Millennium Point Trust

Charity Number: 1059451

Annual Expenditure: £4.8M
Geographic Focus: Birmingham City

Stay updated on changes from Millennium Point Trust and other funders

Get daily notifications about new funding opportunities, deadline changes, and programme updates from UK funders.

Free Email Updates

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £4.8 million (overall STEM investment); £400,000+ in small grants annually
  • Success Rate: Data not publicly available
  • Decision Time: 9 months (applications close December, decisions announced July)
  • Grant Range: £1,000 - £20,000
  • Geographic Focus: West Midlands Combined Authority (Birmingham, Coventry, Dudley, Sandwell, Solihull, Walsall, Wolverhampton)

Contact Details

Website: www.millenniumpoint.org.uk

Email: grants@millenniumpoint.org.uk

Phone: 0121 202 2200

Address: Millennium Point, Curzon Street, Birmingham, B4 7XG

Overview

Established in 1996, the Millennium Point Trust (Charity No. 1059451) is a Birmingham-based charitable trust dedicated to advancing education in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The Trust operates a unique self-sustaining model where profits from commercial activities at their landmark 46,450 sq-m conference and events venue are reinvested into STEM education across the West Midlands. Since inception, the Trust has awarded over £40 million in funding, reaching a landmark £30 million in STEM support by 2021. They invest more than £4.8 million annually towards furthering STEM education, making them one of the region's most significant supporters of STEM initiatives. Over the past five years alone, their small grants programme has distributed over £2 million to more than 160 organizations.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

STEM Small Grants Programme: £1,000 - £20,000

  • Annual grant cycle with fixed application window
  • Applications typically open in October and close in early December
  • Projects must be completed within 12 months of payment (September distribution)
  • Email submission of application form to grants@millenniumpoint.org.uk
  • The Trust encourages applications for smaller grants (£1,000-£5,000) to maximize reach

STEM Undergraduate Scholarship

  • Fully funded undergraduate degree in STEM-related subject (separate programme)

Priority Areas

In Schools:

  • Innovative STEM projects or activities for classroom implementation engaging pupils from nursery to school leavers
  • Projects that inspire interest in STEM subjects and enhance STEM across the curriculum
  • Initiatives engaging underprivileged or marginalized groups in STEM learning for greater accessibility and inclusion

Career Development:

  • Programmes targeting young people to pursue STEM careers from an early age
  • STEM-centric events engaging young people
  • Educational initiatives for parents and/or teachers about STEM opportunities and career choices
  • School programmes showcasing STEM career opportunities

Community Impact:

  • Projects promoting STEM learning in local communities across the West Midlands

What They Don't Fund

  • Individual applicants (must be an organization)
  • Multi-year projects (projects must be completed within 12 months)
  • Universities or hospitals
  • For-profit companies
  • Organizations outside the UK
  • Projects with beneficiaries outside the West Midlands Combined Authority area (exceptions considered if project takes place within WMCA member local authorities)
  • Multiple applications (only one application per organization per grant cycle accepted)
Helpful Hinchilla

Ready to write a winning application for Millennium Point Trust?

Our AI helps you craft proposals that match their exact priorities. Save 10+ hours and increase your success rate.

Get Free Beta Access

Governance and Leadership

The Millennium Point Trust operates with a Board of Trustees who provide strategic oversight and governance. No trustees receive remuneration, payments, or benefits from the charity. The Board includes individuals with diverse professional backgrounds:

Helen Bates - Chief Financial Officer at Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce, previously Director of Finance & Resources at Birmingham Hippodrome Theatre Trust for 14 years

Simon - CEO of The Acme Whistle Company, a local manufacturing firm, with experience spanning public, private, and voluntary sectors at regional and national levels

The Trust has been actively recruiting leadership, including a Chair of the Board of Trustees for a three-year term to provide strategic leadership and deliver governance responsibilities.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

  1. Register your details on the Millennium Point website to download the application form
  2. Complete the form thoroughly with detailed project information
  3. Save the application with your organization's name
  4. Email the completed form to: grants@millenniumpoint.org.uk before the deadline

Decision Timeline

  • Application Window: Opens mid-October, closes early December
  • Shortlisting & Moderation: January-June
  • Board Decision: Spring (Board of Trustees review)
  • Notification: July (unlikely to hear before this time)
  • Payment: September
  • Project Completion: 12 months from payment date

Success Rates

Specific success rates are not publicly available. However, the Trust has awarded over £2 million to more than 160 organizations over the past five years through their small grants programme, indicating substantial funding distribution.

Reapplication Policy

  • Organizations can be successful in receiving grants for up to 3 consecutive years
  • After 3 consecutive years of funding, organizations must wait at least one calendar year before submitting further applications
  • Only one application per organization per grant cycle is accepted (first application received is considered)
  • Specific policy for unsuccessful applicants reapplying is not publicly stated

Application Success Factors

Specific Advice from the Funder

Planning & Preparation:

  • “A good plan is half the work done” - The Trust emphasizes comprehensive planning
  • Use SMART objectives to clearly outline project aims
  • Provide detailed explanations of specific activities, timeline, and location
  • Clearly demonstrate the connection between your project and the selected funding category

Budget Requirements:

  • Provide a detailed budget plan with accurate pricing and quantities
  • Clearly itemize specific expenses
  • Include speaker names if hosting an event

Project Description:

  • Describe how the project will benefit the target group
  • Specify if the project is year-long or one-time
  • Explain if resources can be reused or if it's a one-off project
  • Demonstrate measurable impact in STEM education and/or STEM career choice

Key Guidance:

  • Read the full application guidance before applying
  • Ensure clarity and precision in the final application
  • Contact the Trust team if you need help
  • Adhere strictly to the project plan as outlined in the application form - no changes can be made to how grant funding is used once awarded

Examples of Successful Projects

Birmingham Botanical Gardens - Sensational Science: Grant enabled delivery of 35+ bespoke workshops for 1,000+ primary school children to investigate plant DNA and undertake scientific experiments in laboratory-style workshops

Great Bridge Primary School - LEGO WeDo Project: Funded innovative robotics project for primary pupils

Aston Villa Foundation - STEM Stars: Grant added new dimension to their STEM provision through innovative STEM Stars project

Other Funded Projects Include:

  • STEM labs and planetariums
  • Building of a full-sized light aircraft
  • Automatic weather stations
  • Sensory gardens
  • STEM robotics clubs
  • Car engineering workshops for girls
  • STEM training toolkits for schools
  • Transformation of outdoor spaces into dedicated Science Areas

Common Success Factors

  • Projects with clear, measurable outcomes in STEM education
  • Initiatives engaging underrepresented groups in STEM
  • Innovative approaches to classroom STEM delivery
  • Projects with lasting impact or reusable resources
  • Strong alignment with career development in STEM fields
  • Clear demonstration of community benefit across West Midlands

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Apply for realistic amounts: The Trust encourages smaller grants (£1,000-£5,000) to help more organizations - don't automatically request the maximum £20,000
  • SMART objectives are essential: Clear, measurable objectives strengthen applications significantly
  • Geographic eligibility is strict: Ensure your project benefits the West Midlands Combined Authority area (Birmingham, Coventry, Dudley, Sandwell, Solihull, Walsall, Wolverhampton)
  • Plan for the long timeline: With decisions in July and payment in September for applications submitted in December, factor in 9+ months from application to funding
  • Budget precision matters: Detailed, itemized budgets with accurate pricing demonstrate thorough planning
  • One chance per year: Submit only one application per grant cycle - make it count
  • Three-year maximum: Plan your funding strategy knowing you can only receive grants for three consecutive years before a mandatory break
  • No flexibility post-award: Stick exactly to your proposed project plan as changes to fund usage are not permitted

🎯 You've done the research. Now write an application they can't refuse.

Hinchilla combines funder's specific priorities with your organisation's past successful grants and AI analysis of what reviewers want to see.

✓

Data privacy and security by default

✓

Your organisation's past successful grants and experience

✓

AI analysis of what reviewers want to see

✓

A compelling draft application in 10 minutes instead of 10 hours

Get Beta Access NowLearn More

References