Duchy Of Lancaster Benevolent Fund

Charity Number: 1026752

Annual Expenditure: £1.6M
Geographic Focus: Throughout England And Wales

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £150,000+ (Lancashire alone receives £150,000)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
  • Decision Time: End of month for Lancashire; quarterly for Greater Manchester
  • Grant Range: £250 - £5,000 (potentially £15,000 for exceptional 3-year projects)
  • Geographic Focus: Lancashire, Greater Manchester, Merseyside, and areas with historic Duchy links

Contact Details

Main Website: https://www.duchyoflancaster.co.uk/about-the-duchy/duties-of-the-duchy/benevolent-fund/

Email: info@duchyoflancaster.co.uk

Phone: 020 7269 1700

Regional Application Contacts:

  • Lancashire: Apply to Lancashire Lieutenancy
  • Greater Manchester: office@gmlo.org
  • Merseyside: Apply to Merseyside Lieutenancy
  • London Panel (for areas outside County Palatine with historic Duchy links): Duchy Benevolent Fund (London Panel), 1 Lancaster Place, Strand, London WC2D 7ED

Overview

The Duchy of Lancaster Benevolent Fund was established in 1993 with the consent of Queen Elizabeth II to support local worthwhile causes and community initiatives within the County Palatine and areas with historic Duchy connections. The Fund operates as a registered charity (number 1026752) and distributes grants annually through three regional Lieutenancy offices covering Lancashire, Greater Manchester, and Merseyside, plus a London Panel for applications from areas with strong historic links to the Duchy and its estates. Lancashire alone receives £150,000 annually, indicating the Fund's total annual giving is substantial across all regions. No trustees receive remuneration from the charity. The Fund demonstrated flexibility and responsiveness during the COVID-19 pandemic by ring-fencing additional funds to support emergency services and food banks.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Lancashire Regional Fund:

  • £150,000 annual allocation
  • Grants from £0 - £5,000
  • Small grants (up to £1,000): Decided by Lord Lieutenant
  • Larger grants (£1,001 - £5,000): Panel review required
  • Exceptional projects: Up to £5,000 per year for three consecutive years (trustee authorization required)
  • Applications considered at the end of the month in which received

Greater Manchester Regional Fund:

  • Grants between £250 - £2,000
  • Single grant per organization within a three-year period
  • Quarterly panel meetings
  • Application via online form to office@gmlo.org

Merseyside Regional Fund:

  • Grants up to £5,000
  • Similar structure to Lancashire with Lord Lieutenant handling smaller amounts

London Panel:

  • For areas outside County Palatine with historic Duchy links
  • Application by letter to London address

Priority Areas

The Trustees are particularly interested in funding:

  1. Care for Vulnerable Populations: Organizations providing care and support for the elderly, infirm, and disadvantaged members of society
  2. Youth Organizations: Scouts, Guides, Cadets, Youth Organizations, and educational initiatives benefiting local communities
  3. Community Associations: Organizations that benefit local people and address community needs
  4. Heritage Preservation: Trusts, associations, and institutions maintaining and preserving Duchy monuments, estates, and possessions of public benefit
  5. Emergency Services: Local food banks, air ambulance services, and crisis support organizations

What They Don't Fund

The Trustees will NOT normally make grants towards:

  • Organizations, associations, and charitable causes outside the Duchy boundaries
  • Individual requests
  • Political causes
  • Fundraising bodies
  • Salary requests or staffing costs
  • Recurrent operational costs

Governance and Leadership

Board of Trustees

Chairman: The Hon. Mr. Justice Timothy Fancourt, Vice-Chancellor of the County Palatine of Lancaster (appointed 2021)

Trustees:

  • Ms Sonia Tolaney, KC, Attorney General of the Duchy (appointed 2020)
  • Mr James Chalmers, Receiver General of the Duchy (appointed 2025)
  • Mrs Amanda Parker JP DL, Lord-Lieutenant of Lancashire (appointed 2023)
  • Mrs Diane Hawkins JP LLB, Lord-Lieutenant of Greater Manchester (appointed 2022)
  • Mr Mark Blundell, DL, Lord-Lieutenant of Merseyside (appointed 2017)

Secretary: Mr Hugh Bruce-Watt, Solicitor for the Affairs of the Duchy of Lancaster (appointed 2019)

Key Quotes

Stewart McGarrity, Interim CFO, on COVID-19 response: “It was really important for us to ring-fence a certain sum of money to provide additional support for local communities during Covid.”

This quote demonstrates the Fund's commitment to responsive grantmaking and adapting to community needs during crises.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

Lancashire Applications:

  • Complete the Benevolent Fund application form available on the Duchy website
  • Submit to Lancashire Lieutenancy office
  • Detailed guidelines provided on website

Greater Manchester Applications:

  • Download application form (available in Word and PDF formats)
  • Submit via email to: office@gmlo.org
  • Applications considered quarterly by the Greater Manchester Duchy Panel

Merseyside Applications:

  • Apply directly to Merseyside Lieutenancy office

London Panel Applications (for areas outside County Palatine):

  • Apply by letter
  • Address to: Duchy Benevolent Fund (London Panel), 1 Lancaster Place, Strand, London WC2D 7ED

Decision Timeline

Lancashire: Applications are generally considered at the end of the month in which they are received

Greater Manchester: Quarterly panel meetings review all applications

Merseyside: Similar structure to Lancashire

The Fund aims to respond to requests as quickly as possible, particularly for urgent community needs.

Success Rates

Success rates are not publicly disclosed. All decisions on applications are entirely at the discretion of the Fund.

Reapplication Policy

Greater Manchester: Organizations can only receive a single grant within a three-year period

Unsuccessful Applications: The Fund is unable to enter into any correspondence in connection with an unsuccessful application. No feedback is provided on unsuccessful applications.

Application Success Factors

Key Success Factors

  1. Clear Community Benefit: Applications must “demonstrate a clear benefit to the local community.” Be specific about who will benefit and how.
  1. Geographic Alignment: Ensure your organization operates within Lancashire, Greater Manchester, Merseyside, or has demonstrable historic links to the Duchy estates.
  1. Funding Priority Match: Align your request with one of the Fund's priority areas (elderly/disadvantaged care, youth organizations, community associations, heritage preservation).
  1. Capital/Project Focus: The Fund does not support recurrent operational costs or salaries. Focus on specific projects, equipment, or capital improvements.
  1. Appropriate Grant Size: Request amounts within the regional guidelines (£250-£2,000 for Greater Manchester; up to £5,000 for Lancashire/Merseyside).
  1. Small Organization Advantage: The Fund particularly welcomes applications from “community charities and small groups of people who work hard to make a difference.”

Recent Grant Examples

The Fund has supported:

  • Air Training Corps in Cheshire: Equipment funding to support additional cadets post-lockdown
  • Church on the Street Burnley: Community support services
  • Healthier Heroes in Burnley: Health and wellbeing initiatives
  • Burnley Football Club in the Community at the Leisure Box Brierfield: Community programs
  • 13th century church in Lancashire: Restoration enabling bells to ring for the first time in over a decade
  • Local food banks: Emergency support during COVID-19
  • North West Air Ambulance Service: Emergency medical services
  • Children's charities, activity centres, lone parent support groups, citizen's advice centres, and adult mental health services

Beneficiary Testimonial

An Air Training Corps recipient stated: “The Community Foundation and Duchy of Lancaster has allowed us to seamlessly transition out of lockdown... Without the grant we would not be able to afford the equipment.”

This demonstrates the Fund values projects that enable organizations to expand capacity and serve more people.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  1. Emphasize Local Community Impact: The Fund prioritizes initiatives that deliver direct, measurable benefits to local communities. Clearly articulate who benefits and how.
  1. Know Your Regional Limits: Grant amounts and processes vary by region. Greater Manchester has lower maximum grants (£2,000) and a three-year reapplication restriction, while Lancashire and Merseyside offer up to £5,000.
  1. Target Capital and Projects, Not Operations: Do not apply for salaries, recurrent costs, or general operational funding. Focus on specific projects, equipment purchases, or capital improvements.
  1. Small and Local Organizations Welcome: The Fund explicitly encourages applications from small community groups. Don't be intimidated if you're a grassroots organization.
  1. Apply Early in the Year: For Lancashire, applications are considered monthly; for Greater Manchester, quarterly. Submit early to ensure consideration in the current funding cycle.
  1. Expect No Feedback on Rejections: The Fund does not provide feedback or engage in correspondence about unsuccessful applications. If rejected, wait the appropriate period (three years for Greater Manchester) before reapplying with a different project.
  1. Exceptional Multi-Year Funding Possible: For major projects with significant community impact, consider requesting up to £5,000 annually for three consecutive years in Lancashire/Merseyside (requires trustee authorization).

Similar Funders

These funders frequently fund the same charities:

  • Church Burgesses Educational Foundation
  • The Greater Manchester High Sheriff'S Police Trust
  • The Kobler Trust
  • The R K Charitable Trust Limited
  • The Rainbow Dickinson Trust
  • The Rosemere Cancer Foundation
  • The Fidelio Charitable Trust
  • The Graham Foundation
  • The Mclay Dementia Trust
  • The Nugee Foundation

References