Newby Trust Limited

Charity Number: 227151

Annual Expenditure: £0.5M

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £495,750 (year ending April 2023)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed (invitation-only system)
  • Decision Time: 2-3 months (applications considered at March and November meetings)
  • Grant Range: £2,000 - £10,000
  • Geographic Focus: UK national (Environment category may fund international projects through UK-registered charities)

Contact Details

  • Website: www.newby-trust.org.uk
  • Email: info@newby-trust.org.uk
  • Phone: Not provided
  • Address: PO Box 143, Kingsbridge, Devon TQ7 9BY
  • Registered Office: 20 Goldney Road, Bristol BS8 4RB
  • Company Secretary: Annabel Grout

Note: The Trust operates with limited staff capacity and only responds to introductory emails if they wish to progress an enquiry.

Overview

The Newby Trust Limited was incorporated on 1st January 1938 as a small family-based trust (Charity No. 227151, Company No. 335344). The Trust's members are descendants and spouses of descendants of H.N. Smith, the industrialist who developed Smith & Nephew plc, spanning three generations with 32 current members. With annual giving of approximately £495,750 (2023), the Trust's principal purpose is to “enable people in the UK to improve their quality of life and fulfil their potential.” The Trust focuses its grant-making on four broad categories: Education, Environment (added in 2024), Health, and Social Welfare. As a family trust, it maintains a distinctive approach through its invitation-only application system, though charities can introduce their work via email for consideration. The Trust is managed by Annabel Grout, who has served as Company Secretary and grants manager since 2010.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Trust operates a single grant program across four thematic areas, with applications considered at bi-annual trustee meetings:

  • Grant Amount: £2,000 - £10,000 (depending on charity size)
  • Grant Duration: Typically one year; multi-year grants of up to three years are considered
  • Long-term Support: Organizations may receive funding for up to five consecutive years before requiring a mandatory three-year gap
  • Application Method: Invitation-only system; rolling acceptance with decisions at fixed meetings in March and November
  • Recommended Submission: At least two months before meeting dates

Priority Areas

Education

  • Enabling young people to access artistic and sporting activities
  • Nurturing ability and talent
  • Activities must be undertaken within the UK
  • Recent grants: Yes! Futures, DebateMate, Villiers Park, Doorstep Library Network, Cockpit Arts, Bishopsland Educational Trust

Environment

  • Protecting the natural environment
  • May fund larger charities in this category
  • Projects may be outside the UK, but applicant must be UK-registered
  • Recent grants: Client Earth, The Beaver Trust, Project Seagrass, Global Witness, Blue Marine Foundation, Heal Rewilding, Cool Earth

Health

  • Improving quality of life and health for disadvantaged groups
  • Activities must be undertaken within the UK
  • Recent grants: Ride High, Stormbreak, Tor Support, Dandelion Time, Family Counselling Trust, Abingdon Bridge, The Bridge Foundation (Bristol), Blue Smile (Cambridge), The Rosemary Foundation (Hampshire)

Social Welfare

  • Addressing poverty, distress, and sickness
  • Supporting disadvantaged communities
  • Activities must be undertaken within the UK
  • Recent grants: Northmoor Community Association, Culpeper Community Garden, Ferries Family Groups, Back on Track Manchester, Family Haven

Charity Size Preference

  • Education, Health & Social Welfare: Preference for smaller to medium-sized charities with annual income under £1,000,000
  • Environment: Will fund larger charities in this category

What They Don't Fund

  • Statutory bodies or government-funded organizations
  • Large national charities with widespread support
  • Unregistered organizations (must have Charity Commission registration)
  • Events, exhibitions, or conferences
  • Individuals volunteering overseas
  • Activities primarily advancing specific faith traditions
  • International work outside the UK (except Environment category)
  • Large capital appeals (may fund specific smaller components)
  • Endowment fundraising
  • Direct grants to individuals (delegated to R L Glasspool Charity Trust since July 2019)
  • Salaries for campaigning or policy departments (general salary costs are eligible)
  • Community Interest Companies and Social Enterprises
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Governance and Leadership

Board of Trustees

The Trust is governed by 10 trustees who also serve as company directors, all selected from the 32-member family:

  • Lisa Bartholomew
  • Danny Callaghan
  • Kate Callaghan
  • David Charlton
  • Anna Foxell
  • Antonia Gooder
  • Ben Gooder
  • Stephen Gooder
  • Evelyn Montgomery
  • Annabelle Montgomery

Staff

Company Secretary: Annabel Grout (since 2010)

  • Part-time role managing grants and company administration

Family Foundation Structure

The Trust operates as a multigenerational family foundation with all trustees and members being descendants or spouses of descendants of H.N. Smith, founder of Smith & Nephew plc. This structure ensures continuity of the family's philanthropic legacy while maintaining governance through rotating five-year trustee terms.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

Important: The Trust operates an invitation-only system. “Usually only charities that are invited to apply will be considered for a grant.”

Step 1 - Introductory Email:

  • Send an introductory email to info@newby-trust.org.uk describing your charity's work
  • The Trust will only respond if they wish to progress the enquiry to the next stage
  • Due to high enquiry volume and limited staff capacity, expect no response if the Trust is not interested

Step 2 - Formal Proposal (if invited):

  • No standard application form exists
  • Submit a formal written proposal as requested by the Trust
  • Electronic submissions via email are preferred

Application Requirements:

  • Must be a UK-registered charity
  • Applications accepted year-round

Decision Timeline

  • Trustee Meetings: Two per year, typically in March and November
  • Recommended Submission: At least two months before each meeting
  • Acknowledgment: Usually within two weeks of receipt
  • Total Timeline: Approximately 2-3 months from submission to decision (for invited applications)

Payment Method

Grants are paid by bank transfer to successful applicants.

Reporting Requirements

  • Grant recipients must report on grant use approximately one year after award
  • The Trust accepts reports prepared for other funders rather than requiring bespoke documentation
  • Simple, flexible reporting approach

Success Rates

Not publicly disclosed. The invitation-only system means traditional success rate metrics are not applicable. The Trust reviews introductory emails and only invites organizations to submit full applications if their work aligns with current priorities.

Reapplication Policy

  • Current Grant Recipients: May reapply and are encouraged to do so
  • Unsuccessful Applicants: Invitation-only system applies; organizations can reintroduce their work via email
  • Long-term Funding: Organizations receiving consecutive annual grants must observe a three-year gap after five consecutive years of funding
  • Multi-year Grants: The Trust considers grants of up to three years, reducing the need for annual reapplication

Application Success Factors

Understanding the Invitation-Only System

The most critical factor for success is understanding that the Trust proactively seeks organizations rather than operating an open application process. Your initial introductory email must immediately demonstrate alignment with their priorities.

What the Trust Values

Scale and Efficiency:

  • The Trust explicitly favors smaller to medium-sized charities (under £1m income for Education, Health, Social Welfare)
  • This suggests they value organizations where £2,000-£10,000 makes a meaningful impact
  • They prefer direct service delivery over large-scale policy work

Core Funding Approach:

  • The Trust will fund salaries and core costs, particularly for small charities
  • They support ongoing projects, not just new initiatives
  • Multi-year grants signal a preference for sustained relationships over one-off support

Flexibility and Trust:

  • Simple reporting requirements (accepts reports prepared for other funders)
  • No prescriptive application form
  • Willingness to fund up to five consecutive years demonstrates commitment to long-term partnerships

Strategic Alignment Tips

For Education Projects:

  • Emphasize enabling access to artistic and sporting activities for young people
  • Focus on nurturing talent and ability
  • Recent grants suggest interest in youth development, literacy, arts training, and debate/communication skills

For Environment Projects:

  • This is the newest category (added 2024), suggesting growing interest
  • The Trust will fund larger charities in this area and international projects
  • Recent grants indicate interest in rewilding, marine conservation, climate action, and habitat restoration

For Health Projects:

  • Focus on improving quality of life for disadvantaged groups
  • Recent grants suggest interest in equine therapy, counseling, mental health support for children, and therapeutic interventions

For Social Welfare Projects:

  • Demonstrate work addressing poverty, distress, or sickness
  • Community-based projects appear well-represented in recent grants
  • Family support services feature prominently

Language and Approach

Based on their communications:

  • Be concise and clear in your introductory email
  • Focus on impact and beneficiaries rather than organizational achievements
  • Demonstrate efficiency given their preference for smaller charities
  • Respect their limited capacity—avoid follow-ups if you don't receive a response

What Makes You Stand Out

  1. Right Size: Annual income under £1m for Education/Health/Social Welfare categories
  2. Clear Need: Articulate how £2,000-£10,000 will make a specific difference
  3. UK Focus: All work (except Environment) must occur in the UK
  4. Direct Delivery: Preference for service delivery over campaigning
  5. Relationship Potential: Interest in multi-year partnerships with organizations doing consistent work

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  1. Master the Introduction: Your initial email to info@newby-trust.org.uk is your only guaranteed touchpoint. Make it count by clearly articulating your mission, beneficiaries, and impact in a concise format.
  1. Size Matters: If your annual income exceeds £1m and you work in Education, Health, or Social Welfare, focus on the Environment category or consider whether this is the right funder for you.
  1. Patience with Process: The invitation-only system means you may not receive a response to your introductory email. This is standard practice, not a reflection on your organization's value.
  1. Plan Ahead for Meetings: With only two decision meetings per year (March and November), submit completed applications at least two months in advance. Build this timeline into your funding pipeline.
  1. Think Long-term: The Trust's willingness to fund for up to three years and support organizations for five consecutive years signals their interest in sustained partnerships. Emphasize your organization's stability and long-term vision.
  1. Respect Their Capacity: With one part-time Company Secretary managing grants, keep communications efficient and respect that lack of response means “not at this time.”
  1. Recent Category Addition: The Environment category was added in 2024, suggesting this may be an area of growing interest and potentially less competition than established categories.

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