Provincial Grand Charity Of The Province Of Derbyshire

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £80,000-£100,000+
• Success Rate: Not published
• Decision Time: 6-8 weeks (bi-monthly decision rounds)
• Grant Range: £250 - £5,000 (main program); up to £2,500 (Foundation Derbyshire Fund)
• Geographic Focus: Derbyshire and Derby City
• Registered Charity Number: 701963

Contact Details

Main Office:

Derby Freemasons Hall

457 Burton Road

Littleover

Derby

DE23 6XX

Contact:

• Phone: 01332 272202
• Email: secretary@derbyshiremason.org
• Website: www.derbyshiremason.org/grants-to-charities

For Application Queries:

The charity welcomes questions about applications via email or phone before submission.

Overview

The Provincial Grand Charity of the Province of Derbyshire (established 1989, charity number 701963) is the charitable arm of Derbyshire Freemasons, distributing over £100,000 annually to local charities and community groups. With an annual income of approximately £95,647 and expenditure of £80,501 (2024/25), the charity is governed by three trustees who receive no remuneration.

The charity's mission centers on improving lives across Derbyshire by supporting local hospices, food banks, children with additional needs, Riding for the Disabled, and numerous other community causes. The organization operates two main grant programs: direct grants of £250-£5,000 for operational and project costs, and capital grants up to £2,500 through Foundation Derbyshire. Additionally, they run an annual Community Awards program recognizing outstanding local charities with awards of £1,000 to selected winners and £250 to all nominees.

In 2022, the charity received a community service certificate from the High Sheriff of Derbyshire, recognizing the collective charitable work of Derbyshire's 75 Masonic Lodges. The charity is currently engaged in the Derbyshire 2025 Festival, raising £1.5 million for the Masonic Charitable Foundation to support wider charitable work.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

1. Main Grant Program (Direct Applications)

• Amount: £250 - £5,000 (may vary subject to funding availability)
• Duration: Grants must be used within 12 months of offer letter
• Application Method: Online applications only via derbyshiremason.org
• Application Windows: January, March, May, July, September, November (bi-monthly)
• Type: Project and operational costs (excludes individuals, salaries, overhead costs, unrestricted funding)

2. Freemasons of Derbyshire Fund (via Foundation Derbyshire)

• Amount: Up to £2,500
• Duration: One-off capital grants
• Application Method: Online via Foundation Derbyshire portal (foundationderbyshire.org)
• Decision Schedule: Panel meets twice per year, no fixed closing dates
• Type: Capital costs only (equipment and resources)

3. Community Charity Awards

• Amount: £1,000 for selected winners; £250 for all nominees
• Nomination Process: Nominated by Derbyshire's 75 Masonic Lodges
• Selection: Determined by Provincial Grand Charity
• Format: Annual celebration event (typically October)
• Recognition: Crystal award engraved with charity name and provincial logo

Priority Areas

Main Grant Program:

• Helping disadvantaged children and young people
• Reducing loneliness and isolation in later life
• Supporting healthier communities and wellbeing
• Improving the local environment

Freemasons of Derbyshire Fund (Capital Grants):

• Promoting health and well-being
• Preventing or relieving poverty
• Supporting vulnerable populations (children, elderly, isolated individuals, those with mental health issues or disabilities)
• Enhancing quality of life in local communities

Recent Grants Include:

• £110,000 to Well Child Children's Nurse Derbyshire
• £29,000 to Disability Direct
• £25,000 to Derbyshire Blood Bikes
• £15,000 to Helen's Trust
• £2,000 each to Stepping Stones, The Drop Inn, Fairplay, The PLACE Project, Derbyshire Children's Holiday Centre, Hardy Group, and Helen's Trust (Tercentenary Awards)
• £1,000 for disabled ramp at community village hall
• £950 for furnishing family room at local hospice

What They Don't Fund

Main Grant Program:

• Individuals
• Salaries
• Overhead costs
• Unrestricted funding
• Organizations currently receiving another grant from them

Eligibility Restrictions:

• Preference for charities with annual income under £25,000
• Must have independently examined or audited accounts
• Must have own bank account with two signatories
• Must have current Safeguarding Policy (if applicable)

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Governance and Leadership

Trustees:

• Mr Graham Malcolm Sisson (Chairman, Provincial Grand Charity)
• Mr Arthur Steven Varley (Provincial Grand Master)
• John Acton

Key Officers:

• Provincial Grand Master: RW Bro Ian Copestake
• Deputy Provincial Grand Master: W Bro Martyn Bailey PSGD
• Provincial Grand Secretary: W Bro Peter Chapman
• Provincial Grand Treasurer: W Bro Malcolm Smith
• Provincial Grand Charity Steward: W Bro Chris Taylor
• Provincial Grand Almoner: W Bro Mark Lee
• Office Manager: Julie Foster

Governance:

The charity maintains comprehensive governance policies including gift aid recognition, campaigns and political activity policy, complaints policy, safeguarding policy, social media policy, trustee conflicts of interest policy, trustee expenses policy, financial reserves policy, internal charity financial controls policy, and investing charity funds policy.

Leadership Perspective:

Provincial Grand Master Ian Copestake, upon receiving recognition from the High Sheriff of Derbyshire, stated: “It is a terrific surprise and a true honour to be recognised in this way by the High Sheriff – she has been an incredible friend to Derbyshire Freemasonry. We are usually the ones giving out the awards, not receiving them, and I am so proud that the hard work and dedication of our Lodges and members have been celebrated in this way.”

He has also emphasized the charity's reach: “There are 250,000 Freemasons in England and Wales and last year we gave £8 million to charity. Nationally every hospice and air ambulance gets funding from the Freemasons. There are 74 lodges in the province of Derbyshire and each of those also carries out charity work to help local groups.”

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

Main Grant Program:

1. Visit www.derbyshiremason.org/grants-to-charities
2. Complete online application form only (no additional documents can be attached except Safeguarding Policy)
3. Submit during application windows: January, March, May, July, September, or November
4. No connection to a Freemason is required to apply

Freemasons of Derbyshire Fund (Capital Grants):

1. Visit Foundation Derbyshire website: foundationderbyshire.org/funds/the-freemasons-of-derbyshire-fund
2. Complete online application (or request hard copy by contacting Foundation Derbyshire)
3. Rolling deadlines throughout the year

Required Documentation:

• Independently examined or audited accounts
• Current Safeguarding Policy (if working with vulnerable groups)
• Evidence of organizational structure (bank account with two signatories)
• No other documents can be attached to main program applications

Decision Timeline

Main Grant Program:

• Applications accepted in January, March, May, July, September, and November
• Decisions made following each application window
• Estimated timeline: 6-8 weeks from application submission to decision (based on bi-monthly cycle)
• Feedback provided at whichever stage application is rejected

Foundation Derbyshire Fund:

• Panel meets twice per year
• No fixed closing dates
• Timeline varies depending on panel meeting schedule

Grant Usage Period:

• Grants must be used within 12 months of offer letter date

Success Rates

Success rates are not publicly published. The charity states that “the main reason for not funding projects is that they receive many more applications than they can support, which unfortunately causes them to turn down many of the charities that apply to them.”

Assessment focuses on rigorous evaluation across multiple criteria, suggesting selective but thorough consideration of applications.

Reapplication Policy

For Previously Funded Organizations:

The grant ends 12 months from the date of the last payment/installment or project completion. Organizations must wait until this period ends before reapplying. Example: A one-year grant awarded in 2021 ends in 2022; the charity would be eligible to reapply in 2024 (two years after grant completion).

For Unsuccessful Applicants:

While not explicitly stated on the website, similar Masonic charitable foundations typically require a one-year waiting period from the date of previous application submission before reapplying. Contact secretary@derbyshiremason.org for specific guidance.

Organizations Currently Receiving Grants:

Cannot apply for additional funding while a grant is active.

Application Success Factors

Assessment Criteria (Explicitly Stated by Funder)

The Provincial Grand Charity assesses applicants on the following criteria:

1. The need being addressed - Is there clear evidence of community need?
2. Effectiveness of activities - Do the proposed activities effectively tackle this need?
3. Financial situation - Is the organization financially stable and well-managed?
4. Capacity and sustainability - Does the organization have the capacity to deliver the project, and is it sustainable?
5. Reach and potential impact - What is the scale and depth of impact?
6. Results monitoring - How will outcomes be measured and reported?

Key Insights from Research

Impact Assessment Philosophy:

The charity considers both breadth and depth of impact: "When considering the impact of the project, we take into account both the numbers of people that are reached and the depth of the project's intervention to those involved. This means we don't necessarily prefer projects working with large numbers of people." This suggests that highly focused interventions with significant individual impact are valued equally to broader-reach programs.

Geographic Distribution:

“Because they are funded by Derbyshire Freemasons they aim to reflect that in the grants they make and try to have a good geographic spread within the county.” Applications from underrepresented areas of Derbyshire may have strategic advantage.

Financial Threshold:

The charity shows preference for smaller organizations with annual income under £25,000, suggesting they aim to support grassroots community groups where funding has maximum impact.

Examples of Funded Work:

• Stepping Stones: Transport services providing hot meals, drinks, entertainment, and professional care for elderly
• Staunton Harold Sailability Trust: Sailing opportunities for children with physical or mental disabilities
• Helen's Trust: End-of-life charity providing non-nursing care for terminally ill people wishing to die at home
• Disability Direct, Derbyshire Blood Bikes, food banks, hospices, Riding for the Disabled

Strategic Application Advice

From the Funder:

• “Carefully read all guidelines before applying”
• “Ensure all financial documentation is in order”
• “We are always happy to help with any questions you may have” - pre-application contact encouraged

From Foundation Derbyshire (partner organization):

• Answer questions “accurately and simply, without jargon”
• Provide “an easy to read overview which explains your group, project and case for funding”
• Demonstrate clear organizational structure and governance even for unregistered groups

Application Format Restrictions:

Applications must be completed online with only the Safeguarding Policy attached - no additional supporting documents can be included. This requires applicants to communicate their case clearly and concisely within the application form itself.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

1. No Masonic connection required: Despite being funded by Freemasons, the charity explicitly states that applicants do not need any connection to a Freemason to apply for funding.

1. Small charity focus: With preference for organizations under £25,000 annual income, this funder is ideal for grassroots groups where £250-£5,000 can make significant impact.

1. Geographic balance matters: The charity actively seeks good geographic spread across Derbyshire. Organizations in underserved areas may have strategic advantage.

1. Depth over breadth: The funder values deep, transformative interventions for smaller groups as much as broader-reach programs. Don't worry if your numbers reached are modest - focus on demonstrating significant individual impact.

1. Multiple funding routes available: Consider both the main grant program (£250-£5,000 for operations/projects) and the Foundation Derbyshire capital fund (up to £2,500 for equipment) - projects may be eligible for both if structured appropriately.

1. Bi-monthly opportunities: With six application windows per year, unsuccessful applicants or new projects have frequent opportunities to apply or reapply.

1. Pre-application contact welcomed: The charity explicitly encourages questions before submission - use this to test fit and refine your approach before formal application.

Similar Funders

These funders have a similar focus and geographic reach:

• Derbyshire Community Foundation
• Durham Freemasons Charity
• Provincial Grand Lodge of Nottinghamshire Charity Committee
• The Green Hall Foundation
• THE ALAN EDWARD HIGGS CHARITY
• The Marjory Boddy Charitable Trust
• THE EAST LANCASHIRE MASONIC CHARITY
• Focus Foundation
• Masonic Charitable Foundation
• Duke of Devonshire's Charitable Trust

References

• https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-search/-/charity-details/701963
• Accessed: February 2, 2026

• https://www.derbyshiremason.org/grants-to-charities/
• Accessed: February 2, 2026

• https://www.derbyshiremason.org/charity/
• Accessed: February 2, 2026

• https://www.derbyshiremason.org/whos-who/
• Accessed: February 2, 2026

• https://www.derbyshiremason.org/community-charity-awards/
• Accessed: February 2, 2026

• https://foundationderbyshire.org/funds/the-freemasons-of-derbyshire-fund/
• Accessed: February 2, 2026

• https://www.ugle.org.uk/discover-freemasonry/blog/derbyshire-freemasons-receive-community-service-high-sheriff
• Accessed: February 2, 2026

• https://www.derbyshiremason.org/annual-derbyshire-freemasons-community-awards-is-in-its-third-year/
• Accessed: February 2, 2026

• https://www.freemasonrytoday.com/more-news/provinces-districts-a-groups/derbyshire-freemasons-celebrate-tercentenary-with-charity-awards-ceremony
• Accessed: February 2, 2026

• https://www.derbyshiremason.org/derbyshire-charity-festival-2025/
• Accessed: February 2, 2026