Q Charitable Trust

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £1,382,997 (charitable activities expenditure, 2024)
• Success Rate: Not publicly available
• Decision Time: Varies by trustee discretion (no fixed timeline)
• Grant Range: Not publicly disclosed
• Geographic Focus: UK and overseas

Contact Details

• Website: https://qctrust.org/
• Email: charitabletrusts@ludlowtrust.com
• Phone: 0117 313 8200
• Address: Q Charitable Trust, c/o Ludlow Trust Co Ltd, Tower Wharf, Cheese Lane, Bristol, BS2 0JJ
• Application Portal: https://funding.ludlowtrust.com/

Overview

Q Charitable Trust was established in 2019 as a UK registered charity (No. 1186920) and is managed by Ludlow Trust Company Ltd, which oversees over 275 charitable trusts. The trust had a total income of £759,871 in its most recent reporting year, primarily from investments (£693,455), with additional charitable expenditure of £1,382,997. The trust benefits from significant investment gains (£5,348,818 in 2024) which support its grant-making activities. The trust operates as an investment-funded foundation focused on six distinct priority areas, with a particular emphasis on dementia research within its medical research portfolio. While the trust does not actively invite unsolicited applications, it remains open to applications through the Ludlow Trust Company's Funding Enquiry Gateway.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The trust does not operate named grant programs but accepts applications on a rolling basis through the Ludlow Trust Company's Funding Enquiry Gateway at https://funding.ludlowtrust.com/. Specific grant amounts are not publicly disclosed, and each application is reviewed individually based on the trust's funding priorities.

Priority Areas

Q Charitable Trust supports charities in the UK and overseas across six specific areas:

1. Medical Research - with a particular focus on Dementia Research
2. The Saving of Lives - life-saving interventions and emergency services
3. People Having a Tough Time - supporting vulnerable individuals in crisis
4. Access to and the Advancement of Education - improving educational opportunities
5. The Protection or Improvement of the Environment - environmental conservation and improvement projects
6. Music and the Arts - cultural and artistic initiatives

The trust gives grants in topics including disabled people, healthcare, culture and art.

What They Don't Fund

Specific exclusions are not publicly listed. Applicants should contact the trust directly to confirm eligibility for their specific project or organization.

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Governance and Leadership

Trustee: Ludlow Trust Company Ltd serves as the corporate trustee, appointed in 2021.

The trust operates with 3 trustees, and notably, trustees receive payments or benefits for providing services to the charity. This corporate trustee structure means that professional trust management services are utilized rather than individual volunteer trustees.

The trust has no trading subsidiaries and no employees with benefits exceeding £60,000, maintaining a lean operational structure.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

The trust does not actively invite unsolicited applications, but organizations wishing to apply can submit applications through:

1. Online Portal (preferred): https://funding.ludlowtrust.com/
2. Email: charitabletrusts@ludlowtrust.com
3. Post: Q Charitable Trust, c/o Ludlow Trust Co Ltd, Tower Wharf, Cheese Lane, Bristol, BS2 0JJ

The Ludlow Trust Company's Funding Enquiry Gateway allows registered charities to submit either a general application that can be matched to any of the 275+ charitable trusts managed by Ludlow, or an application to a specific charitable trust. Applications may be submitted at any time - there are no specific application deadlines.

Decision Timeline

No fixed timeline is provided for decision-making. Once applications are matched via the Gateway to any of the 275+ charitable trusts, the timeframe for decision-making on those applications is at the discretion of the individual trustees. Trustees will consider applications for funding in the usual course of their decision-making process.

Applicants should expect variability in response times depending on trustee meeting schedules and the complexity of their application.

Success Rates

Success rates are not publicly available. The trust is managed alongside over 275 other charitable trusts through the Ludlow Trust Company's Gateway, which has received nearly 8,000 applications since its launch in September 2023. Since that time, Ludlow has facilitated the distribution of over £2.5 million in grants and donations on behalf of clients.

Reapplication Policy

No specific reapplication policy is publicly stated. Organizations should contact the trust directly if their initial application is unsuccessful to understand whether and when reapplication would be appropriate.

Application Success Factors

While the trust has not published specific guidance on what makes applications successful, the following factors are likely important based on the trust's structure and priorities:

1. Clear alignment with one or more of the six priority areas - Applications should demonstrate direct relevance to medical research (especially dementia), saving lives, supporting vulnerable people, education, environment, or arts.

1. Registered charity status - The Ludlow Trust Company's Funding Enquiry Gateway is designed for registered charities.

1. Detailed project information - Given that applications are reviewed by professional trust managers before being passed to trustees, comprehensive project details and budget information are likely essential.

1. UK or overseas charitable work - The trust supports charities working both domestically and internationally, so geographical location should not be a barrier if the work aligns with priorities.

1. Patient approach to decision-making - With no fixed timeline, successful applicants likely understand that trustee decision-making varies and maintain communication with the trust throughout the review process.

The trust appears to be relatively young (established in 2019) with substantial assets supporting grant-making, suggesting it may be open to building relationships with new beneficiary organizations.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Six clear priority areas: Ensure your project clearly aligns with at least one of the trust's six funding areas, with medical/dementia research appearing to be the primary focus
• No deadlines means year-round opportunity: Applications can be submitted at any time through the rolling gateway system
• Professional management structure: Applications are reviewed by Trust Managers at Ludlow Trust Company before being passed to trustees, so professional presentation is essential
• Variable timelines require patience: With no fixed decision timeline and trustee discretion, allow considerable time for review and avoid time-sensitive funding requests
• Gateway matching system: Consider applying through the general Ludlow Trust gateway to potentially match with multiple trusts simultaneously, not just Q Charitable Trust
• Limited public information: With few public examples of funded projects, direct contact with the trust to discuss project suitability before application is advisable
• Strong investment base: The trust's significant investment assets (over £5.3 million in investment gains) suggest sustainable long-term grant-making capacity

Similar Funders

These funders frequently fund the same charities:

• Garfield Weston Foundation
• National Lottery Heritage Fund
• THE CORTON HILL TRUST
• The Wolfson Foundation
• Paul Hamlyn Foundation
• The Liz and Terry Bramall Foundation
• PROJECT GIVING BACK
• John Ellerman Foundation
• THE RUFFORD FOUNDATION
• Rosetrees Trust
• Charity of Sir Richard Whittington
• THE ZOCHONIS CHARITABLE TRUST
• The Banister Charitable Trust
• THE 29TH MAY 1961 CHARITY
• National Lottery
• THE FOYLE FOUNDATION
• SUSTRANS
• THE BIG GIVE TRUST
• BRAIN TUMOUR RESEARCH
• THE RIVERS TRUST

References

1. Q Charitable Trust Official Website. https://qctrust.org/
2. Charity Commission for England and Wales. “Q Charitable Trust - Charity Overview.” Register of Charities, Charity Number 1186920. https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-details/?regid=1186920&subid=0
3. Ludlow Trust Company. “The Ludlow Funding Enquiry Gateway.” https://www.ludlowtrust.com/insights/the-ludlow-funding-enquiry-gateway/
4. Ludlow Trust Company. "Ludlow's Funding Enquiry Gateway." https://www.ludlowtrust.com/insights/ludlows-funding-enquiry-gateway/
5. Giving is Great. “Q Charitable Trust Charity Factsheet.” https://givingisgreat.org/charity-factsheet/?regNo=1186920
6. Fundraiso. “Q Charitable Trust.” https://www.fundraiso.com/en/organisations/q-charitable-trust