House Of Industry Estate

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £207,053 (2023-24)
• Success Rate: Not publicly available
• Decision Time: Variable - applications considered at trustee meetings throughout the year
• Grant Range: £1,500 - £262,000+ (multi-year awards possible)
• Geographic Focus: Bedford Borough only

Contact Details

• Website: https://www.bedford.gov.uk/benefits-and-support/grants-and-funding/house-industry-estate
• Email: community.welfare@bedford.gov.uk
• Phone: 1234267422
• Application Portal: Online application through Bedford Borough Council Services account

Overview

The House of Industry Estate (Charity Number 257079) is a charitable trust established to provide relief to persons resident in Bedford Borough who are in conditions of need, hardship, or distress. Administered by Bedford Borough Council, the trust is managed by a committee of borough councillors acting as corporate charity trustees. The estate owns significant land around North Wing Hospital, Bedford Blues Rugby Club, and Freemen's Common, generating income to fund charitable grants.

With total income of £269,003 and expenditure of £207,053 in the year ending March 2024, the trust holds over £500,000 in reserves for charitable purposes. The guidelines were revised in September 2024 to explicitly welcome applications from new charities within Bedford Borough. The trust operates on a volunteer basis with seven trustees and four volunteers, with no remuneration paid to trustees.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The trust provides one-off, non-recurrent funding for specific projects or emergency needs:

• Standard Grants: £1,500 - £50,000 for single-year projects
• Multi-Year Partnerships: Up to £262,000+ for strategic three-year funding arrangements (exceptional cases)
• Emergency Grants: Small sum retained for year-round consideration outside the main deadline

Applications are considered at trustee meetings throughout the year, with the main deadline of October 31st annually.

Priority Areas

The trust focuses exclusively on alleviating need, hardship, or distress among Bedford Borough residents:

• Poverty Relief: Supporting individuals and families experiencing financial hardship
• Homelessness Services: Transitional skills programs and support services
• Education & Training: Literacy programs, child safety education, youth development
• Health & Wellbeing: Programs reducing isolation, fitness classes, health support
• Vulnerable Groups: Domestic abuse survivors, elderly residents, people with disabilities
• Community Support: Organizations providing essential services like Citizens Advice, credit unions
• Diversity & Inclusion: LGBTQ+ support, programs serving specific ethnic communities

What They Don't Fund

While not explicitly stated in available documentation:

• Organizations operating outside Bedford Borough
• Applications from non-registered charities (normally)
• General running costs without clear project focus (evidence suggests preference for specific programs)
• Individuals (grants are made to organizations)

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Governance and Leadership

Trustee Committee

The trust is governed by the Trustees of the House of Industry Estate Management Committee, composed of Bedford Borough councillors:

• Chair: Councillor Henry Vann (Liberal Democrat, De Parys ward)
• Member: Councillor Graeme Coombes
• Member: Councillor Colleen Atkins (Labour, Harpur ward)
• Member: Councillor Doug McMurdo

The committee includes seven trustees who volunteer their time with no remuneration. Cllr Henry Vann has emphasized that the trust must prioritize “alleviating hardship” in all grant decisions.

Recent Funding Decisions

The trustees demonstrate commitment to thorough evaluation and accountability:

Councillor Doug McMurdo stated regarding the Citizens Advice Bedford funding: “It would have been folly, and probably slightly negligent, if we were to ignore this request.”

Councillor Colleen Atkins praised Samsons Academy as "yet another example of the excellent work they're doing," highlighting the committee's awareness of local charity effectiveness.

The trustees have shown preference for longer-term partnerships that provide “greater certainty” over repeated annual applications, as evidenced by the three-year Citizens Advice Bedford agreement.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

1. Create Account: Register for a Council Services account on Bedford Borough Council's website
2. Complete Online Form: Application takes approximately 20 minutes; can be saved and resumed
3. Submit Documentation: Provide required supporting documents (see below)
4. Committee Review: Applications considered at trustee meetings throughout the year

Required Documentation:

• Organization constitution and governing documents
• Annual reports and business plans
• Audited or verified financial accounts with balance sheets
• Budget forecasts (particularly for emergency funding requests)
• Equal opportunities and environmental policies
• Quality assurance documentation
• Child protection/vulnerable adults policies (where applicable)
• Evidence demonstrating target audience is “in need, hardship or distress”

Decision Timeline

• Main Deadline: October 31st annually
• Year-Round Consideration: Small sum retained for emergency grants throughout the year
• Committee Meetings: Held periodically throughout the year
• Processing Time: Not specified, but applications may be deferred if additional information is needed
• Notification: Decisions communicated via email

Recent examples show the committee may delegate approval authority to the chair between meetings to avoid delaying urgent projects.

Success Rates

Success rate data is not publicly available. However, evidence suggests:

• Multiple organizations receive funding at each committee meeting
• Some applications are deferred pending additional information (e.g., ProgressAbility's £15,500 request delayed due to sustainability concerns)
• The committee appears to approve a substantial proportion of well-prepared applications from organizations demonstrating clear alignment with the trust's charitable purposes

Reapplication Policy

No explicit reapplication policy is documented. Organizations can apply annually, though the trust has shown preference for multi-year funding arrangements for strategic partners.

Application Success Factors

Based on analysis of recent successful applications and trustee statements, the following factors enhance application success:

1. Demonstrable Impact on Need, Hardship, or Distress

Successful applicants clearly articulate how their work alleviates suffering among Bedford Borough residents. Citizens Advice Bedford's approval highlighted “complexity of cases increasing by around 178% over five years” and £642,000 of debt written off, providing concrete evidence of impact.

2. Financial Sustainability and Sound Management

The trustees scrutinize organizational finances carefully. ProgressAbility's application was deferred partly due to concerns about £50,000 reserves supporting 13 staff members. Demonstrate healthy reserves relative to your operating costs and clear financial planning.

3. Specific Project Focus with Clear Deliverables

Recent successful grants funded specific programs rather than general operations:

• Amicus Trust: £47,709 for “Funding for Life Transitional Skills” programme with defined outcomes
• Schoolreaders: £15,000 to reach 375 additional children across 37 schools
• Music24: £7,068 for 46 specific Singing Café sessions

4. Evidence of Organizational Competence

The committee values proven track records. Councillor Atkins' praise for Samsons Academy referenced their established reputation for “excellent work.”

5. Clear Understanding of Implementation

For Hygiene Bank, trustees requested clarification on “how the organisation identified people that were in need of support...and how they would distribute them.” Be prepared to explain practical delivery mechanisms in detail.

6. Alignment with Strategic Priorities

Lee Phanco of Samsons Academy described work “providing some wider training around schools and the community” on child sexual exploitation—addressing a clear community need beyond individual beneficiaries.

7. Willingness to Accept Phased Funding

Hygiene Bank received £1,500 initially of their £5,000 request, with further installments contingent on demonstrated effective spending. Flexibility on funding structure can facilitate approval.

8. Local Reach and Accessibility

Citizens Advice Bedford's approval noted their “outreach now operates in 25 borough locations,” demonstrating commitment to reaching residents throughout Bedford Borough.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Geographic Restriction is Absolute: Only registered charities operating in Bedford Borough are eligible; demonstrate clear focus on borough residents
• Emphasize Hardship Relief: Frame your work explicitly in terms of alleviating “need, hardship or distress”—this is the trust's core charitable purpose per Chair Henry Vann
• Financial Health Matters: Ensure your accounts demonstrate sustainability; trustees will scrutinize reserves-to-expenditure ratios
• Be Specific and Measurable: Successful applications include concrete numbers (375 children, 46 sessions, 25 locations) rather than general descriptions
• Multi-Year Partnerships Available: For substantial, strategic projects, consider proposing multi-year funding (up to £262,000 awarded to Citizens Advice Bedford for three years)
• Prepare for Questions: Applications may be deferred for clarification; anticipate trustee questions about implementation details, sustainability, and impact measurement
• October Deadline is Key: While emergency funding exists year-round, the October 31st deadline represents the main funding opportunity with largest allocation

References

• Charity Commission Register of Charities: House of Industry Estate - Charity 257079
• Bedford Borough Council: The House of Industry Estate
• Bedford Independent: Three Bedford organisations to share £70,000 of House of Industry grant funding
• Bedford Independent: House of Industry trustees approve funding deal for Citizens Advice
• Bedford Independent: Bedford charities to share cash from House of Industry
• Bedford Independent: Bedford charities supporting diversity and victims of domestic violence
• Charity Commission Financial Information (Year ending 31 March 2024)
• Accessed: December 27, 2025