Leeds Hospitals Charity

Charity Number: 1170369

Annual Expenditure: £4.6M
Geographic Focus: Throughout England

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £4,620,000
  • Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
  • Decision Time: 4 weeks (under £10k) to 4 months (over £50k)
  • Grant Range: £500 - £50,000
  • Geographic Focus: Leeds (all eight hospitals in Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust)

Contact Details

Website: www.leedshospitalscharity.org.uk

Phone: 0113 206 5173 (General) | 0113 539 7091 (Funding enquiries)

Email: Hello@leedshospitalscharity.org.uk

Funding Team: Available for pre-application discussions at 0113 539 7091

Overview

Leeds Hospitals Charity (registered charity 1170369, formerly Leeds Cares) was established to support Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust across its eight sites: Leeds General Infirmary, Leeds Children's Hospital, Leeds Cancer Centre, St James's University Hospital, Chapel Allerton Hospital, Seacroft Hospital, Wharfedale Hospital, and Leeds Dental Institute. With annual charitable expenditure of £4.62 million in 2024/25, the charity provides over £5 million in additional funding annually to support approximately 1 million patients and their families. The charity operates under a five-year strategic plan (2021-2026) with a focus on reducing healthcare inequalities. Under the leadership of Chair Dr Yvette Oade CBE DL and Chief Executive Esther Wakeman, the charity employs a Theory of Change framework to ensure funding maximizes impact on patient care and wellbeing. Over the past six years, the charity has provided more than £50 million in funding for life-saving equipment, research fellowships, and patient environment improvements.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Standard Funding - £500 - £50,000 (rolling applications)

  • One-stage process for grants under £10,000
  • Two-stage process (Expression of Interest then full application) for grants over £10,000
  • Open to all staff employed by Leeds Teaching Hospitals or holding relevant honorary contracts

Research Pump Prime Funding - £10,001 - £50,000 (quarterly rounds)

  • Supports feasibility studies and proof-of-concept research
  • Aims to enable applications for larger future grants
  • Member of Association of Medical Research Charities
  • Recent round approved 2 of 6 full applications (from 8 initial EOIs)

Innovation in Healthcare Delivery Grants - Amount not specified (annual themed rounds)

  • Focus on improving hospital access or discharge within 12-24 months

Improving Cancer Outcomes Grants - Amount not specified (annual themed rounds)

  • Focus on improving cancer outcomes within 12-18 months

Patient and Volunteer Hardship Fund - Up to £500

  • Small grants for patients and volunteers experiencing financial hardship

Education Grants - Amount not specified (quarterly rounds)

  • For developing non-clinical skills of frontline staff to improve patient care

Priority Areas

Leeds Hospitals Charity's five-year strategy (2021-2026) focuses on six key funding priorities:

  • Cancer care and research
  • Paediatric care and research
  • Mental health
  • End of life care
  • Care of older people
  1. Research & Innovation - 27% of total grant funding in 2023/24 (£980,000 across 35 applications)
  1. Drive innovation in healthcare using new technologies
  1. Enhance treatments for rare conditions
  1. Equipment - Life-saving and diagnostic technologies
  1. Environment - Patient comfort and experience improvements

What They Don't Fund

Specific exclusions are not explicitly published, but eligibility is limited to:

  • Staff employed by Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
  • Staff with honorary contracts with Leeds Teaching Hospitals
  • Projects that benefit patients and families across the eight Leeds hospitals
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Governance and Leadership

Board of Trustees

Chair: Dr Yvette Oade CBE DL - Board Lead for Safeguarding (appointed October 2023)

Senior Independent Trustee: David Berridge

Trustees: Antony Kildare, Christopher Schofield, Caroline Gruen, Charlene Lyons (former CEO of Black Sheep Brewery), Dr Cassie Doherty, Gemma Skelley, Jonathan Grant, Lalit Suryawanshi (co-founder of Itecho Health), Lauren Glaister, Mark Davies

The Board comprises 12 trustees who serve initial three-year terms with a maximum service of nine years. The Board meets at least quarterly and maintains a Register of Trustee Interests for transparency.

Senior Leadership Team

  • Esther Wakeman - Chief Executive
  • Eve Hartrick - Director of Finance & Corporate Services
  • Rebecca Baldaro-Booth - Director of Grants and Impact
  • Paul Watkins - Director of Fundraising
  • Sarah Griffin - Director of Communications
  • Jake Hornsbury - Director of Retail

Key Quotes from Leadership

Dr Yvette Oade CBE DL (Chair): “I want the charity to continue to grow and diversify, so we can become more representative of the patients and staff who benefit from initiatives we fund. Leeds Hospitals Charity is a charity for everyone, supporting staff, patients, and families across all eight NHS hospitals in Leeds. We will always ensure that donations are spent where they are needed most.”

Esther Wakeman (Chief Executive): "We're delighted that donations and Gifts in Wills have enabled us to support this worthwhile research project that will unlock new opportunities and benefit so many young people and their families."

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

Pre-Application Discussion: Applicants are encouraged to discuss proposals with their Line Manager and contact the Grant Funding team at 0113 539 7091 before applying.

Application Methods:

  • Online applications: Via the charity's website at www.leedshospitalscharity.org.uk/listing/category/funding-opportunities
  • Newsletter signup: Recommended to receive updates about funding rounds and themed opportunities
  • Direct contact: Phone 0113 539 7091 or email for application support

Application Process by Amount:

  • Under £10,000: One-stage application process using Standard Funding Application Form
  • £10,000 - £50,000: Two-stage process
  • Stage 1: Submit Expression of Interest (EOI) for review
  • Stage 2: If EOI approved, invitation sent for full application
  • Over £50,000: Two-stage process with additional Board of Trustees approval required

Required Steps Before Applying:

  1. Discuss proposal with Line Manager
  2. Complete relevant internal LTHT processes
  3. Review funding policy criteria and scoring guidelines
  4. Align proposal with Theory of Change framework

Decision Timeline

  • Under £10,000: Approximately 4 weeks (one month) - reviewed by Small Grants Panel
  • £10,000 - £50,000: Review by Funding Review Group (timeframe not specified)
  • Over £50,000: Approximately 4 months - requires Funding Committee and Board of Trustees approval

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis for standard funding, with additional themed funding rounds opening at specific times throughout the year.

Success Rates

The charity does not publicly disclose overall success rates. However, for the 2024/25 Research Pump Prime Funding Grant round:

  • 8 Expressions of Interest received
  • 6 invited to submit full applications (75% EOI success rate)
  • 2 applications approved (33% full application success rate, 25% overall success rate)

In 2023/24, the charity invested £980,000 across 35 Research and Innovation applications.

Reapplication Policy

No specific reapplication policy is publicly documented. Applicants seeking guidance on resubmitting unsuccessful applications should contact the Funding Team at 0113 539 7091.

Application Success Factors

Theory of Change Framework

Leeds Hospitals Charity uses a Theory of Change model to evaluate all funding applications. Successful applications must demonstrate:

  • Improving patient experience
  • Supporting NHS staff
  • Driving healthcare innovation
  • Addressing health inequalities
  • Enhancing treatments for rare conditions

Specific Guidance for Applicants

For Research & Innovation Projects:

  • Proposals should address health inequalities
  • Demonstrate how funding will facilitate meaningful change and advance research
  • Show potential to “pump prime” future larger grant applications
  • Present feasibility studies or proof-of-concept work built on pilot data

For Innovation Grants:

  • Demonstrate clear timeline (12-24 months for healthcare delivery; 12-18 months for cancer outcomes)
  • Show measurable impact on patient access, discharge, or clinical outcomes
  • Align with current strategic priorities

Monitoring & Evaluation Requirements:

  • Successful applicants must complete Monitoring & Evaluation forms
  • Projects must share impact through case studies, blogs, and news stories
  • Demonstrate accountability and transparency in use of charitable funds

Examples of Funded Projects

Research Projects:

  • Leeds Neuropathology Research Tissue Bank (significant investment) - facilitated 14+ research projects and attracted £2.1 million in additional research funding
  • Metabolic assessment in pancreatic cancer surgery (£49,938)
  • AI-based pacemaker heart failure screening (£48,529)
  • Liver regeneration research using human liver hyperperfusion organ model

Children's Hospital Projects:

  • Over £1 million awarded in 2023/24 for projects enhancing care at Leeds Children's Hospital
  • Ground-breaking research, specialist play staff, innovative diagnostic technologies

CHORAL Research Centre:

  • £2.6 million partnership investment with Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust and University of Leeds

What Makes Applications Stand Out

  1. Clear demonstration of impact on patient care and wellbeing - The charity prioritizes projects that show measurable improvements
  2. Alignment with health inequalities agenda - Proposals addressing disparities in cancer, paediatric, mental health, end of life, or older people's care
  3. Innovation and technology - Projects using new approaches or technologies to improve healthcare delivery
  4. Strategic fit - Clear connection to one or more of the charity's six funding priorities
  5. Evidence-based approach - Research projects built on pilot data with clear methodology
  6. Sustainability and future funding potential - Especially for research, showing how initial funding could lead to larger grants

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • You must be employed by Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust or hold an honorary contract - this is a staff-only funding program, not open to external organizations
  • Pre-application discussion is encouraged - Contact the Funding Team at 0113 539 7091 before submitting to ensure alignment with priorities
  • Theory of Change is central - Applications must demonstrate clear inputs, activities, outputs, outcomes, and long-term impact
  • Health inequalities are a strategic priority - Projects addressing disparities in the five key care areas (cancer, paediatric, mental health, end of life, older people) are particularly favored
  • Decision timelines vary significantly by amount - Plan for 4 weeks for small grants under £10,000 but 4 months for grants over £50,000
  • Rolling applications available - Standard funding accepts applications year-round, with additional themed rounds announced via newsletter
  • Monitor and share your impact - Successful applicants must complete M&E forms and contribute stories about project outcomes

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