Quartet Community Foundation

Charity Number: 1080418

Annual Expenditure: £5.0M
Geographic Focus: Bath And North East Somerset, Bristol City, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £5,000,000+
  • Success Rate: 55-61% (varies by programme)
  • Decision Time: 8-10 weeks
  • Grant Range: £500 - £40,000+
  • Geographic Focus: West of England (Bristol, Bath & North East Somerset, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire)
  • Endowment: £60 million (one of the largest UK community foundations)

Contact Details

Website: www.quartetcf.org.uk

Email: info@quartetcf.org.uk / applications@quartetcf.org.uk

Phone: 0117 989 7700

Pre-application support: Contact the office if you have problems completing an application form

Overview

Founded in 1986 as The Greater Bristol Trust, Quartet Community Foundation is one of the UK's pioneering community foundations. With a permanent endowment of approximately £60 million—one of the largest of any community foundation in the UK—Quartet serves a population of 1.1 million across the West of England. The foundation awards over 1,000 grants annually to local charities and community groups, distributing more than £5 million per year. In 2022-2023, they welcomed 12 new fundholders and received donations of £9.6 million. Between April 2020 and March 2021, they achieved a record £5.2 million in grants to 930 projects, supporting over 590,000 people. Quartet operates through multiple named grant programmes, each funded by different donors with specific priorities, making it a connector between local philanthropy and grassroots community organizations.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Express Grant Programme (Open year-round)

  • Amount: £500 - £5,000 (average £3,800)
  • Maximum: £5,000 per organization in any 12-month period
  • Focus: Local grassroot groups and small-medium organizations (priority to those with income under £1 million, especially under £500,000)
  • Priorities: Economic disadvantage and improving lives of those with limited service access
  • Application: Rolling basis, online application

North Somerset Community Partnership Grant (Open)

  • Focus: Health and wellbeing of disadvantaged local people in North Somerset

Wessex Water Foundation Community Fund (Open)

  • Focus: Activities improving lives of local people

Bristol City Council Sparking Social Action in Recovery Grant (Open)

  • Focus: Social action for people with lived experience of drug/alcohol use and recovery services in Bristol

Bristol Youth and Play Support Programme (Open)

  • Focus: Youth and play activities across Bristol

Bath & West Community Energy Fund Grant (Open)

  • Focus: Reducing carbon emissions and addressing fuel poverty

Bristol Temple Quarter Grant Programme (Larger and Smaller tiers)

  • Focus: Social, economic, and environmental regeneration in Temple Quarter
  • Next opening: October 15, 2025

Additional Programmes: North Somerset Community Transport Grant, Stoke Park Group Friends' Fund Grant, and various other named funds with specific purposes

Priority Areas

  • Activities addressing economic disadvantage
  • Services for communities experiencing inequalities and disadvantage
  • Work with limited-access populations who lack appropriate or affordable services
  • Projects demonstrating clear identified community need
  • Health and wellbeing initiatives
  • Youth development and play activities
  • Community transport
  • Environmental sustainability and fuel poverty reduction
  • Social action and community engagement

What They Don't Fund

  • Privately owned and profit-distributing companies (e.g., companies limited by shares) or partnerships
  • Retrospective costs incurred before a grant can be awarded
  • Groups or activities supporting political parties
  • Activities intended to influence people's religious choices
  • Sports projects with no community or charitable element
  • Community Interest Companies (CIC) where one or two directors have overall significant control
  • Organizations without at least three unpaid board members
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Governance and Leadership

Current Leadership

Senior Team:

  • Anna Smith - CEO
  • Sarah Crispin - Head of Finance
  • Sabita Ravi - Interim Head of Philanthropy
  • David Triggle-Wells - Interim Head of Programmes
  • Aidan Woodburn - Head of Operations
  • Kelly Rogers-Smedley - Marketing & PR Manager

Trustees:

  • Sue Mountstevens OBE - Chair of Trustees
  • Nick Lee - Deputy Chair, Chair of Finance & Investment Committee
  • Kristen Pye - Chair of Programmes Committee
  • Dan Wood - Chair of Governance Committee

Honorary Positions:

  • Trevor Smallwood OBE DL - President
  • Peaches Golding OBE - Patron (Lord-Lieutenant for Bristol)

Leadership Perspective

Former CEO Sue Turner described Quartet as “this charity, which does more than any other I have ever come across to make life fairer for people here.” During her tenure (2015-2020), the endowment more than doubled to £50 million, demonstrating the foundation's growth and impact.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

  1. Browse available programmes: Review current grant programmes on the website
  2. Check eligibility: Confirm your organization meets criteria (not-for-profit, charitable aims, minimum three unpaid board members)
  3. Read guidance: Review Help & Guidance FAQs and watch their 'Top Tips for Grant Applicants' video
  4. Submit online application: Use their online portal (can save and return to application)
  5. Provide supporting documents: Include required documentation (varies by programme)

Decision Timeline

  • Programmes with closing dates: Decisions within 8 weeks after closing date
  • Rolling programmes (e.g., Express Grant): 8-10 weeks after application received
  • Implementation: Must plan to start spending grant within six months of award

Success Rates

  • Express Grant Programme: Currently 61% success rate
  • Resilience Grant Programme: 55% success rate
  • Overall: Hundreds of organizations successfully funded annually, with over 1,000 grants awarded each year

Reapplication Policy

No explicit reapplication policy found. Contact the foundation directly at applications@quartetcf.org.uk or 0117 989 7700 for guidance on reapplying after an unsuccessful application.

Application Success Factors

What Quartet Looks For

Key quote from the foundation: “We want to understand the needs of those people your work supports, and how you know the work is needed.”

Critical Success Elements:

  1. Demonstrated Need: Clear evidence that your work addresses a specific, identified community need
  2. Understanding Beneficiaries: Show deep knowledge of the people/communities you serve
  3. Reach Strategy: Explain how you'll reach target beneficiaries and promote your work
  4. Local Knowledge: Demonstrate strong connection to and understanding of local communities
  5. Clear Outcomes: Articulate specific benefits and outcomes to be achieved
  6. Appropriate Structure: Ensure your organization meets eligibility requirements
  7. Safeguarding: Have current safeguarding policy with named lead, risk definitions, safe recruitment, and reporting procedures

Common Reasons for Rejection

  • Application didn't meet grant criteria or wasn't close fit with priorities
  • Organization wasn't eligible (e.g., fewer than 3 directors/board members)
  • Unclear what services/activities were being proposed
  • Didn't understand or articulate benefits/outcomes
  • Didn't demonstrate understanding of need or how it was identified
  • Unable to provide required supporting documents
  • Insufficient local knowledge or not based locally
  • Unclear or incomplete budget
  • Large organizational reserves relative to request
  • Retrospective funding request

Recent Funded Projects (May 2022 examples)

  • Nailsea Tithe Barn Trust: £3,500 for Memory Cafe supporting people with dementia and carers
  • Lockleaze Neighbourhood Trust: £25,000 for Operations Manager post and legal/financial advice
  • Carers Centre B&NES: £5,000 for blended service model development
  • Transitions Skate CiC: £5,000 Express Grant for Campus Youth Club
  • Multiple holiday activities for children aged 8-12 across Bristol through various organizations

Application Tips

  • Research the specific programme and understand its unique priorities
  • Be transparent about organizational challenges
  • Show learning from past experiences
  • Provide clear, specific budget information
  • Consider environmental impacts of your project
  • Check if similar services already exist and explain how yours differs
  • Prepare to acknowledge Quartet in project publicity
  • Keep detailed financial records for reporting

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  1. Match with programme priorities: Each of Quartet's grant programmes has distinct aims—carefully align your application with the specific programme's focus rather than applying generically
  1. Demonstrate local knowledge: Being based locally and showing deep understanding of local communities is critical; this is a community foundation focused on the West of England
  1. Prioritize small-medium organizations: The Express Grant Programme specifically prioritizes organizations with income under £1 million (especially under £500,000)—emphasize your grassroots nature if applicable
  1. Evidence the need: Don't just describe your activities—clearly articulate the specific community need you're addressing and how you identified it
  1. Success rates are reasonable: At 55-61% success rates for key programmes, Quartet is more accessible than many funders—apply if you're a good fit
  1. Build the relationship: With 8-10 week decision timelines and open door to questions (applications@quartetcf.org.uk, 0117 989 7700), engage with the team if you need clarification
  1. Plan for reporting: Quartet expects acknowledgement in publicity and detailed financial records—factor this into your project planning from the start

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References