Charity Of Richard Cloudesley

Charity Number: 205959

Annual Expenditure: £2.6M

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £2,600,000
  • Grant Range: £10,000 - £65,000 (church grants); varies for health grants
  • Decision Time: 6-8 weeks (church grants from deadline to notification)
  • Geographic Focus: London Borough of Islington only
  • Founded: 1517 (over 500 years of grant-making)

Contact Details

Address: 2nd floor, 200a Pentonville Road, London, N1 9JP

Phone: 020 7832 5802 or 020 7697 4094

Email: info@cloudesley.org.uk

Website: www.cloudesley.org.uk

Grants Manager (Church Grants): Catherine Sorrell

Overview

Founded in 1517 when Richard Cloudesley bequeathed 14 acres of land known as “Stony Fields” for religious and charitable purposes, the Charity of Richard Cloudesley is one of England's oldest grant-making trusts. The charity celebrated its 500th anniversary in 2017. Today, Cloudesley is an independent charitable trust with an annual grants budget of £2.6 million, supporting health initiatives and Church of England churches exclusively within the London Borough of Islington. The charity generates income from approximately 100 residential properties on the Cloudesley Estate in Barnsbury and marketable securities. With over 1,500 individual welfare grants and numerous organizational and church grants awarded annually, Cloudesley maintains a proactive approach to addressing health inequalities and supporting church infrastructure in Islington.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

1. Health Grants - Large Grants Fund

  • Multi-year grants for voluntary sector organizations
  • Application by invitation only
  • For organizations with proven track record of delivering positive health outcomes
  • Supports 20 local organizations currently
  • Can be used for core running costs or specific project costs

2. Health Grants - Small Grants Fund

  • Note: Not running in 2025/26; under review

3. Health Grants - Individual Grants

  • Cloudesley Partner Grants: Distributed through 19 partner organizations supporting vulnerable residents (over 1,400 grants in 2024)
  • Catalyst Fund: Small grants enabling support workers to help vulnerable residents develop and connect to opportunities (over 100 grants in 2024)
  • No self-referrals accepted; must apply through partner organizations

4. Main Church Grants Fund

  • Grant Range: Up to £65,000 (most grants considerably less)
  • Frequency: Spring and Autumn funding rounds
  • 2025 Deadlines: Spring (7 April), Autumn (6 October)
  • Supports major works, building projects, sustainability measures, preventative works, and simple repairs

5. Church Urgent Repair Grants

  • Rolling basis applications accepted year-round
  • For urgent repair needs

6. Sustainable Church Buildings Project (SCBP)

  • Small Grants: Up to £10,000 non-competitive for eligible churches
  • Large Grants: £10,000 - £65,000 for sustainability and net zero carbon measures
  • Must be spent within 12 months of award

Priority Areas

Health Grants:

  • Reducing health inequalities in Islington
  • Supporting residents with physical and/or mental health issues who are in financial need
  • Supporting residents with disabilities
  • Organizations delivering positive health outcomes for vulnerable populations
  • Prevention and early intervention programs
  • Activities addressing social isolation
  • Co-production approaches

Church Grants:

  • Upkeep and repair of church fabric
  • Maintenance of church services
  • Building repairs and major works
  • Preventative maintenance identified in Quinquennial Inspections
  • Sustainability and environmental works (solar panels, LED lighting)
  • Access improvements
  • Sound systems and essential equipment

What They Don't Fund

General:

  • Applications from outside the London Borough of Islington
  • Churches other than Church of England

Church Grants Specific:

  • Repayment of loans
  • Stipends for clergy or salary costs for ministry team
  • Housing
  • Utility bills and cleaning
  • Projects already completed, underway, or contractually committed before grant decision
  • Building repair work to structures outside church building/hall unless affecting access
  • Boundary walls, paths, and forecourts (generally)
  • Salaried posts (current policy under review)
  • Improvements beyond remedial or restorative work
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Governance and Leadership

Staff

  • Melanie Griffiths - Director
  • Catherine Sorrell - Grants Manager
  • Ross Holland - Finance Manager
  • Jo Latham - Operations and Database Officer

Board of Trustees (17 members)

  • Adam Jenner - Chair (Elected Trustee)
  • Sharon White - Vice Chair, Chair of Grants Committee (Elected Trustee)
  • Cllr Janet Burgess - Vice Chair (London Borough of Islington Nominated Trustee)
  • Martin Hornbuckle - Co-Chair of Finance & Endowment Committee (Archdeacon's Trustee)
  • Ellie Mitchell - Co-Chair of Finance & Endowment Committee (Elected Trustee)

Additional trustees include representatives nominated by London Borough of Islington and Islington Deanery Synod, plus elected trustees.

Committee Members

  • Femi Aiyebusi - Co-opted member of Grants Committee
  • Funke Imiruaye - Co-opted member of Grants Committee
  • Michael Samuels - Co-opted member of Finance & Endowment Committee

Director's perspective: Melanie Griffiths has emphasized the charity's adaptive approach over its 500-year history, noting that "different generations have interpreted Richard Cloudesley's intentions in different ways; the charity has always been fit for the purpose of that time."

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

Church Grants:

  • Applications via online form only
  • Link emailed to church contacts at launch of each funding round
  • Staff available to help complete forms
  • Pre-application contact encouraged with Grants Manager

Health Grants - Large Grants:

  • By invitation only
  • Contact Grants Manager for initial discussion before applying

Individual Grants:

  • Through 19 Cloudesley Partner organizations
  • No self-referrals accepted

Decision Timeline

Church Grants (2025 Schedule):

Spring Round:

  • Launch: Monday 10 February
  • Deadline: Monday 7 April at 5pm
  • Grants Committee: Tuesday 20 May
  • Notification: 9 June

Autumn Round:

  • Launch: Monday 11 August
  • Deadline: Monday 6 October at 5pm
  • Grants Committee: Tuesday 18 November
  • Notification: 8 December

Process:

  1. Quick completeness check after deadline
  2. Staff assessment (may request further information or site visit)
  3. Report with recommendation prepared for Trustees
  4. Grants Committee or Board meeting
  5. Notification within 7 days of decision
  6. Full offer details within 14 days

Timeline: Approximately 6-8 weeks from application deadline to notification.

Success Rates

Specific success rate data not publicly available. However, the charity distributes £2.6 million annually and made 2,431 grants between September 2015 and January 2025, indicating significant grant-making activity.

Reapplication Policy

No published restrictions on reapplication found. Churches can apply to each Spring and Autumn round. Contact the Grants Manager for specific guidance on unsuccessful applications.

Application Success Factors

Advice from the Funder

Complete Applications:

  • “Complete all relevant questions on the application form and supply the requested supporting information and documents by the deadline”
  • If unable to answer a question, explain why in your application
  • Provide answers in relevant sections rather than referring to attached documents

Demonstrate Clear Need:

  • “There must be a clear and demonstrated need for the proposed work/project”
  • Provide appropriate evidence (survey responses, Quinquennial Inspection reports)

Realistic Costings:

  • “Seek appropriate advice on costings to demonstrate that the project budget is as realistic and accurate as possible”
  • Explain how costings were calculated
  • For amounts over £10,000: provide two written quotations/estimates
  • For amounts under £10,000: provide one quotation/estimate

Financial Documentation:

  • Provide most recent annual report and audited accounts
  • Show project's financial importance to the organization

Stakeholder Support:

  • Include evidence of church and stakeholder support
  • Demonstrate project management capability and realistic timeline

Don't Hesitate to Ask:

  • “Contact the charity if you have any queries about the Church Grants programme or if you would like to discuss an application”
  • Staff can help complete forms

Recent Funded Projects

Church Grants Examples:

  • St Mark's: £30,000 for access ramp construction
  • St Andrew's: £41,000 (£18,000 for wiring repairs, £23,000 for lighting)
  • Christ Church Highbury: £74,975 for stonework repairs
  • St Mary's: £40,000 for toilet renovation
  • St Stephen's: £38,400 for new sound system
  • St Mary's Heart of Islington project: £287,975 total (2012-2018)

Health Grants Example:

  • Stuart Low Trust: £90,000 (2020) + £3,000 (2021) for Arts and Nature programme supporting 421 Islington residents with mental health issues through creative activities and social connection

Key Characteristics of Successful Applications

  • Strong emphasis on co-production and inclusive approaches
  • Activities outside normal working hours to increase accessibility
  • Clear demonstration of addressing health inequalities
  • Evidence of positive health outcomes
  • Prevention and early intervention focus
  • Addressing social isolation
  • Sustainability and environmental benefits (for church grants)
  • Alignment with Quinquennial Inspection recommendations

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  1. Islington-only focus: Absolutely must be based in or serving the London Borough of Islington - this is non-negotiable and rigorously enforced.
  1. Relationship approach: This is a proactive, engaged local funder. Pre-application contact is encouraged, particularly for church grants. Use Catherine Sorrell as a resource before applying.
  1. Evidence-based applications: Show clear demonstrated need with concrete evidence (surveys, reports, inspection findings). Avoid vague assertions.
  1. Cost accuracy matters: Realistic, well-explained costings with appropriate quotations are essential. Under-costing or vague budgets will weaken applications.
  1. Values alignment: Emphasize inclusive approaches, co-production, accessibility, and responsiveness to community needs. Cloudesley values diversity and equal access.
  1. Health grants are competitive: Large Grants are by invitation only for organizations with proven track records. Build relationships over time before expecting major funding.
  1. Plan around church grant cycles: Two annual rounds with fixed deadlines. Missing an October deadline means waiting six months. Spring applications due early April, Autumn early October.

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