The Ashla Charitable Trust

Charity Number: 1140840

Annual Expenditure: £0.1M

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Quick Stats

  • Charity Number: 1140840
  • Annual Expenditure: £55,769 (2024)
  • Annual Income: £65,830 (2024)
  • Grant Range: Up to £50,000
  • Geographic Focus: National (with preference for Bath/Somerset area)
  • Application Method: Rolling basis via online portal

Contact Details

Website: https://funding.ludlowtrust.com

Email: charitabletrusts@ludlowtrust.com

Phone: 0117 313 8200

Administration: Ludlow Trust Company Limited, Bristol

Overview

The Ashla Charitable Trust is a family-based grant-making charity established in 2011 that awards a limited number of grants each year. Administered by the Ludlow Trust Company Limited from its Bristol offices, the trust focuses on supporting arts organizations and international humanitarian initiatives, particularly those addressing education and women's rights. With an annual income of approximately £65,830 and expenditure of £55,769 (financial year ending October 2024), the trust operates as a small but focused funder. The trust's charitable objects permit it to support exclusively charitable purposes anywhere in the world at the trustees' discretion. Recent grant-making activity suggests a geographic preference for charities operating in the Bath and Somerset area, with recent grants awarded to organizations such as Bath Festivals and Bath Welcomes Refugees.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The trust offers grants typically in two funding bands:

  • Small Grants: Less than £10,000
  • Larger Grants: £10,000 to £50,000

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis through the Ludlow Trust Company's Funding Enquiry Gateway, with no fixed deadlines.

Priority Areas

The trust's stated charitable purposes cover:

Arts Support

  • General arts programming and activities
  • Arts festivals and cultural events
  • Arts organizations serving local communities

International Humanitarian Aid

  • Education initiatives, particularly in developing countries
  • Women's rights programs and organizations
  • Humanitarian relief and development projects

Geographic Preferences

  • While the trust can fund charitable work anywhere in the world, recent grant-making indicates a preference for charities operating in the Bath and Somerset area
  • National UK charities are eligible
  • International organizations working on humanitarian aid are considered

What They Don't Fund

The trust's exclusions are not explicitly detailed in public materials, but as a grant-making trust, standard exclusions likely apply:

  • Individuals (registered charities only)
  • Non-charitable organizations
  • Political organizations
  • Organizations without charitable registration in the UK or equivalent
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Governance and Leadership

The trust is governed by 5 trustees who make funding decisions at their discretion. One or more trustees receive payments or benefits from the charity for providing services. The trust operates as a family-based charitable foundation, with trustees meeting periodically to review applications and make grant decisions. The day-to-day administration is handled by Ludlow Trust Company Limited, which manages over 275 charitable trusts through its Bristol office.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

The Ashla Charitable Trust accepts applications exclusively through the Ludlow Funding Enquiry Gateway at https://funding.ludlowtrust.com.

Application Process:

  1. Matching: Applications are reviewed by Trust Managers who filter and match applications to relevant trusts based on the trust's funding criteria
  2. Trustee Review: Matched applications are presented to trustees at times they request to make funding decisions

What to Include:

  • Details of your charitable purposes
  • Specific areas of focus (project-based, geographic, or beneficiary group)
  • How your work aligns with the trust's priorities in arts or humanitarian aid/education/women's rights
  • Connection to Bath/Somerset area if applicable

Eligibility: Registered charities only

Decision Timeline

The timeframe for decision-making is at the discretion of the trustees and varies depending on when trustees schedule their grant review meetings. There is no fixed timeline communicated publicly. Applications are shared with trustees when they request to make funding decisions, and trustees consider applications in the usual course of their decision-making process.

The Ludlow Funding Enquiry Gateway operates on a rolling basis, meaning applications can be submitted at any time throughout the year.

Success Rates

Specific success rates for The Ashla Charitable Trust are not publicly available. However, the trust is described as awarding “a limited number of grants each year,” suggesting selective grant-making.

Context from the broader Ludlow Trust Company gateway:

  • Nearly 8,000 applications have been received across all 275+ trusts since the portal launched in September 2023
  • Over £2.5 million in grants and donations have been facilitated through the platform

Reapplication Policy

The trust's reapplication policy is not explicitly stated in public materials. As applications are accepted on a rolling basis with no fixed deadlines, unsuccessful applicants may be able to reapply, though it would be advisable to contact the trust administrators for guidance.

Application Success Factors

While The Ashla Charitable Trust does not publish specific guidance on what makes applications successful, the following factors appear relevant based on available information:

Alignment with Funding Priorities

  • Clear connection to either arts support OR international humanitarian aid focusing on education/women's rights
  • Strong alignment with one of the trust's core areas increases likelihood of success

Geographic Connection

  • Charities operating in the Bath and Somerset area appear to receive priority consideration
  • Evidence of local impact and community benefit may strengthen applications from this region
  • National and international organizations should clearly articulate their work in the trust's priority areas

Quality of Application

  • The Ludlow Funding Enquiry Gateway is designed to streamline applications and match them to appropriate trusts
  • Clear, concise information about charitable purposes and specific funding needs
  • Demonstration of how the grant will be used and the intended impact

Realistic Funding Requests

  • Given the trust's annual expenditure of approximately £55,769, requests should be proportionate
  • The trust offers grants up to £50,000, but multiple smaller grants may be more typical given the limited annual giving capacity

Through the Ludlow Gateway

  • Using the general application option allows your application to be matched across multiple trusts, potentially increasing overall funding opportunities
  • The platform has facilitated over £2.5 million in grants since 2023, demonstrating its effectiveness

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Small family trust with focused giving: With annual expenditure around £55,000 and a “limited number” of grants, competition is likely significant—make your case compelling and specific
  • Geographic preference matters: If your organization operates in Bath or Somerset, emphasize this connection as recent grants show local preference
  • Dual focus areas: Ensure your work clearly aligns with either arts OR humanitarian aid (education/women's rights)—don't try to fit both unless genuinely applicable
  • Use the gateway system: Submit through the Ludlow Funding Enquiry Gateway and consider using the general application option to be matched across multiple trusts
  • No fixed deadlines: Applications accepted year-round, allowing flexibility in timing your submission
  • Limited public information: As a small family trust, detailed guidance is scarce—focus on clear, concise applications that demonstrate strong alignment with stated priorities
  • Patience required: Decision timelines are at trustees' discretion with no fixed schedule—plan accordingly and don't expect rapid turnaround

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