South Hackney Parochial Charity

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £215,392 (2024)
• Success Rate: Not publicly available
• Decision Time: Quarterly meetings (applications reviewed 4 times per year)
• Grant Range: Individual grants typically up to £500; project grants vary
• Geographic Focus: South Hackney Parish (ancient parish boundaries within London Borough of Hackney)

Contact Details

Website: www.hackneyparochialcharities.org.uk

Email: hackney@thetrustpartnership.com

Phone: 01285 841900

Charity Number: 212336

Overview

South Hackney Parochial Charity was established under a trust deed dated November 6, 1900, and later modified by a Charity Commission Scheme on September 27, 1968. The charity serves the ancient parish boundaries of South Hackney with a focused mission: the relief of need and the promotion of education in the Parish of South Hackney. With total expenditure of £215,392 in the year ending March 2024, the charity maintains a consistent grant-making program focused on poverty relief, education support for young people under 25, and advancement in life for residents in need. The charity administers funds from the Hackney District Nursing Association, extending some support across the broader Hackney area. Operated by a dedicated board of 10 trustees who meet quarterly to review applications, the charity prioritizes socially isolated elderly, individuals and families with no recourse to public funds, advice and support organizations, and youth support services.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Individual Hardship Grants: Up to approximately £500

• Applications accepted on a rolling basis throughout the year
• Must be made through a third-party supporting agency (social worker, church, etc.)
• Quarterly review by trustees

Project/Organizational Grants: Amount varies by project

• Applications reviewed quarterly at trustee meetings
• Requires formal application form, two referee letters, annual report and accounts, and detailed project budget
• Payments may be made in full or in installments depending on project nature

Priority Areas

• Socially isolated elderly: Programs and services supporting older residents experiencing isolation
• Individuals and families with no recourse to public funds: Direct support for vulnerable residents
• Advice and support organizations: Organizations providing guidance and assistance to residents
• Youth support services: Programs serving young people in the area
• Education and training: Promoting education for persons under 25 who need financial assistance
• Poverty relief: General hardship and poverty alleviation initiatives

Example Organizations Supported: Solace Women's Aid, St Mungo's, Family Action, East End Citizens Advice Bureau, Hackney Church, Hackney Quest, Hackney Migrant Centre, Hackney Caribbean Elderly Organisation, North London Action for the Homeless, The Salvation Army Cambridge Heath, Made in Hackney, Apollo Music Projects, St Joseph's Hospice, Greenhouse Sports, Single Homeless Project, Norwood, and City and Hackney Carers Centre.

What They Don't Fund

The charity is very strict about geographic requirements. Excluded areas include:

• Northern west: Woodberry Down, Brownswood, western half of Stamford Hill West
• Western: Clissold, western half of Stoke Newington
• Southwestern: Haggerston, Hoxton West, Hoxton East, and Shoreditch

Applicants must live or operate within the ancient parish boundaries of South Hackney specifically, not the broader Metropolitan Borough of Hackney.

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Governance and Leadership

Board of Trustees (10 members)

Current Leadership:

• Beverley Piper Harris, Chair (appointed July 2015)
• Reverend Andrew Wilson, Vice Chair
• Gilbert Smyth (appointed May 2025)
• Jasmine Martins (appointed May 2025)
• Dr Roger Makanjuola (appointed February 2020)
• Lisa-Raine Hunt (appointed November 2019)
• Katie Hanson (appointed July 2016)
• Val Harding (appointed June 2015)
• John De La Cruz
• Datoru B Paul-Worika

The charity maintains robust governance policies including complaint procedures, conflict management, financial reserves policy, risk management, safeguarding, and trustee conflict-of-interest protocols. No trustees receive remuneration, payments, or benefits from the charity. The charity's reporting is current with all annual returns received on time by the Charity Commission.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

For Individual Applicants:

1. Must apply through a third-party supporting agency (such as a social worker, church representative, or local registered charity)
2. Provide address verification (copy of utility bill)
3. Applications accepted on a rolling basis
4. Typical grant amount: approximately £500

For Organizations/Projects:

1. Complete the Project Application Form available on the charity's website
2. Demonstrate how the application meets the grant-making priorities
3. Obtain endorsement from two independent referees who know your organization's work
4. Submit one professional reference letter on referee organization's headed paper
5. Attach latest annual report and accounts
6. Include detailed project budget
7. Applications accepted on a rolling basis; reviewed quarterly

Decision Timeline

Trustee Meetings: Four times per year

Application Deadlines (for quarterly review):

• Early January
• Early April
• Early August
• Early October

Individual Applications: May be reviewed between meetings for urgent hardship cases

Post-Decision: Successful project applicants must complete an evaluation form nine months after receiving the award. Payments may be made in full at that point, or in installments, according to the nature of the application and the grant made.

Success Rates

Specific success rate statistics are not publicly available. Contact the charity directly for more information about application competitiveness.

Reapplication Policy

The charity does not publish a specific reapplication policy for unsuccessful applicants. Contact hackney@thetrustpartnership.com or call 01285 841900 for guidance on reapplying after an unsuccessful application.

Application Success Factors

Geographic Eligibility is Critical: The trustees emphasize that they “have to be very strict about the geographic area in which individuals must live, or organisations operate, in order to apply for a grant.” Ensure your organization operates or your beneficiaries live within the ancient parish boundaries of South Hackney specifically before applying.

Demonstrate Clear Alignment with Priorities: Applications should explicitly demonstrate how they address one or more of the charity's priority areas: socially isolated elderly, individuals/families with no recourse to public funds, advice and support organizations, or youth support services.

Third-Party Support for Individual Grants: Individual applications must come through a supporting agency. This requirement ensures vulnerable individuals have appropriate professional support and helps verify need.

Quality of References: For organizational grants, two independent referee letters are required. These should come from organizations that genuinely know your work and can speak to your track record and impact.

Detailed Financial Documentation: Submit comprehensive budgets and current accounts. The charity needs to understand both your organizational financial health and the specific project costs.

Evaluation Commitment: Successful project applicants must commit to completing evaluation forms nine months post-award. Demonstrating your capacity and willingness to report on outcomes strengthens applications.

Local Focus: The charity's examples of supported organizations show a preference for locally-focused services addressing immediate needs in Hackney: homelessness services, advice agencies, elderly support, migrant services, and youth programs.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Geography matters most: Verify your exact geographic eligibility within South Hackney's ancient parish boundaries before investing time in an application—the trustees are “very strict” about this requirement
• Individual grants require intermediaries: If supporting individual applicants, ensure you understand the third-party supporting agency requirement and can facilitate applications through appropriate channels
• Quarterly decision cycle: Plan applications around the four annual deadlines to align with trustee meeting schedules
• Demonstrate local impact: Emphasize how your work directly benefits South Hackney parish residents experiencing need, hardship, or distress
• Build referee relationships: Strong endorsements from two independent referees who know your work are essential for organizational grants—cultivate these relationships before you need them
• Prepare for evaluation: Factor in the nine-month evaluation requirement when planning project timelines and allocate resources for outcome reporting
• Focus on priority populations: Applications serving socially isolated elderly, those with no recourse to public funds, or vulnerable youth are well-aligned with current priorities

References

• Hackney Parochial Charities Official Website - www.hackneyparochialcharities.org.uk
• Hackney Parochial Charities - How to Apply - https://hackneyparochialcharities.org.uk/how-to-apply/
• South Hackney Parochial Charity Overview - https://hackneyparochialcharities.org.uk/about/south-hpc/
• Charity Commission Register - South Hackney Parochial Charity (212336) - https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-details/?regid=212336
• Hackney Parochial Charities - Deadline Dates - https://hackneyparochialcharities.org.uk/how-to-apply/deadline-dates/
• Turn2us Grants Search - The Hackney Parochial Charities - https://grants-search.turn2us.org.uk/grant/the-hackney-parochial-charities-14484