Blackfriars Overseas Aid Trust

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £83,000+
• Success Rate: Not published
• Decision Time: Monthly committee meetings
• Grant Range: £4,000 per year (typical)
• Geographic Focus: Asia, Africa, South and Central America (excluding Europe, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand)
• Funding Duration: Typically 3 years on a rolling basis

Contact Details

Address: Blackfriars Overseas Aid Trust, c/o Blackfriars Priory, 64 St Giles, Oxford OX1 3LY

Email: BoatBlackfriars@gmail.com

Phone: 01865 278400

Website: https://www.blackfriars.org.uk/community-life/groups/boat-blackfriars-overseas-aid-trust/

Charity Number: 288585

Overview

Blackfriars Overseas Aid Trust (BOAT) was founded in 1984 by members of the 9:30 Family Mass congregation at Blackfriars, Oxford. The charity currently distributes approximately £83,000 annually to support 18-20 grassroots projects simultaneously across the developing world. With administrative costs of just £225 per year (less than 0.3% of income), BOAT ensures that almost every pound raised goes directly to supporting projects. In their most recent financial year (ending December 2024), the trust had an income of £85,591 and expenditure of £92,610. The charity's mission centers on relief of poverty and advancement of education in Asia, Africa, and South and Central America, focusing specifically on health, welfare, community development, and education initiatives. The organization maintains a distinctive approach of personal engagement, with each trustee and committee member maintaining regular contact with one or two projects throughout the year. Gift Aid recovery adds significantly to their fundraising, bringing in £16,500 in a recent year through the diligent work of Assistant Treasurer Filomena Nave.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

• Regular Project Grants: £4,000 per year (typical amount), provided on a three-year rolling basis with consideration for renewal. Projects receive consistent annual support rather than one-off grants.
• Emergency Support: Occasional grants for urgent needs, though this is not the primary focus
• Application Method: Rolling basis - contact via email or attend monthly committee meetings

Priority Areas

Geographic Focus: Projects working in Asia, Africa, and South and Central America (explicitly excluding Europe, United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand)

Sector Priorities:

• Healthcare (primary and preventive medicine)
• Welfare (children, people with disabilities, refugees, victims of war and poverty)
• Education (practical skills, women's education, basic children's education)
• Community development

Project Characteristics Sought:

• Small-scale or grassroots initiatives where modest donations make significant impact
• Projects demonstrating potential for sustainable development
• Initiatives with strong communication links
• Some connection to the Blackfriars congregation or Dominican order preferred (but not required)
• Catholic links welcomed but not mandatory

Recent Projects Funded Include:

• Ethiopia: Education for disadvantaged children in Zizencho village
• Myanmar: Clean drinking water access through water tank construction
• Rwanda: Entrepreneurship training for genocide survivors
• India: Tutoring for children of rag pickers in Delhi slums
• Jamaica: Essential supplies and staff support for disadvantaged primary school
• Philippines: Healthcare and education access for indigenous Subaanen people
• Peru: Programs reducing childhood malnutrition and domestic violence
• Pakistan: Support for Hindu tribal people in Yazman Mandi, Bahawalpur (Tribal Mission of St Dominic Parish)
• Brazil: São Paulo project providing meals and activities for children (supported since 2005)
• Uganda: Mosquito nets to prevent malaria
• Cameroon: Support for ARCH (Association for Rehabilitation of the Crippled and Handicapped)

What They Don't Fund

• Evangelization or proselytizing activities (explicitly stated)
• Projects in Europe, United States, Canada, Australia, or New Zealand
• Projects without clear communication channels
• Large-scale institutional projects (focus is grassroots)

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Governance and Leadership

Trustees: 10 trustees, all volunteers who receive no remuneration, payments, or benefits from the charity

Volunteers: 10 volunteers support the organization's work

Key Personnel:

• John Thanassoulis - Treasurer, Professor of Financial Economics at Warwick Business School, described as keeping “BOAT on a steady course”
• Filomena Nave - Assistant Treasurer, responsible for Gift Aid recovery (secured £16,500 in one year through “dedicated work”)

Committee Structure: The BOAT Committee comprises trustees and additional members who each maintain personal contact with one or two projects. Committee meetings are open to all, not just trustees and members. The committee emphasizes the importance of strong communication as "one of BOAT's best distinctive attributes."

Philosophical Approach: South African Dominican Albert Nolan OP's framework guides their work through four stages: beginning with compassion and culminating in “true solidarity, no longer seeing the poor and oppressed as a separate class, but identifying with their problems, struggles, weaknesses and hopes.”

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

BOAT welcomes applications and states they are “always eager to hear about new projects” they might support.

Application Contact: Email BoatBlackfriars@gmail.com or write to Blackfriars Overseas Aid Trust, c/o Blackfriars Priory, 64 St Giles, Oxford OX1 3LY

Application Format: No formal application form is published. Contact the trust directly to express interest and discuss your project.

Meeting Attendance: The BOAT Committee meets monthly on Sundays immediately after the 9:30 Family Mass at Blackfriars, Oxford. Everyone is welcome to attend these meetings (not just trustees or committee members). Contact BoatBlackfriars@gmail.com for information about the next meeting.

Annual General Meeting: BOAT holds an annual AGM where projects and strategy are reviewed.

Decision Timeline

Committee Meetings: Monthly meetings held on Sundays after 9:30 Family Mass provide regular decision-making opportunities

Funding Duration: Projects typically receive three-year grants on a rolling basis, with renewal considered after the initial period

Communication During Grant: Each trustee or committee member maintains regular contact with assigned projects throughout the year, receiving reports and photographs

Success Rates

Success rate information is not publicly available. However, BOAT supports 18-20 projects simultaneously, suggesting selective but consistent grant-making.

Reapplication Policy

BOAT operates on a three-year rolling basis with projects “considered for renewal” after the initial funding period, indicating that reapplication or renewal is expected and welcomed. The long-term relationships maintained with projects suggest favorable consideration for continued support.

Application Success Factors

Based on BOAT's published guidance and approach, the following factors are critical for successful applications:

Communication Excellence: BOAT explicitly identifies “very good communication links” as one of their key selection criteria and "one of BOAT's best distinctive attributes." Projects must demonstrate:

• Ability to provide regular updates
• Willingness to share reports and photographs
• Responsiveness to trustee/committee member contact
• Clear communication channels that will remain reliable over multi-year grants

Sustainable Impact Philosophy: BOAT seeks “financial support that will lead to sustainable development” rather than short-term fixes. Applications should demonstrate:

• Long-term solutions to community needs
• Capacity building approaches
• Plans for ongoing impact beyond the grant period

Scale and Efficiency: BOAT looks for “projects where small donations will go a long way.” Successful applications will show:

• Grassroots, community-based approach
• Efficient use of modest funding (£4,000 typical grant)
• Significant impact relative to grant size
• Low overhead costs

Personal Connection: While not mandatory, BOAT preferences projects with “some link to the congregation or the Dominican order.” Consider highlighting:

• Any connections to Blackfriars congregation or Dominican communities
• Catholic links (though these are “not a condition”)
• Personal relationships with congregation members
• Previous engagement with the Dominican order

Transparency and Relationship Building: The committee operates through personal engagement, with each member maintaining contact with 1-2 projects. Successful applicants will:

• Welcome ongoing relationship with a designated trustee/committee member
• Provide regular, honest updates on progress and challenges
• Share photographs and stories from the field
• Be responsive to queries and requests for information

Values Alignment: BOAT is guided by principles of “compassion,” “structural change,” “humility,” and “solidarity.” Applications should reflect:

• Genuine identification with marginalized communities
• Commitment to structural solutions, not just charity
• Humble approach that learns from beneficiaries
• Partnership rather than top-down aid

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Exceptional efficiency: With 99.7% of income going to projects (only £225 administrative costs), BOAT maximizes impact of donations. Applications should similarly demonstrate efficiency and low overhead.

• Communication is paramount: BOAT explicitly identifies strong communication as a defining attribute and selection criterion. Emphasize your organization's communication capacity, responsiveness, and willingness to maintain regular contact with an assigned trustee.

• Think long-term: Standard grants run for three years with possibility of renewal. Frame your application around sustainable impact and multi-year outcomes rather than one-off interventions.

• Small can be powerful: With typical grants of £4,000, BOAT seeks grassroots projects where modest funding creates substantial impact. Don't be discouraged by the grant size—emphasize how far this funding will go in your context.

• Attend a meeting: The committee meets monthly after the 9:30 Family Mass on Sundays, and everyone is welcome. Consider attending to introduce your project personally and build relationships before or alongside a formal application.

• Connection matters: While not required, links to the Dominican order or Blackfriars congregation are preferred. If your organization has any such connections, highlight them. If not, focus on strong communication and values alignment instead.

• No evangelization: BOAT explicitly does not fund evangelization. Keep applications focused on practical poverty relief and education outcomes rather than religious conversion or proselytizing activities.

Similar Funders

These funders have a similar focus and geographic reach:

• The Kitchen Table Charities Trust
• Tanzania Development Trust
• The Cumber Family Charitable Trust
• James Percy Foundation
• SPICMA
• Society of the Holy Child Jesus CIO
• MESSENGER OF SAINT ANTHONY UK
• Halcrow Foundation
• The Evan Cornish Foundation
• The Randal Charitable Foundation

References

• Charity Commission Register of Charities: https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-details/?regid=288585&subid=0
• BOAT Official Website - Blackfriars Priory & Studium: https://www.blackfriars.org.uk/community-life/groups/boat-blackfriars-overseas-aid-trust/
• Scotland's International Development Alliance - BOAT Funding Update: https://intdevalliance.scot/membership/funding-update/blackfriars-overseas-aid-trust-boat/
• Hub Cymru Africa - BOAT Funding Opportunity: https://hubcymruafrica.wales/funding-opportunity/blackfriars-overseas-aid-trust-boat/
• English Dominican Province - Blackfriars Overseas Aid Trust AGM 2014: https://english.op.org/godzdogz/blackfriars-overseas-aid-trust-boat-agm-2014/
• BOAT Annual Report 2019 (PDF): https://www.bfriars.ox.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/BOAT_Annual_Report_2019-Website.pdf