To be eligible for our open programme, an applicant will:
Work in one of our priority areas
Be registered as a UK charity, delivering work in the UK
Have an annual income between £150k and £1.5m (this applies to the most recent published accounts and the two subsequent financial years - this would include draft figures and forecasts). See our FAQs for more detail
Have operated for at least a year and be able to provide a full year’s audited or independently examined accounts
Exclusions:
Individuals
The promotion of religion
Capital appeals
Academic research
Charities with large national links
For more information on the charities and work that we have funded in the past is available on this page.
The A B Charitable Trust works with organisations which do any or all of the following:
Deliver effective services for individuals (and their families) who are at risk of contact with or within the justice system (at any stage, from prevention to police to courts and prison)
Support effective rehabilitation in the community
Work to influence policy, public opinion, and narratives and to reform/reimagine the justice system
Strengthen the sector and support organisations delivering work in this area
We usually fund organisations working solely in this priority area. For these organisations, core funding (unrestricted grants) or project funding (restricted grants) are both available. We are happy to give unrestricted funding so please don't create a project specially for us, but feel free to apply for project funding if that would most benefit your organisation at the current time.
Very occasionally we also accept restricted grant applications from organisations working more broadly, where the work that fits within our priorities forms a significant strand, and the organisation can show it is best placed to deliver the work. Find more information in our FAQs.
What we look for in partner organisations
For us, a good organisation:
Delivers effective work and understands the difference it makes
Respects and 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)
Shares knowledge where possible and works in partnership, including in its particular geographical or policy area (e.g., to influence attitudes to a particular policy)
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 can be reviewed in our guidance).
2. Other documents
a. A Word/ PDF document of 2 to 2 ½ pages to tell us about your work.
As you can see on our website, A B Charitable Trust usually provides unrestricted funding. We are happy for you to draw on material you may already have when you prepare this document, for example the narrative in your annual accounts, the text on your website, or funding proposals you may have worked on recently. You don’t have to create something new for us. We find it useful to know your background; aims and objectives; activities and achievements; the individuals/ groups who you work with; as well as your organisation’s values and approach. If you are applying for unrestricted funding, there is no need to include a budget outlining how you propose to spend the grant.
If you would like to apply for restricted/ project funding, please describe the project and provide a project budget. The budget can be in addition to your 2 page document. Please see our FAQ’sfor further details on what we are likely to fund.
If you have been invited to submit a proposal for a special initiative or anchor grant, you may exceed the two-page maximum for your proposal. Your Grants Manager can provide more details.
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.
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.
Making the application
When you are ready to make an application, click on the apply button at the bottom of this page.
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 2024/25 are as follows:
