Benefact Trust Limited

Charity Number: 263960

Annual Expenditure: £25.3M
Throughout England And Wales

Contact Info

Website: https://benefacttrust.co.uk/

Phone: 01452 873189

Email: info@benefacttrust.co.uk

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: Over £20 million annually (part of £310 million total since 1972)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
  • Decision Time: 2 months (under £25k), 4-6 months (over £25k)
  • Grant Range: £2,000 - £54,000+ (multi-year grants available)
  • Geographic Focus: UK and Ireland

Contact Details

Website: https://benefacttrust.co.uk/

Email: info@benefacttrust.co.uk

Phone: 01452 873189

Address: Benefact House, 2000 Pioneer Avenue, Gloucester Business Park, Brockworth, Gloucester, GL3 4AW

Overview

Benefact Trust (formerly Allchurches Trust) was established in 1972 and is one of the UK's largest religious charitable trusts. Since inception, the Trust has awarded over £310 million to Christian organizations across the UK and Ireland, with £100 million distributed in the last five years alone. The Trust is owned by Benefact Group (formerly Ecclesiastical Insurance Group), which donates all available profits to charitable causes. As the third-largest corporate donor in the UK, the Trust focuses exclusively on supporting registered charities with strong Christian connections through capital projects, community impact initiatives, and building improvements.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

  • Community Impact Grants: £10,000 - £54,000+ (launched January 2023, over £3.8m awarded to date)
  • Building Improvement Grants: Variable amounts for capital projects
  • Methodist Heritage Grants: Specialist funding for Methodist organizations (recent round: £700,000+)
  • Monthly Smaller Grants: Up to £10,000 (rolling applications)
  • Roof Alarm Grants: Up to £2,500 (50% of costs)

All programs accept rolling applications with no fixed deadlines.

Priority Areas

  • Growing congregations and Christian communities
  • Addressing social challenges (homelessness, poverty, mental health)
  • Enabling wider community use of church buildings
  • Empowering Christian education
  • Building repairs and accessibility improvements
  • Energy efficiency and environmental projects

What They Don't Fund

  • Running costs and salaries (except Hope Beyond program)
  • Completed projects
  • Non-Christian organizations
  • Projects without 30% match funding in place

Governance and Leadership

Chairman: Tim Carroll (appointed January 2020, former CEO of Swiss Re UK)

Key Trustees:

  • David Henderson (Non-Executive Director of The R&A Group, former Christian Aid Kenya trustee)
  • Paul Rossi (retired Methodist Minister with 40 years' experience)
  • François-Xavier Boisseau (30+ years insurance industry experience)

Chief Executive of Benefact Group: Mark Hews, who states: “At Benefact Group we offer careers with purpose, and we support and reward our talented people.”

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

Online applications via benefacttrust.co.uk for all programs. Different application portals for specific grant types (Community Impact, Building Improvement, Methodist Heritage).

Decision Timeline

  • Smaller grants (up to £25,000): 2 months average
  • Larger grants (over £25,000): 4-6 months (requires committee and board approval)
  • Rolling applications accepted year-round

Success Rates

Not publicly disclosed, but the Trust aims to support as many eligible applications as possible.

Reapplication Policy

Organizations that received General Grants funding must wait two years before reapplying. No restrictions specified for other programs.

Application Success Factors

Key Requirements:

  • Must be a registered charity with strong Christian links
  • 30% match funding required before application
  • Clear fundraising plan for remaining funds
  • Focus on capital/equipment costs rather than running expenses

Recent Successful Projects:

  • Hope Housing Bradford: £35,700 over three years for Centre Manager role
  • West London Mission: £54,000 multi-year grant for counselling program staff
  • St Mary's Church Fawley: £6,300 for community hub transformation
  • Woodford Methodist Church: £49,000 for eco-friendly kitchen extension

Application Advice from the Trust:

"Read through the entire application form before you start filling it in... By matching your project closely to the funder's criteria and mission, you maximise your chances of success."

What Makes Applications Stand Out:

  • Clear demonstration of Christian organizational ethos
  • Strong community need and impact evidence
  • Detailed financial planning with secured match funding
  • Projects addressing social challenges or building community capacity

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Essential requirement: Strong Christian organizational links must be clearly demonstrated
  • Financial preparation: Secure 30% match funding before applying
  • Project focus: Capital and equipment costs are strongly preferred over running costs
  • Application quality: Read entire form first, avoid duplication, follow guidance precisely
  • Geographic advantage: Projects in areas of higher deprivation may receive funding uplifts
  • Timing flexibility: Rolling applications allow strategic submission timing
  • Relationship building: Benefact Trust grants often catalyze additional funding from other sources

Similar Funders

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References