John Jackson Charitable Trust

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £241,900 (charitable activities, year ending April 2024)
• Total Income: £521,830 (primarily from investments)
• Geographic Focus: Eastbourne, East Sussex (strictly local)
• Grant Range: Small grants (e.g., televisions) to large capital projects
• Application Method: Rolling basis via email

Contact Details

Address: Suite 18 Charter House, 11 Courtlands Road, Eastbourne, East Sussex, BN22 8UY

Email: info@johnjacksoncharitabletrust.org.uk

Phone: 01323 417876

Website: http://www.johnjacksoncharitabletrust.org.uk/

Important: The office is unmanned - all correspondence must be by email only.

Overview

The John Jackson Charitable Trust was established through the will of John Alan Jackson, a lifelong Eastbourne resident who created “a permanent foundation with its income to be used for charitable purposes for the benefit of the community of Eastbourne.” The trust is funded through investment income, generating approximately £522,000 annually and distributing around £242,000 in grants. With assets managed by three experienced trustees, the trust takes a flexible approach to grant-making, supporting projects ranging from large capital developments to small equipment purchases. The trust operates with minimal overhead (one employee) and focuses exclusively on benefiting the Eastbourne community across diverse sectors including education, heritage, social welfare, disability support, animal welfare, community sports, and community arts.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The trust operates a single, flexible grant program accepting applications on a rolling basis. Applications are submitted via email using the trust's application form (available in Word and PDF formats from their website). There are no fixed deadlines or funding rounds.

Grant Range: From small grants (such as providing a television for a care home) to substantial capital projects (such as sports facility construction). Specific amounts are not published, but the trust distributed £241,900 in charitable activities in the 2023-24 financial year.

Priority Areas

The trustees particularly welcome applications in these fields:

• Education: School facility improvements, educational trips, learning equipment
• Heritage: Interpretation boards, conservation projects
• Social welfare: Support for unemployed people, food banks, community services
• Disability: Services and facilities benefiting people with disabilities
• Animal welfare: Rescue centres, veterinary facilities, wildlife protection
• Community sports: Sports facilities, equipment for clubs, changing facilities
• Community arts: Cultural projects benefiting the community

The trust's defining principle is that it will “consider all worthy requests benefitting the community of Eastbourne.”

What They Don't Fund

The trust's focus is strictly geographical - only organizations benefiting the Eastbourne community are eligible. Projects outside Eastbourne or those without clear benefit to Eastbourne residents will not be considered.

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Governance and Leadership

The trust is managed by three trustees who bring complementary expertise:

Margaret Downey (Lead Trustee)

• Solicitor with extensive experience in Wills and Trusts
• Semi-retired but manages another local charitable trust
• Provides legal expertise and trust management knowledge

Crispin Freeman

• Chartered accountant managing the trust's financial accounts
• Active in multiple East Sussex charities focused on heritage, environment, and arts
• Provides financial oversight and sector connections

Andrew Leaper

• Fellow of the National Association of Estate Agents
• Senior partner at a local estate agency firm
• Provides property and real estate expertise

The trustees' diverse backgrounds enable them to evaluate projects across the trust's wide range of funding priorities, from capital developments requiring property expertise to arts projects and financial planning for sustainable initiatives.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

1. Download the application form from johnjacksoncharitabletrust.org.uk (available in Word and PDF formats)
2. Complete the form with details of your project or need
3. Email the completed form to: info@johnjacksoncharitabletrust.org.uk

Important: The office is unmanned. Do not send postal applications or attempt to visit - all correspondence must be by email.

Decision Timeline

Decision timelines are not published on the trust's website. Given the rolling application system and the need for trustee meetings to review applications, applicants should allow adequate time for decision-making. Contact the trust for guidance on expected timelines for urgent projects.

Success Rates

Success rate information is not publicly available. However, the trust's website showcases numerous funded projects across diverse sectors, suggesting a healthy acceptance rate for well-aligned applications.

Reapplication Policy

No specific reapplication policy is stated. Organizations unsuccessful in their initial application should contact the trust for guidance on whether and when reapplication would be appropriate.

Application Success Factors

Recent Projects Funded

Examples of successful grants demonstrate the trust's breadth:

• Saffrons Sports Club: New padel court construction
• Eastbourne Community First Responders: Replacement defibrillator for Hyde Gardens
• Friends of Eastbourne Seafront: Children's cycle track with zebra crossings, roundabouts, and bus stops
• Sovereign Harbour Community Centre: Changing facilities installation
• Raystede: Avian flu-proof enclosure for geese protection
• Eastbourne Swimming Club: Laser printer for Meet Manager software
• Asthma Relief Charity: Nebulisers for Eastbourne District General Hospital Respiratory Team
• Eastbourne Allotments and Garden Society: Raised beds at Manor Road Allotment
• Ocklynge Junior School: Educational trip for pupils to sketch at Berwick Church
• Italian Gardens Project: Interpretation board for Italian Gardens in Meads
• Eastbourne Food Bank: Support for food distribution services

Key Success Factors

1. Clear Eastbourne benefit: Applications must demonstrate tangible benefit to the Eastbourne community. The geographical restriction is absolute.

1. Diverse project types welcomed: The trust funds everything from medical equipment to sports facilities to heritage interpretation, demonstrating openness to varied proposals.

1. Capital and revenue funding available: Both capital projects (facilities, equipment) and operational support (services, programs) are funded.

1. Scalability: Don't self-eliminate based on project size - the trust explicitly states it funds both large and small projects.

1. Community impact: Projects serving vulnerable populations (disability, health, unemployment) and community facilities (sports, arts, education) align well with funding patterns.

1. Partnership and collaboration: Projects involving multiple community benefits or stakeholders may be particularly attractive.

Application Tips

• Be specific about Eastbourne impact: Clearly articulate how your project benefits Eastbourne residents
• Match trustee expertise: Financial sustainability, legal compliance, and property/facility considerations are areas of trustee expertise - address these in applications
• Show community support: Evidence of local backing strengthens applications
• Explain the need: With diverse funding priorities, clearly establish why your project matters
• Consider scale appropriately: Don't inflate small projects or undersell large ones - the trust values both

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Strict geography, flexible priorities: Eastbourne benefit is essential; beyond that, the trust is remarkably open across sectors from animal welfare to sports to heritage
• Rolling applications mean no deadline pressure: Apply when your project is ready rather than rushing for a deadline
• Size doesn't matter: The trust explicitly welcomes both large capital projects and small equipment requests - don't self-eliminate based on grant size
• Email-only communication: The unmanned office means all contact must be via email; plan accordingly for questions or follow-up
• Community focus is key: Demonstrate clear benefit to Eastbourne residents and community facilities
• Examples indicate broad support: The funded projects list shows trustees genuinely do support the wide range of causes they claim to prioritize
• Investment income model provides stability: With £522k investment income, the trust has sustainable funding even as grant-making continues year after year

References

• John Jackson Charitable Trust official website: http://www.johnjacksoncharitabletrust.org.uk/
• John Jackson Charitable Trust Applications page: https://johnjacksoncharitabletrust.org.uk/?page_id=63
• John Jackson Charitable Trust Trustees page: https://johnjacksoncharitabletrust.org.uk/?page_id=60
• John Jackson Charitable Trust Grants page: https://johnjacksoncharitabletrust.org.uk/?page_id=878
• Charity Commission Register of Charities, John Jackson Charitable Trust (1141159): https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-details/?regId=1141159&subId=0
• Sussex Express: “Eastbourne first responders awarded funding to install two Public Access Defibrillators”: https://www.sussexexpress.co.uk/community/eastbourne-first-responders-awarded-funding-to-install-two-public-access-defibrillators-4677431