Grant Making Guidelines

WHICH ORGANISATIONS DOES CCT SUPPORT?

We only support registered UK charities and if your organisation doesn’t have a Charity Commission number then please do not apply (however, educational or research establishments with charitable status are eligible).

Examples of applications we will not consider include those related to:

  • Individuals and their welfare, whether in the UK or abroad, including sponsorship of education, research or travel

  • Community Interest Companies (CICs)

  • Community Amateur Sports Clubs (CASCs)

  • Cooperative Societies and not-for-profit organisations

For more detail around which organisations we support, please read our Additional Guidance. For an indication of the sizes of organisations we support please see the lists of our recent grants here.

ARE THERE GEOGRAPHICAL RESTRICTIONS?

We will support:

  • National charities, including Scottish charities, if they operate across the UK

  • Local charities only if their beneficiaries or activities are located in the areas shown in red on the map, i.e. North Wales or South East England. The South East means Greater London, Herts, Cambs, Essex, Kent, East and West Sussex, Surrey and Hants.

WHAT ACTIVITIES DOES CCT SUPPORT?

We focus most of our new grants on charities which address the root causes of problems, under the three following headings:

  • conserving our natural environment and promoting the sustainable use of resources

  • increasing the accessibility of the arts, especially for young people

  • promoting physical and mental wellbeing

Although we do make new small grants in other areas, for example, for care and counselling under our wellbeing heading, these are normally made to organisations which seek to address underlying problems and where we think our grant can make a real difference.

We particularly welcome applications from research organisations.

HOW BIG A GRANT SHOULD YOU APPLY FOR?

Most of our grants are £1,000, £2,000 or £3,000. Please click the link above showing past grants for further information.

We do make larger grants than these but only under two headings:

  • organisations where the current trustees have a special oversight

  • charities supported by our original benefactor, Marjorie Chapman

These larger grants are made on a regular basis, either yearly or half-yearly.

WHAT IS THE CHANCE OF SUCCESS?

At each half-yearly meeting, we receive over 500 applications and have funds to make fewer than 100 grants. So please be aware that your application has a chance of success of 20% or less.

WHEN WILL YOU HEAR ABOUT YOUR APPLICATION?

The trustees meet twice a year, in March and September. Applications for the relevant meeting must be received before the end of the previous month, i.e. by February and August.

  • You will first receive an automatic email immediately after you have submitted an online application, if you do not then send us an email.

  • After our meetings we send an email to all applicants to indicate the outcome of their application.

HOW OFTEN CAN A CHARITY APPLY?

We do not generally consider making further grants to successful applicants until at least 2 years have elapsed. You can reapply at any time if your application has been unsuccessful.

More Detailed Guidelines

For more detail around which organisations we support, please read our Additional Guidance.

Apply Now