Charity Of Sir Richard Whittington

Charity Number: 1087167

Annual Expenditure: £4.7M
Geographic Focus: Throughout England

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Income: £4,661,000 (2024)
  • Total Grant Giving: £29.5 million (382 grants since 2018)
  • Decision Time: 3-8 months (program dependent)
  • Grant Range: £10,000 - £120,000
  • Geographic Focus: London, Lincolnshire, Norfolk, North East England
  • Annual Distribution Target: Contributes to £10 million distributed annually across programmes

Contact Details

Website: www.mercers.co.uk

Email: info@mercers.co.uk

Phone: 020 7726 4991

Address: Mercers' Hall, Ironmonger Lane, London EC2R 8AB

For grant enquiries, contact the Mercers' Company directly via the details above.

Overview

The Charity of Sir Richard Whittington was established in 1423 following the death of Richard Whittington (c.1354–1423), four-time Lord Mayor of London and member of the Mercers' Company, who bequeathed his entire estate to charity. The Mercers' Company has served as trustee since 1424. With an annual income of £4.7 million, the charity operates two almshouse communities providing 74 homes for older people in London and Surrey, and serves as a major grant-maker supporting disadvantaged communities. The charity focuses on relieving need through three strategic funding programmes: Young People & Education, Older People & Housing, and Church & Communities. Since 2018, it has awarded 382 grants totaling £29.5 million, supporting approximately 180 charities annually alongside other Mercers' Company charitable trusts.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Young People & Education (Greater London)

  • Grant Range: £10,000 - £120,000
  • Duration: Typically 3-4 years
  • Focus Areas:
  • Early Years (ages 2-5): numeracy, literacy, and language development
  • Literacy & Oracy: developing skills to improve life chances
  • Transitions from Secondary Education: supporting mental health and successful progression
  • Application: Rolling for Transitions strand; check website for current opportunities

Older People & Housing (London and Norfolk)

  • Grant Range: £50,000 - £120,000
  • Duration: Up to 3 years
  • Focus Areas:
  • Combatting loneliness in older people
  • Combatting poverty faced by older people
  • Cost of living support
  • Quality housing issues
  • Application: Rolling basis, decisions made twice yearly

Church & Communities (County Durham, London, Lincolnshire, Norfolk, Northumberland, Tees Valley, Tyne & Wear)

  • Grant Range: £10,000 - £120,000
  • Duration: Up to 3 years
  • Focus Areas:
  • Building stronger communities in disadvantaged areas
  • Supporting minoritized communities
  • Refugee and homeless support
  • Supporting families facing poverty
  • Assisting unpaid carers and their families
  • Application: Rolling basis

Priority Areas

All programmes prioritize:

  • Community-rooted and community-focused organizations
  • Diverse boards, staff, and volunteers reflecting communities served
  • Person-centered, asset-based approaches
  • Promotion of positive mental wellbeing
  • Organizations paying the Real Living Wage
  • Core, unrestricted, project, or development costs (flexible funding approach)

Preferred Target Groups:

  • Black or ethnic minoritized communities
  • LGBTQ+ communities
  • Disadvantaged neighborhoods
  • Informal carers
  • People living with long-term conditions

What They Don't Fund

  • Individuals
  • Capital costs (limited exceptions for obvious lack of alternative local facilities)
  • General appeals
  • Retroactive expenses
  • Grants exceeding 50% of an organization's annual income
  • Projects solely focused on young or older people (under Church & Communities)
  • Advancement of a specific faith
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Governance and Leadership

The Mercers' Company serves as corporate trustee to the Charity of Sir Richard Whittington. The Mercers' Company is governed by the Court of Assistants, with a Clerk serving as Chief Executive Officer, supported by a professional team of 60 staff members.

The charity operates through committees that oversee each funding programme:

  • Young People & Education Committee
  • Older People & Housing Committee
  • Church & Communities Committee

Decisions on expressions of interest are made by staff panels, while full applications require committee-level approval.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

  1. Submit Expression of Interest (EOI): Applications accepted on a rolling basis through the online grant request platform at www.mercers.co.uk
  2. Initial Review: Applicants notified within 4 weeks whether to submit a full application
  3. Full Application: Invitation-only for selected EOIs
  4. Committee Decision: Final decisions made by relevant committee

Decision Timeline

  • Church & Communities: 3-5 months from EOI submission to final decision
  • Older People & Housing: 5-8 months from EOI submission to final decision
  • Young People & Education: Timeline varies by strand; typically 3-4 year funding periods
  • EOI Response: Within 4 weeks

The Older People & Housing Committee considers applications twice a year on a case-by-case basis.

Success Rates

With 382 grants awarded totaling £29.5 million since May 2018 through February 2025, the charity supports approximately 180 organizations annually across all Mercers' Company programmes. Individual grant amounts range from £1,750 to £349,609, with most awards falling in the £10,000-£120,000 range.

Reapplication Policy

Applicants should focus on “one application with us at any time.” Re-applications after a recent rejection are “highly likely” to be unsuccessful. No strict time restriction exists, but applicants should carefully consider feedback before reapplying.

Application Success Factors

Decision-Making Criteria

The charity considers four key factors:

  1. Eligibility: Organization meets programme requirements
  2. Organizational Strength: Strong governance and financial health
  3. Proposal Strength: Clear impact and alignment with priorities
  4. Portfolio Balance: Fit within existing grant portfolios

Successful Approach

Organizations should demonstrate:

  • Close alignment to priority areas
  • Community roots: Both rooted in and focused on the community served
  • Diverse leadership: Board, staff, and volunteers reflecting the communities served
  • Preventative and collaborative approaches: Particularly for Young People & Education
  • Innovation or scalability: New models or approaches that can grow
  • Proven track record: Established organizations with demonstrated impact
  • Asset-based, person-centered work: Building on community strengths

Recent Funding Examples

  • Action Foundation: £95,000 three-year grant to improve advice and guidance for refugees and asylum seekers across Tyne & Wear
  • Scouts: Multi-year funding to test new models delivering Scouts to disadvantaged 4 and 5 year olds through 20 pilots across Greater London
  • Church & Communities Programme: 11 grants totaling £964,191 to London and Tyne & Wear organizations strengthening communities

As a Flexible Funder

The charity distinguishes itself by:

  • Considering core, unrestricted, project, or development costs
  • Supporting wellbeing costs for leaders, staff, and volunteers
  • Occasionally funding capital costs where no alternative local facilities exist
  • Making grants and social investments (including loans)

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Be patient with timelines: Allow 3-8 months for the full decision process depending on programme
  • Emphasize community connection: Demonstrate your organization is both rooted in and focused on the community you serve, with leadership reflecting that community
  • Focus on relieving disadvantage: All programmes target disadvantage in specific geographic areas—make this connection explicit
  • Pay Real Living Wage: This is a stated priority across all programmes
  • One application at a time: Don't submit multiple applications simultaneously or reapply immediately after rejection
  • Choose the right programme: Apply to the programme that best fits your work—Young People & Education, Older People & Housing, or Church & Communities
  • Think long-term: The charity typically funds 3-4 year periods, so demonstrate sustainability and lasting impact

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