Merchant Taylors' Educational Trust

Charity Number: 310018

Annual Expenditure: £32.8M

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Quick Stats

  • Latest Annual Expenditure: £32,750,000 (year ending 31 August 2023)*
  • Current Expenditure: £480,905 (year ending 31 August 2024)
  • Success Rate: 48% (for Small Grants Scheme applications)
  • Decision Time: 2 months (grants under £3,000); up to 5 months (grants over £3,000)
  • Small Grant Range: £500 - £5,000 (one-off); up to £9,000 (multi-year)
  • Bursary Coverage: 85-100% of school fees
  • Geographic Focus: National (educational institutions); London boroughs for community grants

*Note: The Educational Trust experienced a significant reduction in expenditure between 2023 and 2024, likely due to completion of major capital projects or asset transfers.

Contact Details

Merchant Taylors' Hall

30 Threadneedle Street

London EC2R 8JB

  • Website: www.merchant-taylors.co.uk
  • Email (General Charities): charities@merchant-taylors.co.uk
  • Email (Education): education@merchant-taylors.co.uk
  • Phone: 020 7562 2320
  • Education Phone: 020 4511 6285

Overview

The Merchant Taylors' Educational Trust (Charity No. 310018) has been advancing education since the 15th century, with formal trust registration dating to 1967. The trust operates as part of the Worshipful Company of Merchant Taylors, one of London's Great Twelve Livery Companies, which founded Merchant Taylors' School in 1561.

The trust's primary purpose is the maintenance, improvement, and support of Merchant Taylors' School in Northwood, along with the benefit of its pupils through scholarships, bursaries, and prizes. It also supports the founding or maintenance of schools of learning generally and the advancement of education more broadly. The trust now supports a family of 25 affiliated educational institutions across England and Northern Ireland, ranging from primary schools to universities and specialist institutions.

Working alongside the Merchant Taylors' Foundation (established 2015), the educational work focuses on three strategic priorities: funding educational opportunities for disadvantaged students, supporting “whole-person education” that develops character alongside academics, and engaging Company members actively in educational initiatives. The trust emphasizes that “education in the broadest sense can be a key aspect of tackling disadvantage.”

The trust is governed by representatives of the Merchant Taylors' Company, education professionals, business leaders, and local community figures. All trustees serve without remuneration.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Transformational Bursary Stream

  • Amount: 85-100% of school fees plus extras (lunches, transport, uniform)
  • Purpose: Means-tested support for pupils to attend affiliated schools
  • Value: Approximately £13,500+ per year per student
  • Application: By invitation only through affiliated schools
  • Geographic Focus: Students attending affiliated institutions nationwide

Scholarship Stream

  • Coverage: Boarding fees, school fees, music lessons, performance costs
  • Purpose: Talent-based support (e.g., choristers, musicians)
  • Application: By invitation only through affiliated schools
  • Example: Full funding for St Paul's Cathedral chorister programme

University Support

  • Coverage: Tuition fees, living expenses, books
  • Purpose: Supporting former pupils and students at affiliated universities
  • Application: By invitation only
  • Institutions: St John's College Oxford, Pembroke College Cambridge, others

Education Grants for Schools

  • Eligibility: The 25 affiliated schools and educational institutions
  • Application Window: Summer term for following academic year activities
  • Funding Streams: Health & Wellbeing, Prize Awards, Next Steps
  • Application: By invitation only - schools are invited to apply

Small Grants Scheme (administered by Merchant Taylors' Foundation)

  • Amount: £500-£5,000 (one-off); up to £9,000 total (multi-year, maximum 3 years)
  • Eligibility: UK registered charities in Hackney, Lewisham, Southwark, or Tower Hamlets
  • Application Window: October 1 - December 31 annually
  • Application Method: Online application form
  • Restrictions: Grants limited to maximum 5% of charity's annual income

Partnership Grants

  • Recent Example: Early Years Programme (with Leathersellers' Foundation)
  • Amount: £220,000 over two years (2024-2026)
  • Recipients: Five charities at £20,000 each for Year 1
  • Focus: Supporting children from low-income households in Lewisham
  • Partners: Homestart Southwark and Lewisham, MammaKind, National Literacy Trust, Early Years Alliance, The Parent Village

Major Strategic Grants

  • Recent Example: Depaul UK homelessness prevention
  • Amount: £100,000
  • Purpose: Schools programme reaching 4,000 young people plus family mediation worker

Priority Areas

Education-Focused Priorities:

  • Financial assistance for pupils in need attending MTET schools
  • Scholarships and prizes for academic or artistic excellence
  • Support for former pupils pursuing university education
  • Maintenance and improvement of school facilities and resources
  • Whole-person education initiatives beyond pure academics

Community Grants Priorities:

  • Relief of those in need due to age, ill health, disability, financial hardship, or other disadvantage
  • Organizations supporting older people (retirement age and above) - actively encouraged
  • Educational aspects of disadvantage relief across all age groups
  • Unrestricted funding for training, governance, running costs, technology
  • Project funding for specific initiatives

Strategic Focus:

  • Transforming lives through education for disadvantaged young people
  • Early years development for children in low-income households
  • Youth homelessness prevention
  • Building organizational resilience and efficiency in partner charities

What They Don't Fund

Small Grants Scheme Exclusions:

  • Running costs for older people's accommodation
  • Organizations with guaranteed liabilities for other entities
  • Capital projects (building construction or major renovations)
  • Activities promoting religious or political causes
  • National, regional, or international charities (local focus required)
  • Organizations with most beneficiaries outside the four target boroughs

General Exclusions:

  • Unsolicited applications for education grants (invitation-only system)
  • Charities filing late accounts without explanation
  • Organizations exceeding the 5% grant-to-income threshold
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Governance and Leadership

Trustees (Merchant Taylors' Educational Trust)

  • David Jackson - Trustee (appointed August 2024)
  • Lady Annie Harding - Trustee (appointed August 2024)
  • Martin Robb - Trustee (appointed July 2023)
  • Peter Howard Watkins - Trustee (appointed July 2015)
  • Christopher Peter Hare - Trustee

Leadership Structure

The Educational Trust remains accountable to the Court of the Merchant Taylors' Company for governance of Merchant Taylors' School. The Governing Body comprises Company representatives, education professionals, business leaders, local community figures, and the Chairman of the Old Merchant Taylors' Society. The Head Master, Head of Prep School, Bursar, Senior Leadership Team members, and a Senior Common Room representative attend meetings.

Richard Nourse serves as Chair of Trustees for the Merchant Taylors' Foundation, overseeing grant-making activities. One governor chairs the London Fees Assistance Consortium, promoting awareness of transformative bursaries for disadvantaged children.

Volunteer Engagement

The Company operates a Charity Visits Scheme where volunteers conduct interviews with grant applicants in Lewisham and Southwark, enabling direct engagement between Company members and charitable organizations.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

For Education Grants (Bursaries, Scholarships, School Grants):

IMPORTANT: The trust does not accept unsolicited applications for education grants. As stated on their website: “We do not currently accept funding enquiries or unsolicited applications for our education grants. We make only proactive grants to our associated schools and institutions.”

Education grants are awarded:

  • Through affiliated schools' own bursary application processes
  • By invitation to the 25 affiliated educational institutions
  • Through proactive identification by trustees

Families seeking bursaries should contact their chosen affiliated school directly about their specific bursary application process.

For Small Grants Scheme (Community Charities):

  • Restricted grants: Detailed annual budgets with full cost recovery model
  • Unrestricted funding: No budget submission needed

Application Window: October 1 - December 31 annually (next round opens October 1, 2025)

Assessment Process

For Grants Under £3,000:

  • Review by charities team and volunteer assessors
  • No site visit required
  • Decision made by trustees

For Grants Over £3,000 or Multi-Year Funding:

  • Charity due diligence visit required (1-2 hours, in-person where possible)
  • Chief Executive and Project Manager should attend
  • Assessment by Charity Visits Scheme volunteers who interview key staff
  • Review of collaboration with other charities in the area
  • Charity Commission accounts scrutiny (late filing requires explanation)

Review Criteria:

  • Alignment with charitable purposes (relief of disadvantage)
  • Primary service area within target boroughs
  • Financial health and governance
  • 5% grant-to-income ratio check
  • Collaboration and efficiency considerations
  • For organizations under £100,000 income (highest preference) or £100,000-£500,000 (second preference)

Decision Timeline

Small Grants Scheme:

  • Applications under £3,000: Decision by March 2026
  • Applications £3,000+ and multi-year funding: Decision by May 2026
  • Notification follows trustee meetings

Education Grants:

  • Schools invited to apply in summer term
  • Decisions made for implementation in following academic year
  • Bursary applications through individual schools follow school-specific timelines

Success Rates

Small Grants Scheme: 48% success rate reported for the most recent round (24 organizations funded from approximately 50 applicants).

Education Grants: Success rates not published as these are invitation-only programmes. However, all 25 affiliated schools have access to education grant funding streams.

Reapplication Policy

Small Grants Scheme:

  • Annual application cycle allows reapplication each year
  • Multi-year funding available (up to 3 years, £9,000 maximum total)
  • Previous unsuccessful applicants may reapply in subsequent rounds
  • No explicit waiting period mentioned

Education Grants:

  • Affiliated schools invited annually to apply
  • Individuals denied bursaries may reapply as circumstances change
  • Support ongoing throughout student's tenure at school “for as long as they remain at the school and in need”

Application Success Factors

Specific Guidance from the Funder

From the Foundation's Application Guidance:

  1. Account Filing History Matters: “They look carefully at accounts on the Charity Commission website, and if you have filed accounts late in the last five years, you should explain why.” Late filing without explanation may result in rejection.
  1. Demonstrate Awareness of Others: “They conduct internet searches for charities doing similar work in similar areas, and it helps applications to explain existing collaborations or consider joint applications.” Show you know the sector landscape.
  1. Size Preferences: “Their top preference is to fund charities with annual income under £100,000, with second preference for those in the £100,000-£500,000 range.” Larger organizations may face more competition.
  1. Think Beyond Traditional Grants: "Grants are often £5,000-£20,000 per year, but they're open to larger requests where proposals help charities become more resilient, efficient, or better at achieving charitable purposes." Don't be afraid to request strategic funding.
  1. Unrestricted Funding Available: The Foundation explicitly offers unrestricted funding for training, governance, running costs, or technology - not just project costs.

What Makes Applications Stand Out

For Small Grants:

  • Clear alignment with “relief of those in need” due to specific disadvantages
  • Strong governance evidenced by on-time Charity Commission filing
  • Collaboration with other local charities or willingness to join up
  • Focus on organizational resilience and efficiency improvements
  • Service primarily within the four target boroughs
  • Support for older people (actively encouraged priority area)
  • Realistic budget with full cost recovery (for restricted grants)

For Education Support:

  • Demonstration of genuine financial need (means-tested bursaries)
  • Exceptional talent requiring development (scholarships)
  • Commitment to whole-person education beyond academics
  • Alignment with school's values and educational philosophy
  • Long-term commitment to educational journey

Common Rejection Reasons

Based on exclusions and guidance:

  • Service area outside the four target boroughs (for small grants)
  • Late account filing without explanation
  • Grant would exceed 5% of organization's income
  • Capital projects or accommodation running costs
  • Religious or political promotion activities
  • Lack of awareness of similar organizations in the area
  • Being a national/regional/international charity (for small grants)
  • Unsolicited applications for education grants

Strategic Approach for Grant Writers

Understanding the Dual Structure: Recognize that the Educational Trust (310018) and the Foundation (1161568) are related but distinct entities. Target your approach accordingly - small grants for community charities go through the Foundation; educational support flows through the Trust's affiliated school system.

For Community Organizations: Emphasize local roots in the four boroughs, organizational health and governance, and either focus on older people or educational aspects of disadvantage relief. Show you're collaborative, efficient, and well-governed.

For Families Seeking Educational Support: Work through the affiliated school's own bursary process. Understand that the trust enables schools to offer transformational bursaries, but applications go through the school, not directly to the trust.

Leverage the Visit: For grants over £3,000, the due diligence visit is an opportunity. Have your CEO and Project Manager prepared to articulate impact, demonstrate collaboration, and discuss organizational resilience.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  1. Know Which Entity You're Approaching: The Educational Trust (310018) primarily supports its affiliated schools. For community grants in London boroughs, you're actually applying to the Merchant Taylors' Foundation. Make sure you're targeting the right entity.
  1. Education Grants Are Invitation-Only: Do not submit unsolicited applications for education grants. If you're seeking educational support, either work through an affiliated school's bursary process or wait to be invited if you're an educational institution.
  1. 48% Success Rate is Encouraging: For the Small Grants Scheme, nearly half of applicants receive funding. With careful attention to eligibility and application quality, your chances are reasonable.
  1. File Your Accounts On Time: This cannot be overstated. The Foundation actively checks Charity Commission records and requires explanation for any late filing in the past five years.
  1. Smaller Organizations Preferred: If your charity's income is under £100,000, you're in the preferred category. Income between £100,000-£500,000 is still strong. Larger organizations face more competition.
  1. Unrestricted Funding is Available: Don't default to project funding. If your organization needs core support, governance development, or infrastructure investment, the Foundation explicitly welcomes these requests.
  1. Collaboration Signals Strength: Demonstrating awareness of and collaboration with similar organizations in your area strengthens applications. Consider joint applications where appropriate.
  1. Older People Are a Priority: If your organization supports people of retirement age and above, make this prominent in your application - it's an identified funding gap for the Foundation.
  1. The Visit Is an Opportunity: For grants over £3,000, prepare thoroughly for the due diligence visit. It's a chance to build a relationship and demonstrate your impact in person.
  1. Think Long-Term: Multi-year funding is available (up to £9,000 over three years). If appropriate, request ongoing support rather than treating this as a one-off grant.

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