Quaker Housing Trust Limited

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £130,911 (2024)
• Success Rate: Not publicly available
• Decision Time: 8-12 weeks
• Grant Range: £6,000 - £30,000
• Geographic Focus: England, Scotland, Wales, Channel Islands & Isle of Man

Contact Details

• Website: www.qht.org.uk
• Phone: 020 7663 1036
• Email: involveme@qht.org.uk
• Address: Friends House, 173-177 Euston Road, London, NW1 2BJ

Overview

The Quaker Housing Trust Limited, established in 1967, is a charitable foundation providing grants and interest-free loans to small charitable organizations delivering secure, appropriate and affordable rented housing. With annual expenditure of £130,911 (2024), the Trust focuses on supporting housing projects for vulnerable people during transitional periods. Operating from Quaker values, they use a unique decision-making approach through their volunteer Council of Management. The Trust has made 52 grants and loans in the past five years, though grant-making was suspended for much of 2021 due to pandemic disruptions.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Best Practice Grants: £6,000 maximum

• Environmental Assessment Grant: Funds professional fees for identifying environmentally-friendly housing options
• Feasibility Study Grant: Covers professional fees for testing feasibility of affordable rented housing proposals
• Quaker Asset Grant: Support for utilizing Quaker meeting buildings/land for social housing

Main Grants and Loans Programme:

• Grants up to £20,000 for projects supporting people with No Recourse to Public Funds
• Interest-free loans up to £30,000 for income-generating capital projects (5% admin fee)
• Combined awards up to £50,000 (blended grant and loan)

Priority Areas

Until end of 2026, particular interest in:

• Geographically underrepresented areas: East of England, Wales, Southwest England (Somerset, Devon, Cornwall)
• Organizations working with people with No Recourse to Public Funds
• Projects for vulnerable people during transitions
• Permanent housing solutions for people experiencing homelessness
• Refugee and asylum seeker accommodation
• Housing for older people (preference noted)

What They Don't Fund

• Direct funding to individuals
• Self-help groups
• Fully mutual co-operatives
• Community or co-housing groups
• Organizations that discriminate based on ethnicity, gender, religion, sexuality, or disability
• Organizations with annual turnover exceeding £1.5 million
• Projects that can be funded from other sources

Ready to write a winning application for Quaker Housing Trust Limited?

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

Join the Launch List

Governance and Leadership

The Trust operates through a volunteer Council of Management of up to twelve people, each a practising Quaker, using the Quaker Business Method for decision-making. Applications are assessed at Council of Management Meetings held five times yearly. The Trust has nine trustees who receive no remuneration. Jennifer Allott serves as Secretary to the Quaker Housing Trust. The organization emphasizes that "a safe, stable home at these moments of transition can make an enormous difference to a person's life."

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

Two-stage application process for Main Grants and Loans:

1. Submit Expression of Interest form via online portal
2. If successful, submit second-stage application

Best Practice Grants:

• Single-stage application via online portal

Application portals:

• Best Practice Grant: https://ja1tx3ykndm.typeform.com/to/meZ9CEza
• Expression of Interest: https://ja1tx3ykndm.typeform.com/to/AEWJTQL4

Decision Timeline

Main Grants and Loans (example timeline):

• Expression of Interest deadline: 29th January
• Feedback: 13th-20th February
• Second-stage application deadline: 26th March
• Trustees review: 18th April
• Outcomes communicated: 23rd April-8th May

Best Practice Grants:

• Application deadline: 26th March
• Trustees review: 18th April
• Outcomes: 23rd April-8th May

Council meetings occur five times yearly with typical deadlines in April, July, September, and December.

Success Rates

Not publicly available. The Trust made 52 grants and loans in the past five years.

Reapplication Policy

No specific waiting period published. If unsuccessful, the Trust provides a brief explanation. In some cases, applications requiring more information may be resubmitted for assessment at a future meeting.

Application Success Factors

Essential Requirements:

• Well-progressed project with completed feasibility studies
• Robust budget established
• Relevant planning permissions secured
• Professional assessment reports completed
• Must demonstrate inability to fund from other sources
• Clear evidence of meeting “real housing need”

Recent Successful Projects (2022):

• Open Door (North East): Property purchase in Middlesbrough for refugees and asylum seekers
• Waltham Forest Churches Night Shelter: Developing longer-term accommodation
• Common Ground Against Homelessness (Edinburgh): Renovating 4-bedroom property into 9 permanent homes
• Street Connect Glasgow: Purchasing 2-bedroom flat for addiction recovery housing

Funding Timeline:

• Funding release can take up to 24 weeks
• Best Practice funding must be drawn down within 6 months

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Small charities (under £1.5m turnover) have best chances - this is a hard requirement
• Focus on capital projects creating permanent housing solutions, not temporary accommodation
• Highlight work with No Recourse to Public Funds populations for maximum grant amount
• Projects in underrepresented areas (East England, Wales, Southwest) may receive preference
• Two-stage process requires significant lead time - plan 4-6 months ahead
• Quaker affiliation not required, but understanding Quaker values helpful
• Must demonstrate project readiness with planning permissions and professional assessments already in place

Similar Funders

These funders have a similar focus and geographic reach:

• Point North Community Foundation
• The Barratt Developments PLC Charitable Foundation
• The LankellyChase Foundation
• Leeds Building Society Charitable Foundation
• IMAGINE FOUNDATION
• THE NATIONWIDE FOUNDATION
• Hedley Foundation Limited
• P F Charitable Trust
• People's Health Trust
• The Pilgrim Trust

References

• Quaker Housing Trust official website (www.qht.org.uk) -
• Quaker Housing Trust Apply for Funding page (www.qht.org.uk/apply-for-funding) -
• Charity Commission Register entry 254704 (register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk) -
• Funding Scotland - Quaker Housing Trust programs (funding.scot) -
• Quakers in Britain blog “An update on the Quaker Housing Trust” (www.quaker.org.uk/blog) -
• Action Together - Quaker Housing Trust profile (www.actiontogether.org.uk) -