Jill And Norman Franklin Trust

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £656,577 (2024)
• Success Rate: Highly competitive (invitation to bid issued to usually no more than twice the number of grants available)
• Decision Time: Annual cycle; church grants considered December/January
• Grant Range: £500 - £50,000
• Geographic Focus: North East England and Central Scotland (Glasgow/Strathclyde); church grants UK-wide

Contact Details

• Website: www.jill-franklin-trust.org.uk
• Email: jft@jill-franklin-trust.org.uk (applications: applications@jnfranklintrust.org.uk)
• Phone: 07504 111095
• Address: 4 Dinsdale Drive, Eaglescliffe, Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, TS16 9HQ

Overview

The Jill and Norman Franklin Trust was established in 1990 by Norman Franklin in memory of his wife Jill, a distinguished architectural historian who studied under Nikolaus Pevsner. Registered as Charity Number 1000175, the Trust distributed £656,577 in grants during the 2024 financial year, with total income of £556,611. The Trust focuses on supporting small charities working in the most deprived regions of the UK, particularly North East England and Central Scotland, with organizations helping refugees and asylum seekers, people with mental health or learning disabilities, survivors of domestic violence, and those involved in desistance from crime. Norman Franklin, who led the Trust until his death in January 2023 just shy of his 95th birthday, had a strong vision to help unpopular causes where fundraising is harder. The Trust now operates under the governance of four trustees, all members of the Franklin family.

Current Status: As of August 2025, the Trust's funds are currently fully committed, with the exception of church restoration grants which are still being accepted.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Social Welfare Grants (Currently fully committed)

• Amount: £24,000 - £50,000 over one to three years (alternatively described as up to £3,000 per month for a year)
• Focus: Small charities in North East England and Glasgow/Strathclyde

Church Restoration Grants (Still accepting applications)

• Amount: £500 - £1,000
• Application cycle: Applications considered annually in December/January
• Method: Annual consideration process

Priority Areas

The Trust focuses on five main funding areas:

1. Refugees and Asylum Seekers: Organizations helping and supporting refugees and asylum-seekers coming to or in the UK, including people with No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF)

1. Mental Health and Learning Disabilities: Self-help groups to support people with mental illness or learning difficulties, and their carers

1. Domestic Violence: Support for survivors of domestic violence, including refuges

1. Criminal Justice: Local schemes to help prisoners resettle or desist from crime

1. Church Restoration: One-off smaller grants for the restoration of architecturally significant churches (Grade 1 or exceptionally Grade 2* listed buildings) anywhere in the UK. Churches should have architectural importance (half a page in Pevsner's Buildings) and be open to visitors every day

What They Don't Fund

• Building work (except church restoration)
• Endowment funds
• Replacement of government or NHS duties
• Glossy, elaborate proposals (simplicity preferred)

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Governance and Leadership

The Trust is governed by four trustees, all members of the Franklin family:

• Daniel Thomas Taylor Franklin (appointed January 2022)
• Thomas N Franklin (appointed August 1988)
• Andrew C Franklin (appointed August 1988)
• Samuel A Franklin (appointed August 1988)

No trustees receive remuneration from the charity. The Trust was founded and chaired by Norman Franklin, who joined the family publishing firm Routledge & Kegan Paul and oversaw a golden era publishing works by Bertrand Russell, Edmund Husserl, Theodor Adorno, and Carl Jung. Norman had a strong vision to help unpopular causes where fundraising is harder, and often led the way with his funding decisions, encouraging others to follow suit.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

For Social Welfare Grants (Currently Suspended)

The Trust issues an annual invitation to bid for grants to a small number of charities (usually no more than twice the number of grants available). To be considered for the next funding round, interested organizations should:

1. Send a brief email to applications@jnfranklintrust.org.uk
2. Outline the sector(s) you work in and the geographical area you would seek funding for
3. Attach or send a link to your most recent annual report

Note: As of August 2025, the Trust's funds are currently fully committed for social welfare grants.

For Church Restoration Grants

Applications for church restoration are still being accepted and are considered annually in December/January. Churches must meet the following criteria:

• Listed Grade 1 or exceptionally Grade 2*
• Located in the United Kingdom
• For repairs and restoration only
• Architecturally significant (half a page in Pevsner's Buildings)
• Open to visitors every day

Decision Timeline

• Social Welfare Grants: Annual cycle with invitation to bid issued
• Church Restoration Grants: All applications considered each December/January
• Notification: Method not specified

Success Rates

The Trust issues invitations to bid to “usually no more than twice the number of grants available,” indicating a success rate of approximately 50% for those invited to submit full proposals. However, only a small number of charities are invited to bid in the first place, making the initial selection highly competitive.

Reapplication Policy

• If you were awarded a grant or rejected during the current financial year, please wait until after 1st April to apply again
• Unsuccessful applicants must wait until the next financial year to reapply
• If you withdrew your application prior to consideration, you may re-apply at any time
• Trustees will only consider one application per organisation per financial year unless there are exceptional circumstances
• Applicants must complete any previous outstanding monitoring reports before reapplying

Application Success Factors

Simplicity is Key: The Trust has a strong preference for simply prepared proposals. As stated in their guidance, “Small charities are preferred, and simply prepared proposals are more likely to be accepted.” Trustees look more favorably on simply and economically prepared appeals—no glossy brochures.

Small Organizations Preferred: The Trust explicitly favors small charities working in deprived areas, particularly in North East England and Central Scotland (Glasgow/Strathclyde).

Geographic Focus: Applications must be from organizations working in the specified geographic areas (North East England and Glasgow/Strathclyde for social welfare grants; UK-wide for church restoration).

Clear Alignment with Priority Areas: Proposals should clearly demonstrate work with one or more of the five priority areas: refugees/asylum seekers (including those with NRPF), mental health/learning disabilities, domestic violence survivors, criminal justice/desistance, or church restoration.

Essential Documentation: Include your last annual report and accounts, plus a budget for the project.

Unpopular Causes: Norman Franklin had a vision to help unpopular causes where fundraising is harder. The Trust continues this approach, so organizations working with marginalized or stigmatized populations may find particular alignment.

Budget Considerations: Keep in mind that the Trust has about £300,000 annually to distribute, though some is already committed to multi-year grants.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Keep proposals simple and economical - avoid glossy materials; simply prepared proposals are more likely to succeed
• Small charities have an advantage - the Trust explicitly prefers smaller organizations
• Geographic eligibility is critical - ensure you work in North East England or Glasgow/Strathclyde (or UK-wide for church grants)
• Wait for invitation to bid - the Trust operates a selective process, inviting only about twice as many organizations as grants available
• Current pause on social welfare grants - funds are fully committed as of August 2025; church restoration grants still available
• Align with “unpopular causes” - the Trust's legacy is supporting marginalized groups where fundraising is harder
• One application per year - if rejected, wait until after 1st April to reapply

Similar Funders

These funders have a similar focus and geographic reach:

• The Green Hall Foundation
• The National Benevolent Charity
• The Percy Bilton Charity
• The Foundation of Saint Matthias
• Comic Relief (Charity Projects)
• Skipton Building Society Charitable Foundation
• The Wolfson Foundation
• THE TRUEMARK TRUST
• The Marsh Charitable Trust
• MONDAY CHARITABLE TRUST

References

• Jill and Norman Franklin Trust official website: https://jnfranklintrust.org.uk/
• UK Charity Commission Register - Charity Number 1000175: https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/en/charity-search/-/charity-details/1000175
• Applying for a grant page: https://jnfranklintrust.org.uk/index.php/applying-for-a-grant/
• Church applications page: https://jnfranklintrust.org.uk/index.php/church-applications/
• Jill Franklin's obituaries: https://jill-franklin-trust.org.uk/jill-franklins-obituaries/
• National Churches Trust profile: https://www.nationalchurchestrust.org/get-support/support-organisations/jill-franklin-trust