Charles Plater Trust

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £428,867 (2024)
• Success Rate: ~9% (22 grants from 236 applications in 2024)
• Decision Time: 12 weeks from application deadline
• Grant Range: £1,000 - £60,000
• Geographic Focus: England and Wales

Contact Details

Address: 39 Eccleston Square, London SW1V 1BX

Website: www.plater.org.uk

Email: plater@plater.org.uk (or general@catholiceducation.org.uk)

Phone: 020 7901 1907

Trust Manager: Dr. Philomena Cullen

For application guidance and information about upcoming grant rounds, visit the Trust's website or contact Dr. Cullen directly.

Overview

Established in 2006 following the closure of Plater College, Oxford, the Charles Plater Trust (CPT) continues the legacy of Father Charles Dominic Plater S.J., who founded the Catholic Social Guild in 1909. The Trust has awarded over £3.5 million to 108 UK charities to date, supporting organizations throughout England and Wales that advance social justice through education. Rooted in Catholic Social Teaching principles, CPT supports both religious and secular organizations whose work aligns with values of human dignity, solidarity, and the common good. The Trust operates with a clear commitment to transparency, publishing application statistics for the first time in 2024 to help charities understand the competitive funding landscape. CPT particularly focuses on organizations with annual incomes below £10 million, recognizing these smaller charities often struggle most to secure funding.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Large Grants: £5,001 - £60,000 (typically £30,000 - £50,000)

• Two-year spending period
• Online application via www.plater.org.uk
• Annual spring deadline (typically late February)
• Decisions notified approximately 12 weeks after deadline
• Awards ceremony held in June

Small Grants: £1,000 - £5,000 (typically £3,000 - £5,000)

• One-year spending period for parish or local-level projects
• Online application via www.plater.org.uk
• Annual autumn round (typically September/October deadline)
• Decisions notified by mid-December
• Eligibility requires annual turnover below £100,000

Priority Areas

The Trust funds three main types of projects aligned with Catholic Social Teaching:

1. Leadership for Laypeople: Projects that deepen awareness of Catholic Social Teaching to equip people for leadership roles in tackling poverty, exclusion, economic inequality, and environmental concerns.

• Ex-offender rehabilitation and employment support
• Support for refugees and asylum seekers
• Homelessness and housing initiatives
• Mental health services
• Domestic violence support
• Support for people with learning disabilities
• Food poverty initiatives

1. Applied Research: Projects that develop and apply Catholic Social Teaching in partnership with social action organizations to improve public policy and practice.

The Trust seeks to achieve three types of change: change for individuals (significant impact on the most marginalized), change for organizations (enhanced capacity to respond to social needs), and change for wider society (systemic change through policy or practice improvements).

What They Don't Fund

• Organizations with annual income above £10 million (except universities/HE institutions partnering with smaller charities)
• Projects outside England and Wales
• Organizations not based in England and Wales
• Capital costs
• Organizational core costs (overheads, running costs, operating costs)
• Grants to individuals (except postgraduate scholarships applied for by academic organizations)
• Grants over £60,000
• Projects not aligned with the three priority themes
• Organizations not registered as charities or not working towards charitable status
• Applications without required supporting documentation (accounts, budget, safeguarding policy, external reference)

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Governance and Leadership

Board of Trustees

Bishop Richard Moth (Chair since 2022) - Bishop of Arundel & Brighton Diocese; Chair of Catholic Bishops' Conference Social Justice Department. Bishop Moth has emphasized the Trust's commitment to partnering with charities responding creatively to hardship: “The new year stands before us, but the cost-of-living crisis has pushed many more into poverty and hardship in the UK...we are eager to partner with charities who want to respond creatively to these hard times to seek justice for people on the sharp end of these challenges.”

Bishop Paul McAleenan - Auxiliary Bishop of Westminster with responsibility for Caritas; leads the Office of Migration Policy for the Bishops' Conference.

Bishop Peter Collins - Bishop of East Anglia; extensive experience in education and safeguarding with 28 years in safeguarding roles.

Philippa Gitlin (Chair of Grant Making Committee) - 20 years in UK social action sector; former CEO of FSU with extensive governance consulting experience.

Andrew Haines (Chair of Finance Committee) - 30+ years leading charities; former teacher and special education professional.

Michael Walsh - Economist; former Head of International Department at Trades Union Congress; CAFOD volunteer.

Laura Maydew-Gale - Head of Communications for Diocese of Arundel & Brighton.

Matt Wall - Journalism and corporate communications background; active in Citizens UK campaigns.

Grant Making Committee Members

Philip Roethenbaugh - 25 years fundraising and marketing experience at major charities; currently Director of Fundraising & Communications at Noah's Ark Children's Hospice.

Brian Mooney - Head of Credit Product Policy for NatWest Holdings; 35+ years banking experience.

Oliver Smith - 15+ years investment management background.

John Hayward - 20 years charity sector experience starting at CAFOD.

Key Staff

Dr. Philomena Cullen (Trust Manager, appointed 2021) - Catholic theologian and charity consultant. Dr. Cullen emphasizes the Trust's belief in funded organizations: “The not-for-profit sector in England and Wales is the engine on the ground delivering vital services every day, in every community. We understand the significant challenges small charities face to keep that engine going. We believe in each organisation we fund. We believe in what they do, and how they do it.”

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

Preparation: The Trust recommends completing a blank application template in Word first, then cutting and pasting responses into the online form. Applications take approximately 60 minutes for small grants and 90 minutes for large grants.

Online Portal: All applications submitted via www.plater.org.uk

Required Documentation:

• Latest annual accounts
• Specific project budget
• Charity's safeguarding policy
• External reference supporting the application

Application Schedule:

• Large Grants: Annual spring round (typically February deadline)
• Small Grants: Annual autumn round (typically September/October deadline)

Decision Timeline

• Applications reviewed by Grant Making Committee
• Final decisions made by Board of Trustees
• All applicants contacted within 12 weeks of application deadline
• Feedback and follow-up conversations available upon request
• Awards ceremony held in June for large grants

Success Rates

The Trust published application statistics for the first time in 2024, demonstrating commitment to transparency:

2024 Large Grants Round:

• 236 applications received
• Combined funding requested: over £10 million (average ask of £46,233)
• 22 grants awarded (12 large grants, 10 small grants)
• Total awarded: £428,867
• Success rate: approximately 9%

The Trust acknowledges being a small funder facing demand that significantly exceeds available resources. As Bishop Moth noted, they receive applications from high-quality organizations but can only fund a small percentage due to financial constraints.

Reapplication Policy

Unsuccessful applicants: Welcome to submit new applications immediately; no waiting period required.

Successful applicants: Must wait two years from the date of last receipt of funds before reapplying. Each organization can only hold one grant at any given time.

Application Success Factors

What the Trust Values

User Involvement: Applications must clearly demonstrate how users have been involved, how feedback has been secured, and how planned activities genuinely reflect beneficiaries' needs. The Trust encourages honesty about organizational capacity in this area.

Outcome Focus: The Trust is “focused on achieving clear outcomes to ensure they are being as effective as possible with their limited financial support.” Applications should articulate specific, measurable impacts.

Alignment with Catholic Social Teaching: While applicants don't need to be Catholic or Christian, objectives must clearly align with Catholic Social Teaching principles: human dignity, solidarity, common good, preferential option for the poor and marginalized.

Organizational Size: The Trust “mainly supports organizations with annual incomes below £10 million, as typically these charities struggle most to secure income.”

Recent Funded Projects (Examples)

2024 Large Grant Recipients:

• Sixty-One (Bristol): £29,063 for volunteer mentoring programme helping people with criminal convictions successfully rehabilitate
• Team Domenica (Sussex): £41,812 for education and employment training for young people with learning disabilities
• Severn Angels Housing and Support: £40,000 for women-only, culturally competent housing programs

2023 Grant Recipients:

• Providence Row: £50,000 over two years for 'Routes to Roots' project funding a caseworker post
• Tempus Novo: £50,000 to support offenders and ex-offenders in the East Midlands into employment

Other Recent Recipients: Just Love (£15,000 for training young leaders at universities), projects supporting adopted children's education, domestic abuse survivors, knife crime first responders, and pastoral ministry for people living with HIV.

Application Advice

The Trust “judges every application on its respective strengths and encourages applications from diverse and wide-ranging charities.” Key strategies for success:

1. Be Specific About Impact: Clearly articulate how the project will achieve meaningful change for individuals, organizations, or wider society.

1. Demonstrate Genuine Need: Show why this funding is critical and how it addresses gaps in current provision.

1. Evidence User-Centered Approach: Provide concrete examples of how beneficiaries have shaped project design and how their ongoing feedback will be incorporated.

1. Show Organizational Capacity: Be realistic about what your organization can deliver and demonstrate you have the infrastructure to succeed.

1. Align with Catholic Social Teaching: Even if not a faith-based organization, explicitly connect your work to values of dignity, justice, solidarity, and the common good.

1. Prepare Thoroughly: Allow adequate time to complete the application (60-90 minutes); gather all required documentation in advance.

1. Understand the Competition: With a 9% success rate, applications must be exceptional. Focus on what makes your project uniquely positioned to succeed.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Highly competitive funding: With only a 9% success rate in 2024, applications must be outstanding and demonstrate exceptional impact. Don't be discouraged from reapplying if unsuccessful.

• User involvement is critical: The Trust specifically asks how users have shaped the project and will continue to influence its delivery. This is not a box-ticking exercise.

• Catholic Social Teaching alignment matters: Even for secular organizations, demonstrating how your work embodies principles of human dignity, solidarity, and justice is essential. Study Catholic Social Teaching before applying.

• Support smaller organizations: With a preference for organizations under £10 million income, this is an excellent funder for small to medium charities struggling to secure funding elsewhere.

• Outcomes over activities: Focus on the change you'll achieve (for individuals, organizations, or society) rather than simply describing what you'll do.

• Complete applications carefully: Missing documentation (accounts, budget, safeguarding policy, external reference) will result in rejection. The 60-90 minute application time reflects the depth of information required.

• Build for the long term: The Trust values organizations they can believe in and support over time. Demonstrate sustainability and organizational capacity alongside immediate project need.

References

1. Charles Plater Trust Official Website - www.plater.org.uk
2. “Charles Plater Trust publishes its application statistics for the first time” - The Charles Plater Trust News, 2024
3. "CPT's largest number of annual grants prioritises human dignity and flourishing" - The Charles Plater Trust News, June 2024
4. Charles Plater Trust Charity Commission Registration (309719) - https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk
5. “About our grants” - www.plater.org.uk/our-grants
6. “Catholic Social Teaching” - www.plater.org.uk/catholic-social-thought/about
7. “Governance” - www.plater.org.uk/about/governance
8. “How to Apply” - www.plater.org.uk/grant-application/how-to-apply
9. Various news articles from Catholic Bishops' Conference, Independent Catholic News, and Caritas Social Action Network (2023-2024)
10. Direct quotes from Bishop Richard Moth (Chair) and Dr. Philomena Cullen (Trust Manager) from official Trust communications