St John's Trust, Chichester

Charity Number: 298111

Annual Expenditure: £0.2M

Stay updated on changes from St John's Trust, Chichester and other funders

Get daily notifications about new funding opportunities, deadline changes, and programme updates from UK funders.

Free Email Updates

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £204,253 (2023)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly available
  • Decision Time: Quarterly trustee meetings (4 times per year)
  • Grant Range: Not specified
  • Geographic Focus: Specific Chichester parishes only (St Paul's, St Pancras & St John, St Wilfrid's, St George with Rumboldswyke, St Mary and Portfield, All Saints) and Chichester Cathedral Close

Contact Details

Clerk to the Trustees

Overview

St John's Trust, Chichester was established following the 1973 redundancy declaration of St John the Evangelist Church (built 1812, now a Grade I Listed building). Two charities were created in 1978 to manage remaining assets, which merged in 2009 into the single entity known today. In 2023, the Trust restructured as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (Charity Number 1203056, replacing original registration 298111). The Trust's mission is to further the religious and other charitable work of the Church of England within specific ecclesiastical parishes in the City of Chichester and the Cathedral Close. With 2023 expenditure of £204,253 against income of £35,520, the Trust operates by drawing on accumulated assets to support local charitable work. The Trust currently manages the forecourt restoration of the historic St John's Chapel while maintaining its grant-making activities.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Trust does not publish specific grant programs or amounts. Recent grant recipients mentioned on their website include:

  • HEART Chichester (Chichester Heart for Homeless)
  • Chichester District Foodbank
  • Pregnancy Options Centre (Chichester)
  • Confide Counselling

Priority Areas

Geographic Restriction: The Trust operates exclusively within a tightly defined geographic area - the ecclesiastical parishes of:

  • St Paul
  • St Pancras and St John
  • St Wilfrid
  • St George with Rumboldswyke
  • St Mary and Portfield
  • All Saints
  • The Cathedral Church of the Holy Trinity, Chichester and its Close

Charitable Focus: Religious and other charitable work aligned with Church of England objectives in the designated Chichester parishes. Recent grants suggest support for:

  • Homelessness services
  • Food poverty relief
  • Pregnancy support services
  • Counselling services
  • Faith-based community initiatives

What They Don't Fund

  • Organizations operating outside the specific Chichester parishes listed
  • Work not aligned with Church of England charitable objectives
  • Individual applications (grants made to organizations only)
Helpful Hinchilla

Ready to write a winning application for St John's Trust, Chichester?

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

Get Free Beta Access

Governance and Leadership

Trustees (as of 2024-2025):

  • Bernadette Louise Condron (appointed November 2025)
  • Joanne Susan Kondabeka (appointed June 2025)
  • Nigel Preston Wainwright (appointed October 2024)
  • Victoria Claire Leslie (appointed May 2023)
  • Margaret Joyce Heald (appointed October 2021)
  • Catherine Jane James (appointed November 2020)

The Trust operates with 6 trustees and volunteers. No trustees receive remuneration, payments or benefits from the charity. The Trust maintains policies on conflicting interests, investment, and risk management, and owns or leases property.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

IMPORTANT: The Trust is currently not accepting new applications. According to their website: “At present the Trust is fully committed and is unable to accept new applications for a grant.”

When applications are accepted, the standard process is:

  • Applications should be submitted to the Clerk to the Trustees at sjtclerk@gmail.com
  • Applications must be received at least one week before a trustee meeting
  • Trustees meet four times per year to consider applications

To Register Interest for Future Funding: Contact the Clerk at sjtclerk@gmail.com with subject line “SJT: Dates for Trustee Meetings” to register interest when funds become available.

Decision Timeline

  • Trustees meet quarterly (4 times per year)
  • Applications must be submitted at least one week before a meeting
  • Specific decision timelines after meetings are not published

Success Rates

No data publicly available on application numbers or success rates.

Reapplication Policy

Not specified. Contact the Clerk for guidance on reapplication after unsuccessful applications.

Application Success Factors

Given the limited public information available, the following factors appear critical based on the Trust's structure and priorities:

Geographic Alignment is Non-Negotiable: The Trust operates exclusively within specific Chichester parishes. Applications from organizations outside St Paul's, St Pancras & St John, St Wilfrid's, St George with Rumboldswyke, St Mary and Portfield, All Saints parishes, or the Cathedral Close will not be considered.

Church of England Alignment: As a Church of England trust, demonstrating how your work furthers religious or charitable objectives aligned with Anglican values is essential. Recent grantees suggest they support faith-based or faith-aligned community services.

Community Service Focus: Recent recipients (homeless services, foodbank, pregnancy support, counselling) indicate preference for organizations addressing practical community needs and supporting vulnerable populations.

Local Impact: With £204,253 in annual giving serving a small geographic area, the Trust appears focused on meaningful local impact within the Chichester community.

Organizational Applications Only: The Trust makes grants to organizations and voluntary bodies, not individuals.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Geographic eligibility is absolute - confirm your organization operates within the specified Chichester parishes before applying
  • Applications currently closed - contact the Clerk to register interest for when funding becomes available
  • Plan ahead for quarterly decision cycle - submit applications at least one week before trustee meetings (4 times annually)
  • Church connection matters - demonstrate alignment with Church of England charitable objectives
  • Focus on vulnerable populations - recent grants suggest preference for services supporting homeless, food-insecure, and other vulnerable community members
  • Small, defined funding pool - with £204k annual giving and currently “fully committed,” competition appears significant
  • Relationship-based grantmaking - the small geographic area and Church affiliation suggest relationship building within the local faith community may be valuable

🎯 You've done the research. Now write an application they can't refuse.

Hinchilla combines funder's specific priorities with your organisation's past successful grants and AI analysis of what reviewers want to see.

✓

Data privacy and security by default

✓

Your organisation's past successful grants and experience

✓

AI analysis of what reviewers want to see

✓

A compelling draft application in 10 minutes instead of 10 hours

Get Beta Access NowLearn More

References