Chapman Charitable Trust

Charity Number: 232791

Annual Expenditure: £0.4M

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £217,000 (Spring 2025 round)
  • Success Rate: Less than 20% (fewer than 100 grants from 500+ applications per round)
  • Decision Time: 1-2 months (applications by end Feb/Aug, decisions in March/Sept)
  • Grant Range: £1,000 - £12,000 (typically £1,000-£3,000)
  • Geographic Focus: National UK charities, plus local charities in North Wales and South East England

Contact Details

Website: www.chapmancharitabletrust.org.uk

Email: cct@chapmancharitabletrust.org.uk

Phone: 0207 870 9050

Charity Number: 232791

For inquiries about eligibility or application guidance, contact the trust via email before applying.

Overview

Established on October 30, 1963, by Marjorie Chapman, the Chapman Charitable Trust has evolved from supporting a small number of organizations suggested by its founder to becoming a significant grant-maker across arts, health and wellbeing, and nature conservation. The trust remains family-led, with current trustees including one of Marjorie's grandsons, a granddaughter, and three great-grandsons. With annual grant distributions of approximately £217,000 per round (totaling over £400,000 annually), the trust focuses on causes reflecting contemporary trustee interests and family experiences, including mental and physical health improvement particularly for children, environmental protection including pollution and pesticide concerns, arts accessibility, and natural environment conservation. Recent financial accounts (year ending April 2024) show total income of £475,644 and expenditure of £502,082, demonstrating the trust's commitment to grant-making even when income fluctuates.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The trust awards grants twice yearly (March and September meetings) through a rolling application process with fixed deadlines:

  • Standard Grants: £1,000-£3,000 (majority of awards)
  • Larger Grants: Up to £12,000 (reserved for organizations with special trustee oversight or those originally supported by founder Marjorie Chapman)

Application Method: Online application form, with deadlines at the end of February (for March meeting) and end of August (for September meeting).

Priority Areas

Arts Accessibility

  • Projects increasing accessibility to cultural arts and national heritage
  • Arts organizations partnering with schools, including special needs schools
  • Programs using arts (especially music) for mental health improvement
  • Community arts festivals (limited number)
  • Youth engagement with performing and visual arts

Physical and Mental Wellbeing

  • Combined physical and mental wellbeing initiatives (such as sports programs)
  • Research into narrow medical conditions which may not receive mainstream charity funding
  • Mental health support for young people
  • Programs serving disadvantaged populations (disabled children, refugees, ex-offenders, dementia sufferers)
  • Education programs targeting future health improvements

Nature Conservation

  • Wildlife and habitat protection through direct site management
  • Research into causes of decline and potential solutions
  • Projects reducing human environmental impact (waste/fossil fuel reduction)
  • Environmental concerns including pollution and pesticide issues
  • Community engagement in conservation
  • Projects benefiting disadvantaged groups through nature connection

The trust favors charities that “address the root causes of problems” rather than providing temporary relief.

What They Don't Fund

  • Individual welfare: Applications related to individuals and their welfare, whether in the UK or abroad
  • Individual sponsorship: Education, research, or travel sponsorship for individuals
  • CICs and CASCs: Community Interest Companies and Community Amateur Sports Clubs
  • Non-registered organizations: Must be a registered UK charity with Charity Commission number
  • Local charities outside geographic scope: Unless serving North Wales or South East England (Greater London, Hertfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Surrey, Hampshire)
  • Educational/research establishments: Unless they have charitable status
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Governance and Leadership

The trust maintains a family governance structure spanning four generations from founder Marjorie Chapman. The current trustee board includes:

  • One grandson of Marjorie Chapman
  • One granddaughter of Marjorie Chapman
  • Three great-grandsons of Marjorie Chapman

This family-led structure ensures continuity with the founder's vision while adapting to contemporary philanthropic priorities. The trust's evolution reflects trustees' personal interests and family experiences, particularly in areas affecting children's health and wellbeing, environmental protection, and arts accessibility.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

  1. Read Guidelines Thoroughly: Review both main guidelines and additional guidance on the trust's website before applying
  2. Check Eligibility: Confirm your organization is a registered UK charity and falls within geographic and thematic scope
  3. Prepare Application: Begin with a short paragraph giving a succinct summary of your project
  4. Submit Online: Complete the online application form available on the trust's website
  5. Receive Confirmation: Automatic email confirmation sent immediately upon submission

Application Portal: Available at www.chapmancharitabletrust.org.uk/apply

Decision Timeline

  • Application Deadlines: End of February (midnight GMT) and end of August
  • Trustee Meetings: March and September (twice yearly)
  • Notification: Email sent to all applicants (successful and unsuccessful) following each meeting
  • Decision Time: Approximately 1-2 months from deadline to notification

Success Rates

The trust receives over 500 applications at each half-yearly meeting and awards fewer than 100 grants per round, resulting in a success rate of less than 20%. In Spring 2025, the trust awarded 127 grants totaling £217,000, suggesting approximately 600+ applications were received for that round.

Reapplication Policy

  • Successful Applicants: Must wait at least 2 years (24 months) before reapplying
  • Unsuccessful Applicants: May reapply at any time, including the very next funding round
  • No Penalty: There is no negative impact from reapplying after an unsuccessful application

Application Success Factors

Specific Guidance from the Funder

Application Structure: “It is helpful if your application begins with a short paragraph giving a succinct summary of your project.”

Root Causes Over Symptoms: The trust explicitly states they “prefer to support charities which address the root causes of problems” rather than providing temporary relief or treating symptoms.

Alignment with Trustee Experience: The trust's website notes that grant-making focus “has moved towards sectors aligned with the interests and personal family experiences of the current trustees,” particularly concerning:

  • Mental and physical health improvement for children
  • Environmental protection concerns (pollution and pesticides)
  • Arts accessibility and cultural engagement

Recent Grant Recipients as Examples

Spring 2025 Awards demonstrate the trust's priorities:

Top-tier grants (£12,000):

  • Fragile X Society (rare genetic condition research)
  • Pesticide Action Network UK (environmental protection)

Major grants (£6,000):

  • A Rocha (nature conservation)
  • BFI - Future Film Institute (youth arts accessibility)
  • Britten Pears Arts (music and arts education)
  • Care for Veterans (health and wellbeing)

Standard grants (£3,000):

  • National Theatre (arts accessibility)
  • Marine Conservation Society (nature conservation)
  • Brain Tumour Research (medical research into narrow conditions)
  • Horatio's Garden (combining nature and wellbeing)
  • Cherry Trees (arts for disabled people)

Smaller grants (£1,000-£2,000):

  • Sports programs for disabled youth
  • Community arts projects
  • Wildlife conservation organizations
  • Mental health support services
  • Youth engagement programs

Language and Terminology

The trust uses specific terminology that applicants should mirror:

  • “Accessibility” (not just “access”)
  • “Root causes” (emphasizing systemic change)
  • “Disadvantaged populations” or "groups who don't normally have the opportunity"
  • “Future improvements” (forward-looking impact)
  • “Cultural arts and national heritage”

Standing Out in a Competitive Field

With a sub-20% success rate, successful applications likely demonstrate:

  1. Clear root cause focus: Explain how your work addresses underlying problems, not just symptoms
  2. Alignment with trustee interests: Reference how your work relates to children's wellbeing, environmental concerns, or arts accessibility
  3. Evidence of accessibility: Show how you reach disadvantaged or underserved populations
  4. Concise summary: Lead with a clear, compelling one-paragraph summary
  5. National significance or local geographic fit: Either demonstrate UK-wide impact or clearly state location in eligible regions
  6. Modest, realistic requests: Most successful grants are £1,000-£3,000; avoid overreaching
  7. Research value: For medical/environmental projects, emphasize research into conditions or issues with limited mainstream funding

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • High Competition, Modest Grants: With 500+ applications competing for fewer than 100 grants of typically £1,000-£3,000, focus on realistic requests that demonstrate clear impact for modest investment
  • Root Causes Matter Most: Explicitly articulate how your project addresses underlying problems rather than providing temporary relief; this is a stated priority of the trustees
  • Geographic Precision Required: If you're a local charity, you must serve North Wales or South East England (Greater London, Herts, Cambs, Essex, Kent, Sussex, Surrey, Hants); national charities have broader eligibility
  • Lead with a Summary: Begin your application with a single concise paragraph summarizing your project—this is specifically requested and likely determines whether trustees read further
  • Align with Trustee Interests: Emphasize connections to children's health and wellbeing, environmental protection (especially pollution/pesticides), or arts accessibility for disadvantaged groups
  • Reapply Without Hesitation: Unsuccessful applicants face no waiting period and can reapply immediately; successful applicants must wait 2 years
  • Twice-Yearly Window: Plan for February or August deadlines with decisions 1-2 months later; there are no other opportunities throughout the year

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