The Woodward Charitable Trust

The Trustees particularly look to fund projects that help families and young people and that are aiming to improve the life chances of the beneficiaries. They like projects that promote community cohesion and the development of skills that will change the outlook and outcomes for the users.

Organisations that promote volunteering and involve both past and present users in their operations or management are encouraged. Trustees only consider applications for core costs and are looking for organisations which aim to achieve a positive impact in at least one of the following areas:

• Children and young people who are isolated, at risk of exclusion or involved in anti-social behaviour and projects to help those who have been in the care system. This also covers gang violence and knife crime, education and mentoring as well as projects that work to raise self-esteem and employment opportunities and encourage an active involvement in and contribution towards the local community;
• Disadvantaged families, this covers parenting support and guidance, mental health, food poverty, refuges and domestic violence projects;
• Prisoners and ex-offenders and specifically projects that maintain and develop contact with prisoners' families and help with the rehabilitation and resettlement of prisoners and/or ex-offenders after their release.

Types of grants

The Trustees make two types of grants:

Small grants – up to £3,000, but usually £1,000 or less;

Large grants – Only a few large grants are awarded over £3,000 each year, and these are usually to charities known to the Trustees. Please note that unsolicited applications for more than £3,000 will ALWAYS be rejected.

The Trustees favour small-scale, locally based initiatives and most grants are only for one year. The new general online grant round will open in May 2022 (exact date to be confirmed). Please check our General Application Guidelines web page before applying. Please do not send any applications before the opening date.

The deadline for receipt of applications is Friday 29th July 2022 (noon).

The Trustees will consider the applications in October and successful applicants will be notified by email by the end of November 2022.