Marketing Trust

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £144,503 (2023-24)
• Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
• Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed (typical trust timelines are 3-6 months)
• Grant Range: Varies by program - research grants approximately £1,000-£4,200
• Geographic Focus: UK-wide, with emphasis on wider public benefit

Contact Details

Address: Moor Hall, Cookham, Berkshire, SL6 9QH

Phone: 01628 427 002

Email: secretary@marketingtrust.org

Website: www.marketingtrust.org

Charity Number: 277805

Overview

The Marketing Trust was established in 1978 as The Chartered Institute of Marketing Charitable Trust and adopted its shorter name in 2011, though it remains registered under its original designation (No. 277805). With an annual expenditure of £144,503 (year ending June 2024) and total income of £115,967, the Trust operates as an independent grant-making charity focused on advancing public education, practical training, and research in marketing. The Trust's mission is to support a wider general understanding and appreciation of marketing by the public, funding initiatives that deliver enhanced understanding and execution of marketing with demonstrable societal impact. The annual income from investments enables the Trust to support a wide range of marketing education, training, and research projects through grants of financial assistance to approved applicants.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Marketing Trust supports diverse marketing education and training initiatives:

Charity Marketing Workshops

Small-to-medium charities receive workshops to develop marketing expertise, delivered throughout the UK both face-to-face and online. In partnership with Media Trust, the charity has funded free digital marketing and marketing essentials training workshops that have helped hundreds of charities develop effective strategies.

Young Enterprise Funding

Provides funding for students across the UK to establish start-up businesses, bringing new products or services to market within an academic year. Trustees judge competitions at Young Enterprise UK Start-up events.

RSA Spark Competition

Supports the RSA Student Design Awards across universities, helping young designers develop their marketing and entrepreneurial skills.

Academic Research Grants

Provides grant funding for academic research projects that trustees judge to have wide relevance to business or society generally and which have a marketing aspect. Individual research grants support investigation into important aspects of marketing.

Marketing PhD Support

Funding for PhD students to attend Doctoral Research Colloquiums, supporting early-career researcher development.

Research Impact Projects

A collaboration with the Academy of Marketing supporting strategic research capacity development across the UK. The Committee invites members to submit proposals for funding of up to £4,200 per workshop for capacity-building events aimed at the broader early-career researcher community.

Priority Areas

• Marketing education and practical training for charitable sector staff and volunteers
• Academic research with wide business or societal relevance
• Youth entrepreneurship and start-up business development
• Marketing skills development for the general public
• Projects demonstrating wider societal impact through enhanced marketing understanding
• Early-career researcher development in marketing academia

What They Don't Fund

• Staff costs (for charity marketing campaigns)
• Capital investment
• Hardware or infrastructure work
• Ongoing SEO/PPC activity (for charity campaigns)
• Projects without clear marketing education or training components
• Retrospective costs (typical trust practice)

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Governance and Leadership

The Trust is governed by 4 trustees who receive no remuneration, payments, or benefits from the charity. Key trustees include:

Mary Kinghorn Davies, Chairman

At the 2018 CIM Ireland Awards launch, Davies emphasized the Trust's commitment to accessible marketing education: “What made these awards attractive to the Trust was that the organisers have included educational case studies so that many people who may not be able to get to the Awards event will still be able to see and learn from the success of the winners.” This reflects the Trust's mission of making marketing knowledge accessible to broader audiences.

Nigel Coates, Chair/Trustee

Former Associate Professor and Founder and Director of the Business Clinic at Newcastle Business School, Northumbria University. Also serves as Trustee of Smile for Life Children's Charity and Visiting Fellow at Northumbria University.

Tony Groom, Trustee

Specializes in business restructuring and turnaround management. Along with Coates, headed judging for the 2018 Marketing Trust Award for Strategic Marketing.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

Applications are submitted via email or through the Trust's website contact mechanisms. According to the Trust's website: “All applications are carefully considered on their individual merits in line with the Objects of the Trust.”

The Trust states: “The Trustees would welcome a wider and more diverse range of projects” - indicating openness to innovative proposals that align with their core objectives.

Contact for Applications:

Email: secretary@marketingtrust.org

Phone: 01628 427 002

Decision Timeline

Specific decision timelines are not publicly disclosed. Based on typical charitable trust practices, applicants should expect:

• Initial acknowledgment within 2-4 weeks
• Decision timeframes of 3-6 months depending on trustee meeting schedules
• The Trust meets periodically to review applications

Success Rates

Success rates and application volumes are not publicly disclosed. With annual grant-making expenditure of approximately £144,503 and support for multiple program streams, the Trust demonstrates active grant distribution across diverse project types.

Reapplication Policy

The Trust's reapplication policy is not explicitly stated in public materials. Applicants should contact the Trust directly to discuss reapplication after an unsuccessful submission.

Application Success Factors

Alignment with Core Mission

The Trust prioritizes projects advancing “education, practical training and research into the art and science of marketing” for public benefit. Successful applications demonstrate how marketing understanding or execution will be enhanced with wider societal impact.

Demonstrated Public Benefit

Projects should show clear benefits beyond individual organizations - training that can be shared, research with broad applicability, or initiatives reaching under-served communities.

Recent Funded Projects Include:

• Academic research on tackling water scarcity through effective communication strategies (Georgios Patsiaouras, University of Leicester)
• Early Career Researchers in Marketing: In Pursuit of Impact (A. R. Shaheen Hosany, Goldsmiths)
• The internal marketing challenge of engendering sustainability practices (Andrew Davis, University of Strathclyde)
• Marketing Short Stories: A Podcast Series (Jack Coffin & Finola Kerrigan)
• Age-Friendly Servicescapes: Building Inclusive Markets for Older Consumers (Kathy Hamilton & Juliette Wilson)
• MealMate student project providing healthy and cheap meal ideas (2018 Award winners, Liverpool Hope University)

Educational Case Studies

Chairman Mary Davies has emphasized the value of projects that include educational case studies, allowing broader audiences to learn from successful initiatives even if they cannot directly participate.

Charity Sector Focus

The Trust actively supports applications for “funding, training and development projects designed to raise the marketing competence of those engaged in promoting the work of charitable bodies.”

Academic Rigor

For research applications, demonstrate wide relevance to business or society and clear marketing aspects. The Trust values collaboration with established bodies like the Academy of Marketing.

Supporting Diverse Applicants

While the Trust generally supports groups and organizations, “in exceptional circumstances grant support to individuals, provided always that they meet the criteria of the objectives.”

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Emphasize Public Benefit: Clearly articulate how your project will advance marketing understanding for the wider public good, not just organizational benefit
• Demonstrate Societal Impact: Show how enhanced marketing execution or understanding will create measurable positive change in communities or sectors
• Align with Education and Training: Frame projects around learning, skills development, or knowledge creation in marketing
• Consider Partnership Approaches: The Trust values collaborations (e.g., with Media Trust, Academy of Marketing, RSA) that amplify reach and impact
• Target Charity Sector Needs: If you're a charitable organization, emphasize how marketing training will enhance your ability to promote your charitable work
• Think Beyond Direct Service: Include plans for how learning will be shared through case studies, toolkits, or training materials for broader audiences
• Be Patient and Persistent: With modest annual giving relative to demand, competition is likely significant; strong applications demonstrating clear mission alignment are essential
• Contact the Trust Early: With limited public information on application processes, direct contact with secretary@marketingtrust.org for guidance before applying is advisable

Similar Funders

These funders frequently fund the same charities:

• The Arts Council of England
• Lloyd's Register Foundation
• Garfield Weston Foundation
• THE HEALTH FOUNDATION
• The Rayne Foundation
• THE FOYLE FOUNDATION
• THE COMINO FOUNDATION
• Google

References

1. Marketing Trust Official Website: www.marketingtrust.org
2. UK Charity Commission Register, Charity No. 277805: https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-details/?regid=277805&subid=0
3. Work for Good, The Marketing Trust Profile: https://workforgood.co.uk/charities/the-marketing-trust/
4. Academy of Marketing, Marketing Trust & AM Impact Funding Initiative: https://academyofmarketing.org/marketing-trust-and-am-impact-funding-initiative/
5. Academy of Marketing, Research Funding Recipients: https://academyofmarketing.org/research-funding-recipients/
6. Media Trust, Marketing for Charities Training: https://mediatrust.org/communications-support/training-courses/marketing-for-charities-training/
7. LinkedIn Profile, Mary Davies, Chairman at The Marketing Trust
8. LinkedIn Profile, Nigel Coates, Chair of the Marketing Trust