George Fentham Birmingham Charity

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £163,591 (charitable activities, year ending 31 December 2024)
• Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
• Decision Time: 1-2 weeks after trustee meetings
• Grant Range: Not publicly specified
• Geographic Focus: City of Birmingham only

Contact Details

Website: www.georgefenthamcharity.org.uk

Email: GeorgeFentham@vwv.co.uk

Phone: 0121 227 3720 (available 9:15am – 5:15pm Monday to Friday)

Overview

Established over 300 years ago, the George Fentham Birmingham Charity is a grant-making charity that provides relief to long-term residents of the City of Birmingham. With total income of £8.2 million for the year ending 31 December 2024 (largely from investments and other sources), the charity distributed £163,591 in charitable activities. The charity operates under two distinct grant programmes: educational grants for individuals under 25 and general grants for Birmingham-based organisations focusing on education, health, or community well-being. The charity's mission is to support those in need, foster education, and promote community well-being throughout Birmingham.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Educational Grants: For individuals under 25 who are long-term residents of Birmingham

• Covers educational expenses including living expenses, travel expenses, books, and laptops needed for study
• Application deadlines: Last day of the month prior to trustee meetings (March, September, December)
• Important: The charity does not give hardship grants to individuals

General Grants: For Birmingham-based organisations

• Available to charities providing services or facilities to those in need, hardship, or distress in the City of Birmingham
• Focus areas: education, health, and community well-being
• Application deadlines: Last day of the month prior to trustee meetings (January, April, July, October)
• National charities may apply if the grant will be solely for the use and benefit of individuals residing in Birmingham

Priority Areas

• Education and learning opportunities
• Health and well-being services
• Community support for those in need, hardship, or distress
• Services benefiting long-term Birmingham residents

What They Don't Fund

• Direct personal hardship grants to individuals
• Salary costs for organisations
• Projects or individuals outside the City of Birmingham
• More than one grant per applicant per calendar year

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Governance and Leadership

Board of Trustees

The charity is governed by five trustees appointed in September 2023 (with one additional trustee in 2025):

• Martin Holcombe - Chair (appointed 19 September 2023)
• Paul Tunnadine - Trustee (appointed 19 September 2023)
• Julie Scarratt - Trustee (appointed 19 September 2023)
• Dr Cheuk Hon Li - Trustee (appointed 19 September 2023)
• Harry Andrew Naylor - Trustee (appointed 18 June 2025)

The trustees meet quarterly throughout the year to review and allocate grants. The charity is administered by VWV (solicitors), who manage day-to-day operations and communications.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

Educational Grants:

• Applications submitted online or by post
• Trustee meetings held in March, September, and December
• Deadline: Last day of the prior month
• Open to individuals under 25 who have been resident in Birmingham for more than 3 years (not just for tertiary education purposes)

General Grants:

• Applications submitted online or by post
• Trustee meetings held in January, April, July, and October
• Deadline: Last day of the prior month
• Open to Birmingham-based organisations and national charities serving Birmingham residents

Decision Timeline

Applicants will normally find out if their application has been successful 1-2 weeks after the trustees meet. This provides a relatively quick turnaround compared to many grant-making charities.

Success Rates

The charity does not publicly disclose success rates or the number of applications received versus grants awarded.

Reapplication Policy

The trustees will only allocate one grant to an individual (educational grant) or organisation (general grant) per calendar year. However, individuals and organisations can apply each year to the charity. This means unsuccessful applicants must wait until the following calendar year to reapply, but there is no restriction on reapplying in future years.

Application Success Factors

Based on the charity's own guidance, the following factors are crucial for application success:

For Educational Grants:

• Demonstrate Financial Need: “The Trustees give priority to those students who are most in need, so it is important that you provide as much information as possible in your application.” This is the charity's own advice to applicants, emphasizing that comprehensive information about financial circumstances is critical.
• Establish Birmingham Residency: The trustees consider an individual who has been resident in the City of Birmingham for more than 3 years (excluding time there solely for tertiary education) to be a long-term resident.
• Age Eligibility: Must be under 25 years old.
• Educational Purpose: Clearly articulate how the grant will support specific educational expenses (living costs, travel, books, laptops).

For General Grants:

• Birmingham Benefit: For national charities, “the onus is on the organisation applying to satisfy the Trustees” that the grant will be solely for the use and benefit of individuals residing in Birmingham.
• Alignment with Priorities: Projects should clearly address education, health, or community well-being needs.
• Supporting Those in Need: Focus on providing services or facilities to those in need, hardship, or distress.
• Avoid Excluded Categories: Do not request funding for salary costs or activities outside Birmingham.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Timing is Everything: Plan applications to meet deadlines (last day of the month before quarterly meetings), and expect a relatively quick 1-2 week decision turnaround after meetings.
• One Grant Per Year Rule: Only one grant per individual or organisation per calendar year, so ensure applications are comprehensive and well-timed.
• Demonstrate Need: For educational grants, the charity explicitly prioritizes “those students who are most in need” – provide detailed financial information.
• Birmingham Connection is Non-Negotiable: Applicants must prove long-term residency (3+ years for individuals) or demonstrate how funding will solely benefit Birmingham residents (for organisations).
• Know What They Won't Fund: Don't waste time applying for hardship grants (individuals), salary costs, or projects outside Birmingham – these are explicit exclusions.
• National Charities Can Apply: But must clearly demonstrate that the specific grant will benefit Birmingham residents exclusively.
• Quick and Accessible: With quarterly meetings and responsive administration (phone line and email available during business hours), the charity offers an accessible application process for local organisations and individuals.

References

• George Fentham Birmingham Charity Official Website
• Charity Commission Register - George Fentham Birmingham Charity (1204784)
• Charity Commission Register - Trustees Information
• Turn2Us Grants Search - George Fentham Birmingham Charity
• University of Birmingham - George Fentham Birmingham Charity Educational Grant
• Charity Choice - George Fentham Birmingham Charity

All sources.