Clara E Burgess Charity

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £226,250 (2022)
• Success Rate: Not publicly available
• Decision Time: Considered at regular trustee meetings
• Grant Range: £500 - £126,250 (most grants under £10,000)
• Geographic Focus: England and Wales

Contact Details

Address: The Clara E Burgess Charity, Ludlow Trust Co Ltd, Tower Wharf, Cheese Lane, Bristol BS2 0JJ

Phone: 0117 313 8200

Email: charitabletrusts@ludlowtrust.com

Website: https://funding.ludlowtrust.com

Application Portal: Ludlow Funding Enquiry Gateway

Overview

The Clara E Burgess Charity was founded in 1997 (Charity Number 1072546) and is administered by Ludlow Trust Company in Bristol. With total income of £382,843 and expenditure of £666,678 in the year ending October 2024, the charity focuses on relieving children and young persons by providing facilities and assistance to enhance their education, health and physical wellbeing. The charity has particular regard for children under the age of 10 and those who have lost either one or both parents. In 2022, the charity awarded just 4 grants totalling £226,250, demonstrating a shift toward making fewer but more substantial grants compared to 2014 when it made 67 grants averaging £4,419 each. This represents a highly selective approach focused on supporting significant projects with proven impact.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

• General Grants: Typically £500 - £10,000 (with exceptional larger grants up to £126,250 for major projects)
• Application Method: Rolling basis through Ludlow Funding Enquiry Gateway
• Decision Process: Applications considered at regular trustee meetings

Priority Areas

The charity funds projects that:

• Enhance education, health and physical wellbeing of children and young people
• Support children under 10 years old
• Assist bereaved children who have lost one or both parents
• Provide education and training opportunities
• Address social welfare needs including hunger and poverty as barriers to education
• Support children with disabilities
• Fund medical causes, hospitals, hospices and health research
• Support overseas projects benefiting children

What They Don't Fund

Not explicitly stated in available sources, but focus is restricted to registered charities in England and Wales supporting children and young people

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Governance and Leadership

Trustees: The charity has 1 trustee (Ludlow Trust Company acts as sole trustee)

Administration: Ludlow Trust Company, which manages over 250 charitable trusts, serves as administrator and sole trustee for this charity established by a donor who has passed away

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

Applications are submitted through the Ludlow Funding Enquiry Gateway at https://funding.ludlowtrust.com

Charities can submit:

1. Targeted applications to the Clara E Burgess Charity specifically if they see strong alignment
2. General applications that the platform will automatically match to relevant trusts including Clara E Burgess

The online portal works on PCs, tablets and smartphones. UK registered charities and exempt charities are eligible to apply at no cost.

Decision Timeline

• Applications may be submitted at any time (rolling basis)
• Previously considered at half-yearly intervals in January and July
• Current sources indicate “regular trustee meetings” for consideration
• Specific decision timelines not publicly disclosed

Success Rates

• 2022: 4 grants awarded totalling £226,250
• 2021: 12 grants awarded totalling £56,000
• 2014: 67 grants awarded totalling £296,102
• Overall platform statistics: Since the Ludlow Funding Enquiry Gateway launched in September 2023, nearly 8,000 applications have been received across all 250+ trusts, with over £2.5m distributed

Specific success rate percentages for Clara E Burgess Charity are not publicly disclosed, but the dramatic decrease in grant numbers (from 67 in 2014 to just 4 in 2022) suggests highly competitive selection.

Reapplication Policy

Not publicly disclosed

Application Success Factors

Recent Funded Projects (2022):

• Magic Breakfast (£126,250): Alleviates child hunger and poverty as a barrier to education through provision of healthy breakfasts to over 300,000 children daily in England and Scotland
• Thomas Coram Foundation for Children (£90,000): Supports vulnerable children and families
• School Readers (£5,000): Provides volunteer reading support to children
• Uniformed (£5,000): Details not specified

Key Success Factors:

• Direct impact on target groups: Projects should directly benefit children under 10 and/or bereaved children
• Education, health and wellbeing focus: Strong alignment with core objectives around enhancing children's conditions of life
• Measurable outcomes: Recent grants favor organizations with proven track records and clear impact metrics (e.g., Magic Breakfast's reach to 300,000+ children)
• Addressing fundamental needs: The large grant to Magic Breakfast demonstrates interest in projects tackling basic barriers to education like hunger
• Strategic platform use: The Ludlow Funding Enquiry Gateway “removes an element of luck in choosing which specific trust to apply to” by matching charities to compatible trusts
• Clear articulation: Applications should clearly describe the charity's work and specific funding needs with detailed cost breakdowns

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Highly selective: The charity has moved from 67 smaller grants in 2014 to just 4 grants in 2022, suggesting a strategic focus on fewer, higher-impact projects
• Scale matters: While most grants are under £10,000, the charity is willing to make substantial awards (£90,000-£126,000) to organizations delivering significant impact
• Core demographic focus: Strongest alignment for projects specifically targeting children under 10 and bereaved children who have lost parents
• Use the Gateway strategically: Apply through the Ludlow Funding Enquiry Gateway which matches applications to all 250+ trusts, potentially increasing funding chances beyond just Clara E Burgess
• Evidence-based approach: Recent grantees are established national charities with proven impact - demonstrate clear outcomes and track record
• Address barriers to wellbeing: Projects tackling fundamental obstacles to children's education, health and development (like hunger, bereavement support) align well with priorities
• No cost to apply: The Ludlow Gateway is free for registered charities to use and accessible via multiple devices

References

• Charity Commission Register of Charities - Clara E Burgess Charity (1072546). Available at: https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-details/?regid=1072546 (Accessed: November 2025)
• Ludlow Trust Company - The Ludlow Funding Enquiry Gateway. Available at: https://www.ludlowtrust.com/insights/the-ludlow-funding-enquiry-gateway/ (Accessed: November 2025)
• Giving is Great - Clara E Burgess Charity Factsheet. Available at: https://givingisgreat.org/database/charity-factsheet/?regNo=1072546 (Accessed: November 2025)
• Bath and North East Somerset Council - The Clara E Burgess Charity funding information (Accessed: November 2025)
• PAVO Funding News - Clara E Burgess Trust (2015). Available at: https://pavofundingnews.blogspot.com/2015/10/clara-e-burgess-trust.html (Accessed: November 2025)
• Ludlow Funding Enquiry Gateway portal at: https://funding.ludlowtrust.com