Harbinson Charitable Trust

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £109,216 (year ending April 2024)
• Annual Income: £171,661 (year ending April 2024)
• Success Rate: Not publicly available
• Decision Time: Not publicly specified (rolling applications)
• Grant Range: £200 - £40,000
• Geographic Focus: Scotland and overseas (international)

Contact Details

Address: Miller Beckett & Jackson, 190 St Vincent Street, Glasgow, G2 5SP, Scotland

Email: [email protected]

Phone: 0141 204 2833

Charity Number: SC015248

Website: No website available

Overview

The Harbinson Charitable Trust (also known as Miss K M Harbinson Charitable Trust) is a Scottish charitable trust registered with the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR) since 1 November 1984. The trust operates as a grant-making foundation that supports organizations both within Scotland and internationally. With an annual expenditure of approximately £109,000 (year ending April 2024), the trust focuses on poverty relief through grants in education, health, agriculture, conservation, wildlife protection, and the arts. The trust is administered by Miller Beckett & Jackson, a Glasgow-based firm of solicitors. The trust operates under a deed of trust and makes grants, donations, or gifts to other charitable organizations and voluntary bodies.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The trust operates a single grant program with flexible funding amounts:

• General Grants: £200 - £40,000 (applications accepted on a rolling basis)

Priority Areas

The Harbinson Charitable Trust supports organizations working in the following areas:

Primary Focus Areas:

• Education: Supporting educational advancement and training initiatives
• Health: Healthcare and wellbeing projects
• Agriculture: Agricultural development, particularly in overseas contexts
• Conservation and Wildlife: Environmental protection and wildlife conservation initiatives
• Arts and Culture: Occasional support for arts organizations

Overarching Charitable Purposes:

1. Prevention or relief of poverty
2. Advancement of education
3. Advancement of religion
4. Any other purpose beneficial to the community which is charitable in law

Geographic Scope

• Organizations operating in Scotland
• Organizations operating overseas/internationally

What They Don't Fund

Specific exclusions are not publicly listed. The trust focuses on supporting other charitable organizations and voluntary bodies, rather than individuals.

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Governance and Leadership

Constitutional Form: Trust established by deed of trust (non-educational endowment)

Trustees: As of the available information, individual trustee names are not yet publicly listed in the OSCR register. The Scottish charity regulator began collecting trustee information on 30 June 2025, with publication scheduled for January 2026.

Administration: The trust is administered by Miller Beckett & Jackson, solicitors in Glasgow, who handle all correspondence and application processing on behalf of the trustees.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

The Harbinson Charitable Trust operates a straightforward, traditional application process:

• Method: Apply in writing to the trust
• Email Applications: [email protected]
• Postal Applications: Miller Beckett & Jackson, 190 St Vincent Street, Glasgow, G2 5SP
• Application Schedule: Rolling basis - applications can be submitted at any time
• Pre-application Contact: Available by phone (0141 204 2833)

Decision Timeline

Specific decision timelines are not publicly disclosed. Given the rolling application nature and the trust's administrative structure through solicitors, applicants should expect a response within several weeks to a few months, though this is not officially specified.

Success Rates

Success rates and application statistics are not publicly available. The trust distributed £109,216 in grants during the year ending April 2024, suggesting a selective but active grant-making program.

Reapplication Policy

No specific information is available regarding reapplication policies or waiting periods for unsuccessful applicants. Interested organizations should contact the administrators directly for guidance on reapplying.

Application Success Factors

While the Harbinson Charitable Trust does not publish detailed guidance for applicants, the following factors can be inferred from the trust's structure and priorities:

Alignment with Core Purposes:

• Clearly demonstrate how your project addresses poverty relief, education, religion, or community benefit
• Strong preference for work in education, health, agriculture, conservation/wildlife, or the arts
• Show clear charitable purpose and community impact

Geographic Considerations:

• Projects in Scotland or with Scottish connections may be favorably viewed
• Overseas projects should demonstrate clear charitable impact, particularly in the trust's priority areas of education, health, and agriculture

Application Quality:

• Written applications should be clear, concise, and professional
• Include specific information about your organization's charitable status
• Provide detailed project information including costs, timelines, and expected outcomes
• Demonstrate organizational capacity and track record

Grant Amount Considerations:

• Previous grants have ranged from £200 to £40,000, suggesting flexibility
• Be realistic about funding requests relative to project scope
• Given annual expenditure of approximately £109,000, the trust likely makes multiple grants per year

Organizational Type:

• The trust specifically supports “other charities and voluntary bodies”
• Ensure your organization has appropriate charitable status or voluntary organization standing

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Traditional approach required: This trust operates through written applications via solicitors, not online portals - ensure professional, formal written proposals
• Broad but focused priorities: While the trust supports diverse causes, applications should clearly align with poverty relief through education, health, agriculture, conservation, or the arts
• International opportunities: Don't overlook this trust for overseas projects - it actively funds international work, particularly in education, health, and agriculture
• Flexible timing: Rolling applications allow you to apply when your project is ready, not according to fixed deadlines
• Size matters: With grants ranging from £200 to £40,000 and annual giving around £109,000, this trust can support both small and medium-sized projects
• Direct contact encouraged: With phone and email contact available, consider reaching out to Miller Beckett & Jackson before applying to confirm eligibility or ask questions
• Limited public information: The trust maintains a low profile with no website, so your application may need to include more foundational information about your organization than you would provide to more high-profile funders

References

• Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR). (2024). Charity Details: Harbinson Charitable Trust (SC015248). Retrieved from https://www.oscr.org.uk/about-charities/search-the-register/charity-details?number=SC015248 []

• Funding Scotland. (n.d.). Harbinson Charitable Trust. Retrieved from https://funding.scot/funds/a0Rb0000000Ng6ZEAS/harbinson-charitable-trust []

• Hub Cymru Africa. (n.d.). Harbinson Charitable Trust. Retrieved from https://hubcymruafrica.wales/portfolio-items/harbinson-charitable-trust/ []

• Giving is Great. (n.d.). Harbinson Charitable Trust | Charity Factsheet. Retrieved from https://givingisgreat.org/charity-factsheet/?regNo=SC015248 []