The A.d. Charitable Trust

Charity Number: 1095300

Annual Expenditure: £0.2M

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £207,867 (2024)
  • Success Rate: Not disclosed (highly competitive)
  • Decision Time: Minimum 3 months; decisions made in December
  • Grant Range: £5,000 - £30,000
  • Geographic Focus: United Kingdom
  • Application Method: Rolling applications, annual decisions

Contact Details

Overview

The A.D. Charitable Trust was established in 2002 and operates as a grant-making trust supporting registered charities across the United Kingdom. With annual grant expenditure of approximately £207,867, the Trust focuses on projects that support disadvantaged people, helping them both practically and in building self-esteem so they can reach their full potential. The Trust is distinctive in its approach, being described as “a visionary organisation that recognises the value of prevention” and is “interested in the evidence base, and in developing a longer term, sustainable approach rather than a quick fix.” They typically work with smaller programmes or charities where greater levels of operational support might be required, and actively provide comment and help on the operational execution of projects they fund.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

General Grant Programme: £5,000 - £30,000 (rolling applications, decisions made in December)

  • Grants made for both capital and recurrent costs
  • Core costs can be funded
  • No individual applications accepted - must be registered charity or under charity's auspices

Priority Areas

The Trust funds projects that:

  • Support disadvantaged people in the UK
  • Emphasize self-help and building esteem
  • Enable people to reach their full potential
  • Work with vulnerable children, including those with physical disabilities, chronic health problems, learning difficulties, and victims of abuse or neglect
  • Focus on prevention and evidence-based approaches
  • Translate research into evidence-based programmes

Beneficiary Groups Supported:

  • Children with life-limiting conditions
  • People with mental health challenges
  • Victims of abuse and neglect
  • People facing social exclusion
  • Those affected by addiction
  • People with disabilities and disfigurements

What They Don't Fund

  • Individual applications
  • Projects outside the United Kingdom
  • Organizations that are not registered charities (unless project is under a charity's auspices)
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Governance and Leadership

Trustees:

  • Cate Bell
  • Tom Bartlett
  • Arabella Duffield
  • Dominic Slade
  • John Walker

The Trust is managed by a board of trustees who make funding decisions annually in December. Trustees may wish to visit projects before making funding commitments, demonstrating their hands-on approach to grant-making.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

Applications can be submitted at any time via email or letter to trustees@theadcharitabletrust.org.uk

Initial Application Should Include:

  • Outline of the project
  • How you intend to evaluate the project
  • Detailed costing
  • Organisation's existing sources of finance
  • Information about other funding applications pending
  • Whether you have previously applied to or received grants from The AD Trust
  • Annual accounts

Important: Do NOT send videos, tapes, or bulky reports with initial applications.

Decision Timeline

  • Applications accepted on a rolling basis throughout the year
  • Funding decisions made in December
  • Grants paid out in December
  • Minimum processing time: 3 months
  • Trustees may wish to visit projects before making funding decisions

Success Rates

The Trust explicitly states: “We receive far more applications which fall within our guidelines than The AD Trust can afford to fund.” This indicates a competitive process with a low success rate, though specific percentages are not disclosed.

Reapplication Policy

Information about previous applications to the Trust should be included in applications, suggesting that reapplication is possible. The Trust asks whether applicants have previously applied or received grants, but does not specify restrictions on reapplication.

Application Success Factors

Funder-Specific Insights:

  1. Evidence-Based Approaches: The Trust values “evidence base” and organizations that can “translate research into evidence-based programmes.” As noted by a funded organization, they are “interested in the evidence base, and in developing a longer term, sustainable approach rather than a quick fix.”
  1. Evaluation is Critical: The application specifically requires details on “how you intend to evaluate the project” - this is not optional but a core requirement.
  1. Prevention Over Crisis Response: The Trust has been described as recognizing “the value of prevention,” suggesting preventative programmes may be particularly attractive.
  1. Operational Support Mindset: The Trust “tries to provide comment and help on the operational execution of any projects they fund” and works with charities “where greater levels of operational support might be required” - they're not just funders but partners.
  1. Focus on Self-Help and Esteem Building: Projects should emphasize “self-help, building esteem and enabling people to reach their potential” rather than creating dependency.
  1. Small Organizations Welcome: The Trust “typically works with smaller programmes or charities” - being small is not a disadvantage.
  1. Examples of Funded Organizations: The Trust has supported organizations including Amnesty, Barnardos, Changing Faces, Children's Hospice UK, Frontline, Happy Days, Mentor, Mind, SANE, St. Giles Trust, and Trailblazers - these represent the breadth of their interests.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Be patient with timing: With only annual decision-making in December and a minimum 3-month process, plan your funding timeline accordingly
  • Emphasize evaluation and evidence: Detail your evaluation methodology and evidence base - this is central to their funding philosophy
  • Highlight the preventative approach: Frame your work in terms of prevention and long-term sustainability rather than short-term fixes
  • Don't be intimidated by size: Smaller organizations are explicitly welcomed and may receive additional operational support
  • Core funding is available: Unlike many trusts, they will fund core costs - don't shy away from requesting operational funding
  • Build in self-help elements: Projects should enable beneficiaries to help themselves and build esteem, not create dependency
  • Keep initial application simple: Email or letter with key information is sufficient - no need for elaborate proposals or multimedia presentations at first stage
  • Prepare for potential site visit: Trustees may visit before funding, so be ready to demonstrate your work in practice

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