The A B Charitable Trust works with organisations which do any or all of the following:
Provide specialist legal advice and representation. By 'specialist' we mean related to resolving a legal problem with specialist casework and/or advice through representation, and/or by being expert in a specific area of law
Work to influence law, policy and practice through e.g. strategic litigation or public law challenges
Strengthen the sector and supports organisations delivering work in this area
Deliver activities to protect the principles of human rights and the rule of law, including campaigning, advocacy and narrative change work
We usually fund single-focus organisations working solely within these priority areas. For these organisations, core funding (unrestricted grants) or project funding (restricted grants) are both available. Please apply for the type of grant which would most benefit your organisation at the current time.
On occasion we also accept restricted grant applications from organisations working more broadly, where the project is particularly focused, forms a significant strand, and the organisation can show it is best placed to deliver the work.
See our FAQs for more information about how we define specialist legal advice, and about what proportion of your work we expect this to represent.
What we look for in partner organisations
For us, a good organisation:
Delivers effective work and can demonstrate the difference it makes
Listens to the people it seeks to support about their needs, and amends its work accordingly
Engages the talents of people who have experienced the problems it exists to address
Is well run, makes best use of resources and follows best practice (e.g. in governance, financial management, DEI, safeguarding)
Works
well with others in the geographical or policy area (is happy to
combine knowledge and resources where helpful and avoids duplication)
Shares
knowledge where possible (e.g. with colleagues in the sector, or to
influence attitudes to an issue or to influence policy)
Would make best use of a grant (i.e. where the grant would make a positive difference)
This is not a checklist but reflects our wish to work with partners
who aim to follow best practice and achieve real impact. We are likely
to be most interested in applications from organisations who are
achieving or consciously making steps towards the above.
Visit our grantholders page for information on the organisations and work that we have funded in the past.
During the online application process, we ask you to provide:
1. Application form
Basic information about your organisation, finances and your request for funding through a four-page application form (the questions in the form can be reviewed here).
2. Other documents
a. 2-page document which summarises your organisation and activities. This should include, for example, background, aims and objectives, activities and achievements. If you are applying for a restricted project you should include a budget. If your proposal is for a Special Initiative or Anchor by invitation, you may exceed the two-page maximum for your proposal.
b. Financial information including most recent audited/ examined financial accounts, current financial year figures, and projection (if your financial year is ending within the next 4 months).
c. A copy of your governing document/ constitution, and your safeguarding policy.
Please note we only accept complete applications submitted through our online application form.
Following your application, we will contact you directly if we require any further information, which may include a phone call as part of the assessment.
Making the application
When you are ready to make an application, this will be through an online portal accessed via our eligibility form.
The form does not have to be completed within one session. If you choose to ‘save and resume later’, then you will be provided with a link so you can return to the page within 30 days. The attachments will not be saved between sessions, and so should be attached in your final session, before you submit (and a copy saved locally). If you have any difficulties submitting large files, please contact us directly.
We are proud to be working with 360Giving to share information about our grant making. Please note that if we offer you a grant, we will publish as open data information relating to the grant and your organisation.
Decision making
All grant decisions are made at the absolute discretion of the Trustee Directors.
Our Grants Committee meets four times a year to assess and decide upon grant applications. The application deadlines for 2022/23 are as follows:
