P F Charitable Trust

Charity Number: 220124

Annual Expenditure: £2.3M
Throughout England And Wales, Scotland

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £2 million+ (2023-24)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
  • Decision Time: Monthly trustee meetings (applications reviewed monthly)
  • Grant Range: Up to £20,000 (majority); exceptional grants to £100,000
  • Geographic Focus: UK-wide (separate Scotland programme via Foundation Scotland)

Contact Details

Main Trust:

  • Address: The P F Charitable Trust, RFT Management Services Limited, 14 Buckingham Street, London WC2N 6DF
  • Email: charities@rftrustee.com
  • Phone: 020 3696 6721

Scotland Applications:

  • Apply via Foundation Scotland online portal
  • Grants up to £5,000 available in Scotland (approximately £44,000 distributed annually)

Note: The Trust does not have a website.

Overview

Founded in 1951 and registered as a charity in 1965, the P F Charitable Trust is a family-based grant-making charity celebrating its 75th anniversary in 2026. The Trust awarded over £2 million in grants during the 2023-24 financial year to UK registered charities. Administered by RFT Management Services Limited and overseen by the Fleming family trustees, the Trust follows a deliberate policy of making a large number of smaller grants to widen the number of charities supported. The vast majority of grants are £20,000 or less, though exceptional larger grants are occasionally made. The Trust has worked with Foundation Scotland since 1997 to distribute funds in Scotland, having distributed over £1 million through this partnership.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

England, Wales & Northern Ireland:

  • No fixed programme structure
  • Applications accepted on a rolling basis in writing
  • Majority of grants: up to £20,000
  • Exceptional grants occasionally awarded (e.g., £100,000 to Prior's Court Foundation in 2023-24)
  • Trustees meet monthly to review applications

Scotland Programme (via Foundation Scotland):

  • Grants up to £5,000
  • Approximately £44,000 available annually
  • Rolling applications through online portal
  • Only for registered charities with income under £250,000
  • Project costs must not exceed £20,000 total
  • Grant request must be at least 25% of total costs

Priority Areas

The Trust supports a wide variety of UK charitable causes, with principal focus areas including:

  • Health: Advancement of health and the saving of lives
  • Education: Educational advancement and learning opportunities
  • Relief of Need: Support for those facing disadvantage due to youth, age, ill-health, disability, financial hardship or other circumstances
  • Arts, Culture & Heritage: Cultural and heritage preservation and advancement
  • Science: Scientific advancement and research

The Trust takes a broad approach and considers applications across the full spectrum of UK charitable causes within these areas.

What They Don't Fund

Scotland Programme Specific Exclusions (via Foundation Scotland):

  • Organisations with income over £250,000
  • Projects costing more than £20,000 in total
  • Non-registered charities or non-constituted groups
  • Activities involving hate speech or inciting violence
  • Costs directly related to alcohol sales (including bar refurbishments)
  • Campaigning activities contrary to Foundation Scotland's interests
  • Grant requests below 25% of total project costs
  • Reapplications within 12 months of submitting an end-of-year report

General Exclusions:

While specific exclusions for the main Trust programme are not published, standard charitable trust restrictions likely apply (individuals, non-charitable organisations, etc.).

Governance and Leadership

Trustees

The Trust is governed by the Fleming family trustees:

  • Matthew Fleming
  • Philip Fleming
  • Rory Fleming

No trustees receive any remuneration, payments or benefits from the charity. The Trust operates as a family-based charitable trust with a long-standing commitment to UK philanthropy spanning over seven decades.

Administration

The Trust is administered by RFT Management Services Limited, providing professional grant-making management services.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

England, Wales & Northern Ireland:

  • Applications accepted on a rolling basis
  • Submit applications in writing to: The P F Charitable Trust, c/o Matthew, Philip and Rory Fleming Trustees, RFT Management Services Limited, 14 Buckingham Street, London WC2N 6DF
  • Email: charities@rftrustee.com
  • No online application portal
  • No specific application deadlines

Scotland:

  • Apply online via Foundation Scotland portal
  • Rolling programme (closes when annual allocation is exhausted)
  • Applications accepted at any time until funding depleted

Decision Timeline

  • Trustees meet monthly to consider applications and approve grants
  • Decision timeline varies but monthly meetings provide relatively quick turnaround compared to trusts that meet quarterly or less frequently
  • Specific notification timelines not publicly disclosed

Success Rates

Success rates are not publicly disclosed by the Trust. However, the Trust follows a policy of making a large number of smaller grants to widen the number of charities supported, suggesting a relatively broad distribution of funding across many applicants.

Reapplication Policy

Scotland Programme:

  • Groups must wait 12 months after submitting an end-of-year report before reapplying

Main Trust:

  • Reapplication policy not explicitly stated in public materials

Application Success Factors

Trust's Approach

The Trustees' stated policy is to make a large number of smaller grants to widen the number of charities supported, indicating they value:

  • Broad impact: Supporting many organisations rather than concentrating funds on a few
  • Accessibility: Making grants available to smaller charities across the UK
  • Efficiency: Quick monthly decision-making process

Recent Funding Examples

Notable Grant:

  • Prior's Court Foundation (2023-24): £100,000 - A registered charity near Newbury, West Berkshire, providing education and residential care for autistic young people with complex needs aged 5-25. This represents the largest grant awarded in the year and demonstrates the Trust's willingness to make exceptional larger grants for substantial impact.

The Trust's annual accounts include detailed analysis of grants awarded, with major grants listed for transparency.

Strategic Considerations

  • Grant size: Most successful applications are for £20,000 or less
  • UK-wide eligibility: Being a registered UK charity is essential
  • Broad charitable purposes: The Trust supports a wide variety of causes, so diverse applications are welcome
  • No website presence: Traditional, relationship-based approach to grant-making
  • Monthly meetings: Regular review cycle provides consistent opportunity for consideration
  • Family trust heritage: 75-year history of supporting UK charities suggests commitment to long-term sustainable impact

Scotland-Specific Success Factors

  • Register with OSCR (Scottish charity regulator)
  • Keep organisational income under £250,000
  • Ensure project costs don't exceed £20,000
  • Request at least 25% of total project costs
  • Submit end-of-year reports promptly to enable future applications

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Target the right amount: Most grants are £20,000 or less - tailor your request accordingly rather than seeking larger sums unless your project has exceptional impact potential
  • Apply at any time: Rolling applications mean you don't need to wait for specific deadlines - apply when your project is ready
  • Keep it concise: Written applications to a Trust without a website suggests preference for clear, straightforward proposals over lengthy submissions
  • Demonstrate charitable impact: Align clearly with one or more of their priority areas (health, education, relief of need, arts/culture/heritage, science)
  • Consider the monthly cycle: With trustees meeting monthly, you can expect relatively timely consideration compared to many trusts
  • Scotland applicants: Use the Foundation Scotland portal for streamlined applications and stay within the £250,000 income threshold
  • Build on their values: The Trust's policy of making many smaller grants shows they value breadth of impact - demonstrate how your project efficiently delivers results
  • Be a registered charity: This is essential - applications from non-registered organisations will not be considered

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References