Aston-Mansfield Charitable Trust
At a glance
Key takeaways
- If your group is community-led, based in or supporting communities in Newham, has an annual income under £15,000 and is in its early years, the AMCT Development Plus programme is the part of this trust that fits you best.
- Its small grants are up to £2,000 and come with tailored development support over an agreed period, so ask for a modest sum for skills, systems or planning, since staffing, capital, core service delivery and fundraising costs are not funded.
- Applications are rolling, and the charity says decisions usually take about 5 weeks (it writes 4 to 6 weeks), so allow that long before expecting an answer.
- Organisations with an income of £15,000 or more, larger organisations, groups based outside London, and groups that have had AMCT seed funding before should not apply to Development Plus, nor should groups that cannot attend at least 2 development sessions or cannot manage funds appropriately without a host organisation.
- The trust makes its substantial grants principally to its connected sister charity, so for other charities, read the defined priorities and funding criteria the charity sets for its open application process before applying.
Overview
Aston-Mansfield Charitable Trust is a charity registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales (charity number 208155).
Aston-Mansfield Charitable Trust is a charity registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales, set up to develop the community wealth of east London and promote a diverse and inclusive society in which all are free to participate. It was set up as Aston Charities Trust. It makes substantial grants principally to its connected sister charity, alongside grants to other projects within its objectives and area of benefit and to other charities through an open application process. Its AMCT Development Plus programme offers small grants of up to £2,000 and targeted support to help early-stage, community-led organisations build skills, improve systems and plan for the future. Its annual giving is £1,052,973, according to the Charity Commission register.
What they fund
Priority Areas
The trust makes substantial grants principally to its connected sister charity, alongside grants to other projects within its objectives and area of benefit. It also makes grants to other charities through an open application process, using defined priorities and funding criteria. Its AMCT Development Plus programme offers small grants and tailored development support to small, grassroots, community-led organisations based in or supporting communities in Newham. It aims to help early-stage organisations build skills, improve systems and plan for the future. The programme supports organisational strategy, planning, finance, governance, digital skills and communications. It prioritises organisations led by and supporting underrepresented communities.
Themes
- Community development
- Organisational development
Geographic Focus
Newham. Priority: East London.
What they don't fund
- AMCT Development Plus only:
- Staffing or salary costs
- Recruitment-associated costs
- Capital or building costs
- Activities that have already taken place
- Ongoing core service delivery
- Direct fundraising costs
- Large organisations
- Work already funded by other programmes
- Groups based outside of London
- Organisations that are not community-led, registered with Companies House or the Charity Commission, or in the process of registering
- Organisations with an annual income of £15,000 or more
- Organisations that are not based in or supporting communities in Newham
- Organisations that have received previous AMCT seed funding
- Organisations unable to take part in at least 2 development sessions
- Organisations unable to manage funds appropriately (e.g. with 2 signatories on their bank account) or without a designated host organisation that meets this requirement
How to apply
Apply online by answering five questions about the organisation and the support it needs. The application is assessed to identify suitable support; successful applicants receive tailored sessions and funding, delivered over an agreed period.
Who can apply:
- AMCT Development Plus
- Be a community-led organisation (registered (Companies House or Charity Commission) or in the process)
- Have an annual income under £15,000
- Be based in or support communities in Newham
- Be in an early stage of development (typically under 5 years)
- Not having received previous AMCT seed funding
- Take part in at least 2 development sessions
- Manage funds appropriately (e.g. 2 signatories on your bank account ) or have a designated host organisation that meets this requirement.
Application success factors
What the charity says:
- The programme prioritises organisations led by and supporting underrepresented communities.
- It favours organisations in an early stage of development, typically under five years old.
Where they fund
Similar funders
Funders supporting work similar to Aston-Mansfield Charitable Trust.
Five years of accounts
| Financial year | Income | Expenditure | Grants paid | Accounts document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| year to 31 March 2021 | £580,117 | £908,802 | £829,072 | Accounts for year to 31 March 2021 |
| year to 31 March 2022 | £435,737 | £588,755 | — | Accounts for year to 31 March 2022 |
| year to 31 March 2023 | £567,749 | £1,059,094 | £805,307 | Accounts for year to 31 March 2023 |
| year to 31 March 2024 | £1,261,090 | £1,110,563 | £860,885 | Accounts for year to 31 March 2024 |
| year to 31 March 2025 | £1,226,770 | £1,312,268 | £1,052,973 | Accounts for year to 31 March 2025 |
Income vs grants paid
IncomeGrants paid
Total value each financial year
In 2 of the 4 years shown, grants paid exceeded income.
- Grants paid, year to 31 March 2021; year to 31 March 2023; year to 31 March 2024; year to 31 March 2025: grants to institutions, as reported on the charity register (Part B).
Figures from the charity’s filed accounts and its register entry. The document icon links to the charity’s entry on the Charity Commission register, where its filed accounts can be found.
Sources
Registers and filings
Other sources
- aston-mansfield.org.uk/amct-development-plus · read on 30 October 2026
- aston-mansfield.org.uk/who-we-are/about-us · read on 30 October 2026
- Annual report (year to 31 March 2025)
This profile draws on the funder’s own website as well as its filed accounts.
Sources last checked on 30 October 2026.
🎯 You've done the research. Now write an application they can't refuse.
Hinchilla combines funder's specific priorities with your organisation's past successful grants and AI analysis of what reviewers want to see.
Data privacy and security by default
Your organisation's past successful grants and experience
AI analysis of what reviewers want to see
A compelling draft application in 10 minutes instead of 10 hours
Spotted something that needs correcting? Let us know
At a glance
Applying to Aston-Mansfield Charitable Trust?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Applying to Aston-Mansfield Charitable Trust?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required