Cla Charitable Trust

Charity Number: 280264

Annual Expenditure: £0.2M

Stay updated on changes from Cla Charitable Trust and other funders

Get daily notifications about new funding opportunities, deadline changes, and programme updates from UK funders.

Free Email Updates

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £199,195 (2024)
  • Success Rate: 75% (155 grants awarded from 206 applications in 2024)
  • Decision Time: Quarterly (trustees meet 3 times per year - February, July, October)
  • Grant Range: £590 - £5,000
  • Average Grant: £2,500
  • Geographic Focus: England and Wales

Contact Details

Address: 16 Belgrave Square, London, SW1X 8PQ

Phone: 020 7235 0511

Email: charitabletrust@cla.org.uk

Website: https://www.cla.org.uk/about-cla/charitable-trust

Trust Administrator: Nina Davies

Overview

Founded in 1980 by members of the Country Land and Business Association (CLA), the CLA Charitable Trust is an independent grant-making trust funded almost entirely by CLA member donations. Since its inception, the Trust has awarded over £2 million in grants to support disadvantaged and disabled people in accessing and learning about the countryside. In 2024, the Trust awarded 155 grants totalling £199,195 from 206 applications, representing a 75% success rate. The Trust operates with two primary charitable objectives: advancing people's physical and mental health and wellbeing through countryside access, and promoting education in sustainable farming, food production, and rural land management. In 2023, the Trust supported more than 100,000 people and offered almost £250,000 in grant funding.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Main Grant Programme: £590 - £5,000 (online expression of interest form, rolling basis with quarterly trustee meetings)

The Trust also provides educational bursaries in the rural sector, including scholarships at agricultural universities such as Aberystwyth University.

Priority Areas

  • Countryside Access for Disabled People: Facilities and equipment enabling people with disabilities to enjoy countryside benefits
  • Education About the Countryside: Programmes teaching children and young people about farming, food production, wildlife, and rural land management
  • Horticulture and Growing Projects: Community gardens, horticultural therapy, and market gardening training
  • Forest School Activities: Outdoor learning experiences supporting mental and physical wellbeing
  • Farm-Based Education: Day or residential farm experiences for disadvantaged or disabled young people
  • Children and Young People: Particular focus on those disadvantaged financially, physically, mentally, or from areas of deprivation

What They Don't Fund

  • Retrospective costs
  • Non-educational holidays
  • Uniformed groups (Guides, Scouts, Cadets, etc.)
  • Animal parks, zoos, wildlife parks, or tourist attractions
  • Organisations with significant unrestricted reserves
  • Larger organisations (turnover over £1.5 million are less likely to be successful)
  • Applications exceeding £5,000
Helpful Hinchilla

Ready to write a winning application for Cla Charitable Trust?

Our AI helps you craft proposals that match their exact priorities. Save 10+ hours and increase your success rate.

Get Free Beta Access

Governance and Leadership

Board of Trustees

Chair: Bridget Biddell

Trustees: Andrew Grant, Robin Clark, Roger Douglas, Jane Lane, Giles Bowring

The trustees meet three times per year to award grants to charities and community interest companies. Chair Bridget Biddell has emphasized the Trust's commitment: “The CLA Charitable Trust is dedicated to helping those who are disabled or disadvantaged to visit and participate in learning experiences about the countryside, and last year alone 61 charities and projects received grants totalling nearly £240,000.”

On the Trust's educational mission, Biddell stated: "These new scholarships will help support two students' degree studies. They form part of the charity's commitment to enable young people to engage, develop fulfilling experiences within, and contribute to, the future sustainable development of the countryside."

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis through a two-stage process:

  1. Expression of Interest: Submit an online expression of interest form available on the CLA Trust website (www.cla.org.uk)
  2. Full Application: If the expression of interest is successful, organisations will be invited to submit a full application

Applications are assessed throughout the year against the Trust's aims before being submitted to the next trustee meeting. Guidance notes accompany the expression of interest form.

Application Requirements:

  • Current safeguarding policy (mandatory)
  • Clear reserves policy
  • Evidence of need
  • Organisation must not have received a CLACT grant in the previous 3 years

Decision Timeline

  • Trustee Meetings: Three times per year, typically in February, July, and October
  • Notification: All applicants are contacted after each trustee meeting to advise the outcome
  • Assessment: Applications received are assessed on a rolling basis and considered at the next scheduled meeting

Success Rates

In 2024, the Trust received 206 applications and awarded 155 grants, representing a 75% success rate. Of the 206 applications:

  • 155 grants were agreed (75%)
  • 15 were declined (7%)
  • 31 were withdrawn (15%)

This is significantly higher than many grant-making trusts and indicates that well-aligned applications have strong chances of success.

Reapplication Policy

Organisations must wait three years before reapplying, regardless of whether their previous application was successful or unsuccessful. This three-year rule is strictly enforced.

Application Success Factors

Priority Organisation Characteristics:

  • Small to medium-sized charities and not-for-profit organisations (CICs with clear social purpose)
  • Turnover under £1.5 million (larger organisations may apply but are less likely to succeed)
  • Clear reserves policy with appropriate reserve levels
  • Current safeguarding policy in place

Strong Project Alignment:

  • Focus on children and young people who are disadvantaged financially, physically, mentally, or from areas of deprivation
  • Clear connection to countryside access, education, or rural land management
  • Evidence of need and impact on beneficiaries
  • Activities that combine countryside access with health and wellbeing benefits

Eligible Costs:

  • Running costs
  • Project works
  • Capital works (e.g., equipment, facility improvements, fencing, accessible facilities)

Recent Funded Projects as Examples:

  • Hextol Foundation, Hexham: £2,750 for equipment for an intergenerational horticulture project
  • Randoms Retreat, Consett: £2,669 for safe and secure fencing around a sensory garden
  • Oak Tree Farm, Sunderland: £3,000 for conversion of a toilet block into accessible facilities at a rural working environment for people with disabilities
  • FWAG South West: £1,000 to expand the Kingfisher Award Scheme to Gloucestershire schools

Language and Terminology: The Trust values applications that emphasize:

  • “Countryside access” and “learning experiences about the countryside”
  • “Physical and mental health and wellbeing” benefits
  • “Sustainable farming, food production and rural land management”
  • Supporting people who are “disabled or disadvantaged”
  • “Intergenerational” projects
  • Connection to “nature” and the “natural environment”

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Exceptionally high success rate (75%) makes this an excellent prospect for aligned organisations, but don't underestimate the importance of strong alignment with countryside/rural themes
  • Small to medium organisations are prioritised - if your turnover exceeds £1.5 million, your chances decrease significantly
  • Three-year waiting period applies to all applicants - plan accordingly and don't reapply within this timeframe
  • Safeguarding policy is non-negotiable - ensure yours is current before applying
  • Strong reserves will disqualify you - demonstrate financial need and appropriate reserve levels
  • Focus on disadvantaged children and young people for strongest alignment with Trust priorities
  • Two-stage process means your expression of interest must be compelling enough to secure an invitation to full application
  • Quarterly decisions mean you may wait several months - plan your application timing around the February, July, and October meetings

Similar Funders

These funders frequently fund the same charities:

🎯 You've done the research. Now write an application they can't refuse.

Hinchilla combines funder's specific priorities with your organisation's past successful grants and AI analysis of what reviewers want to see.

✓

Data privacy and security by default

✓

Your organisation's past successful grants and experience

✓

AI analysis of what reviewers want to see

✓

A compelling draft application in 10 minutes instead of 10 hours

Get Beta Access NowLearn More

References