Henry And Rebecca Tinsley Charitable Trust

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £474,818 (year ending March 2024)
• Success Rate: Not publicly available
• Decision Time: Not specified (rolling applications)
• Grant Range: Under £10,000 to £50,000 (with grants up to £25,000 commonly referenced)
• Geographic Focus: National (UK) and International

Contact Details

Address: Tinsley Charitable Trust, 14 St Marys Street, Stamford, Lincs, PE9 2DF

Email: lesleyedmunds@btconnect.com

Phone: 01780 762056

Website: None

Pre-application Support: Contact by written application at any time

Overview

The Henry and Rebecca Tinsley Charitable Trust was registered with the Charity Commission on 27 April 1993 (Charity Number 1020294). The trust had total income of £635,300 in the year ending March 2024, with charitable expenditure of £474,818. The trust's main objective is to make grants to charities (and very occasionally to non-charitable organizations or individuals) to achieve public benefit through the distribution of grants and social investments for specific charitable purposes across the globe. Grants are awarded to small as well as larger, more established charities with the aim of delivering real and lasting positive impact. In 2019, funds from The Tinsley Foundation (charity 1076537) were transferred to this trust. The trust is governed by 4 trustees and maintains strong financial sustainability, with investment gains of £454,622 in the most recent reporting period.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The trust operates a rolling application system with two main funding tiers:

• Small Grants: Under £10,000 (for smaller organizations and projects)
• Medium Grants: £10,000 to £50,000 (larger grants typically reserved for organizations with established trustee relationships)

Applications may be made at any time in writing with no fixed deadlines.

Priority Areas

The trust focuses particularly on three core areas:

• Environment Protection: Grants for environmental conservation, climate action, and sustainability initiatives
• Health: Supporting health-related charitable work both in the UK and internationally
• Human Rights: Funding for organizations advancing human rights causes globally

The trust supports work both in the UK and overseas, indicating a broad geographic reach for suitable projects within these priority areas.

What They Don't Fund

The trust does not maintain detailed exclusion criteria publicly, though it primarily supports registered charities. Non-charitable organizations and individuals are supported only in very rare circumstances.

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Governance and Leadership

The trust is governed by 4 trustees who take an active role in grantmaking decisions. No trustees receive any remuneration, payments, or benefits from the charity, demonstrating a purely voluntary governance structure.

The trustees maintain a proactive approach to grantmaking, actively seeking out organizations that align with the trust's objectives rather than relying solely on unsolicited applications. Organizations receiving larger grants typically have established close working relationships with individual trustees.

The trust maintains strong financial controls with policies for internal charity financial controls, investing charity funds, and managing trustee conflicts of interest.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

• Method: Written applications only (by post or email)
• Timing: Applications may be submitted at any time on a rolling basis
• No Website: The trust does not maintain a website; applicants should contact via post or email
• Documentation: Specific documentation requirements not publicly detailed; standard charity application materials recommended

Decision Timeline

Decision timelines are not publicly specified. Given the trust's relationship-based approach and trustee-driven selection process, timelines may vary significantly depending on the grant size and whether the organization has an existing relationship with trustees.

Success Rates

Success rates are not publicly available. However, the trust's approach indicates a selective process, particularly for larger grants.

Reapplication Policy

No specific reapplication policy is published. Applicants should inquire directly with the trust regarding unsuccessful applications.

Application Success Factors

The trust's approach reveals several critical success factors:

Relationship Building: The most significant indicator of success for larger grants is having “a close working relationship with trustees.” This suggests that cold applications for substantial funding may be less successful than building connections over time, possibly starting with smaller grant requests.

Proactive Selection: The trust explicitly states that “trustees seek out organisations that will effectively fulfil its objectives.” This means the trust may approach organizations directly rather than waiting for applications, and applicants should consider whether their work clearly aligns with the trust's three priority areas.

Demonstrating Impact: The trust emphasizes supporting organizations that deliver “a real and lasting positive impact,” suggesting applications should focus on long-term outcomes and sustainability rather than short-term outputs.

Size Appropriateness: The trust explicitly welcomes applications from “small as well as larger, more established charities,” indicating they value work across the organizational spectrum.

Geographic Relevance: Applications for both UK-based and overseas projects are welcome, provided they align with environment, health, or human rights priorities.

Alignment with Priorities: Given the specific focus areas of environment protection, health, and human rights, applications should clearly demonstrate how the project fits within these themes.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Start small and build relationships: For organizations new to the trust, consider applying for smaller grants (under £10,000) to establish credibility before seeking larger funding
• Emphasize long-term impact: Frame your application around lasting, sustainable outcomes rather than immediate outputs
• Align clearly with priorities: Ensure your project directly addresses environment protection, health, or human rights issues
• Be patient with relationship-building: Larger grants typically go to organizations with established trustee connections, suggesting a long-term relationship approach
• Don't rely solely on applications: Given the proactive trustee approach, consider ways to bring your work to the trustees' attention beyond formal applications
• Demonstrate financial sustainability: With the trust's strong investment performance and long-term approach, showing your organization's sustainability may be advantageous
• Consider the rolling nature: No deadline pressure means you can take time to prepare a strong application, but also means competition is ongoing

References

• Charity Commission Register of Charities, “Henry and Rebecca Tinsley Charitable Trust - 1020294,” https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-details/?regid=1020294
• Bath and North East Somerset Council, “The Henry and Rebecca Tinsley Charitable Trust,” https://www.bathnes.gov.uk/node/90404
• Find That Charity, “GB-CHC-1020294 | Henry and Rebecca Tinsley Charitable Trust,” https://findthatcharity.uk/orgid/GB-CHC-1020294
• Charity Commission financial data for year ending 31 March 2024
• Scotland's International Development Alliance, “Henry and Rebecca Tinsley Charitable Trust,” https://intdevalliance.scot/membership/funding-update/henry-and-rebecca-tinsley-charitable-trust/