers and mentors (where appropriate).
During the year ended 31st December 2022, the Trust made 193 grants totalling £4,778,121 (2021: £3,970,985). £1,980,000 was awarded in Opportunity Grants, £570,000 was awarded in Heritage Grants and £566,000 was awarded in Environment Grants.
Grants awarded ranged from under £1,000 to £55,102 (to Gwent Wildlife Trust). The average grant award was for just under £25,000.
Funding is not available for:
o Activities of local organisations which are part of a wider network doing similar work (for example, uniformed youth groups, YMCA, MIND, Relate, Mencap, Citizens Advice, Age UK).
o Activities taking place outside England, Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland.
o Applications received by post or email.
o Individual applicants or proposals that will benefit only one person.
o Medical-related charities, such as those offering treatment, care, advice, research or equipment.
o Organisations that are not UK registered charities, including community interest companies, social enterprises, or community groups.
o Requests from charities that have applied to the Trust in the last 12 months.
o Scholarships or bursaries.
o Statutory bodies or work that is primarily the responsibility of statutory authorities (eg, residential, respite and day care, housing and provision of mainstream education through individual schools, nurseries and colleges), or
o Work that has already taken place.
Further information and guidance, together with an online application form, is available on the Trust’s website.
Applications may be made at any time. Applications for grants of under £25,000 are considered every month, while requests of over £25,000 are reviewed each January, April, July and October.
Contact details for the Trust are:
The Swire Charitable Trust
Swire House
59 Buckingham Gate
London
SW1E 6AJ
Email: info@scts.org.uk