Grimsdale Charitable Trust

Quick Stats

• Charity Number: 327118
• Annual Income: £12,593 (FY 2025)
• Annual Expenditure: £49,736 (FY 2025)
• Grant Range: Not publicly disclosed
• Geographic Focus: England and Wales
• Application Process: No public application process (trustee discretion)
• Established: 1986

Contact Details

Address: 1 Greenfield End, Chalfont St. Peter, Gerrards Cross, SL9 0DW

Phone: 01753 382194

Email: martingrimsdale56@gmail.com

Website: None

Note: This trust does not have a website or public-facing application portal.

Overview

The Grimsdale Charitable Trust was registered as a charity in June 1986, established by a trust deed dated 23 December 1985. This is a small private charitable trust that operates through trustee discretion rather than a public application process. The trust makes grants to organizations throughout England and Wales, focusing on four main charitable purposes: relief of poverty, advancement of education, advancement of the Christian religion, and other exclusively charitable purposes beneficial to the community.

The trust's financial pattern shows substantial grant-making activity, with expenditure significantly exceeding income in recent years (£105,621 expenditure vs £14,643 income in 2024, and £49,736 expenditure vs £12,593 income in 2025), indicating the trust is actively distributing funds from its capital base. The trust is governed by a small board of family trustees who make funding decisions at their absolute discretion.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The trust does not operate formal grant programs with set amounts or application cycles. All grants are made at the trustees' discretion.

Priority Areas

The trust's charitable objects cover four broad areas:

1. Relief of Poverty - Supporting individuals and organizations working to alleviate poverty
2. Advancement of Education - Funding educational initiatives and training programs for the public benefit
3. Advancement of the Christian Religion - Supporting Christian religious activities and organizations
4. General Charitable Purposes - Other exclusively charitable activities beneficial to the community

Specific Classifications (as registered with Charity Commission):

• Overseas aid/famine relief
• Religious activities
• Education/training
• Children and young people
• Other charities or voluntary bodies
• Elderly/old people

What They Don't Fund

While not explicitly stated, as a small private trust with limited funds, it is likely they:

• Focus on organizations already known to the trustees
• May prioritize causes aligned with their Christian faith
• Do not fund organizations outside England and Wales
• Do not accept unsolicited applications

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Governance and Leadership

The trust is governed by a small board of family trustees:

Trustees:

• Martin Paul Grimsdale
• Mrs Debbie Jane Grimsdale
• One additional trustee (as of 2025 filings)

Trustee Remuneration: No trustees receive any remuneration, payments or benefits from the charity.

Governance Structure: The trust is governed by a trust deed dated 23 December 1985. Decision-making rests entirely with the trustees who exercise absolute discretion over grant awards.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

This trust does not have a public application process. The Grimsdale Charitable Trust operates as a private charitable trust where grants are made at the absolute discretion of the trustees. They do not accept unsolicited applications, do not have application forms, and do not publish funding guidelines or deadlines.

Grants are typically made to organizations already known to the trustees or identified by the trustees through their own networks and connections within the charitable sector.

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - grants are made on an ongoing basis at trustee discretion rather than through scheduled funding rounds.

Success Rates

Not applicable due to the absence of a public application process.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - the trust does not have a formal application or reapplication process.

Application Success Factors

Note: Given this trust operates entirely through trustee discretion without a public application process, traditional “application success factors” do not apply. However, understanding the trust's characteristics may be helpful:

• Relationship-Based: The trust appears to make grants to organizations already known to or identified by the trustees
• Christian Focus: With “advancement of the Christian religion” as one of four core objects, Christian organizations may be of particular interest
• Broad Remit: The trust's objects are deliberately broad, covering poverty relief, education, religion, and general charitable purposes
• Small Scale: As a small trust operating through family trustees, they likely support a limited number of organizations they can develop meaningful relationships with
• Faith-Aligned Education: The combination of education and Christian religion in their objects suggests potential interest in Christian education initiatives

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

1. No Public Application Process: This trust does not accept unsolicited applications - they identify grant recipients through trustee discretion and existing networks
2. Private Family Trust: Operated by family trustees (the Grimsdales) who make all funding decisions
3. Significant Grant-Making: Despite modest income, the trust makes substantial grants (expenditure of £49,736-£105,621 annually), drawing from capital
4. Four Core Purposes: Relief of poverty, education, Christian religion, and general charitable purposes - all carry equal weight in their objects
5. Geographic Scope: Operates throughout England and Wales, with registered address in Buckinghamshire
6. Faith Orientation: Christian religious advancement is explicitly part of their mission, suggesting alignment with Christian values may be important
7. Relationship-Based Funding: Organizations are more likely to benefit from this trust through existing connections in the charitable sector or Christian networks than through cold approaches

Similar Funders

These funders have a similar focus and geographic reach:

• THE MACDAIBHIDH CHARITABLE TRUST
• The James Grace Trust
• Equitable Charity Trust
• The Doouss Charitable Trust
• THE DOUGHTY CHARITY TRUST
• The Wyfold Charitable Trust
• Forest Hill Charitable Trust
• PANJU JESSA CHARITABLE TRUST
• E B M Charitable Trust
• The B G S Cayzer Charitable Trust

References

• UK Charity Commission Register of Charities - Charity Overview for Grimsdale Charitable Trust (327118). Available at: https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-details/?regid=327118&subid=0
• UK Charity Commission Register of Charities - Detailed Entry for Charity 327118. Available at: https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/en/charity-search/?regid=327118
• Charity Choice Directory - Grimsdale Charitable Trust. Available at: https://www.charitychoice.co.uk/grimsdale-charitable-trust-133315
• Together Network - Funders Sensitive to Faith Based Projects 2024. PDF available at: https://togethernetwork.org.uk