The Barrow Cadbury Trust

Charity Number: 1115476

Annual Expenditure: £5.9M
Throughout England And Wales

Contact Info

Website: www.barrowcadbury.org.uk

Phone: 020 7632 9075

Email: general@barrowcadbury.org.uk

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £4.5 million (charitable activities expenditure)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
  • Decision Time: Up to 4 months (usually shorter)
  • Grant Range: £100 - £250,000 (historically recorded range)
  • Geographic Focus: National policy influence; local work primarily in Birmingham and surrounding area
  • Total Assets: Approximately £80 million endowment

Contact Details

Website: www.barrowcadbury.org.uk

Email: general@barrowcadbury.org.uk

Phone: 020 7632 9075

Application Process: Complete online enquiry form first; full applications by invitation only

Overview

Founded in 1920 by Barrow and Geraldine Cadbury, the Barrow Cadbury Trust is an independent charitable foundation with an endowment of approximately £80 million. The Trust promotes social justice through grant-making, research, policy influence, and advocacy. With three key programme areas—Criminal Justice, Migration, and Economic Justice—the Trust seeks long-term solutions by addressing root causes of inequality rather than funding frontline services. The Trust distributed approximately £4.5 million in charitable activities in the year ending March 2024. In 2020, the Trust celebrated its centenary and publicly acknowledged and apologized for the historical origins of its endowment linked to enslavement in São Tomé and Príncipe. Led by Dame Sara Llewellin since 2009 (stepping down in 2025) and chaired by Erica Cadbury, the Trust works primarily at the national policy level, with local work concentrated in Birmingham and the Black Country.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Criminal Justice Programme (Currently closed to unsolicited applications)

  • Focus: Young adults (18-25), women, and racially minoritised communities in the criminal justice system
  • Key initiative: Transition to Adulthood (T2A) campaign
  • Approach: Evidence-based policy influence, creating blueprints for future justice systems
  • Established partnerships: National Women's Justice Coalition, Corston Independent Funders Coalition, Action for Race Equality

Migration Programme

  • Focus: National-level policy, campaigning, and communication
  • Supports: Campaigners, organisers, policy researchers, and civil society groups working individually and in coalitions
  • Priority: Centering lived experience in immigration movement leadership, promoting racial and gender justice
  • Emphasis: Long-term partners preferred

Economic Justice Programme (Birmingham-focused)

  • Economic Justice Brum Act to Change Fund: Grants up to £50,000 over two years for campaigners, activists, and community organisers transforming systems causing economic inequalities
  • Building an Alternative Economic Model Fund: Supports organisations developing alternative economic approaches
  • Goal: Ensure everyone in Birmingham has sufficient material resources for a fulfilling, sustainable life

Priority Areas

  • Structural change: Policy, advocacy, campaigning, and public discourse rather than frontline service delivery
  • Evidence-building: Research and pilot projects to influence policy and practice
  • Amplifying voices: Ensuring people affected by social injustices are heard in debates
  • Systems change: Addressing root causes of inequality related to race, gender, disability, and class
  • Partnership working: Collaborating with others to identify solutions
  • Racial and gender justice: Embedded across all programmes

What They Don't Fund

  • Frontline community services: "We don't fund a great deal by way of frontline community services, as other organizations with deeper resources can do this at larger scale"
  • Individual applications: Only organisations can apply
  • Work outside the UK: No unsolicited applications for international work
  • Symptom-focused interventions: Projects that don't address root causes or seek structural change
  • Geographic restrictions: Local work must be in Birmingham/surrounding area unless national in scope

Governance and Leadership

Leadership Team

Dame Sara Llewellin, CEO (2009-2025)

  • Made a dame in 2021 for services to social justice
  • Quote: “I have enjoyed the honour of leading this most amazing organisation... Our board and colleagues are all driven by a shared value base and to be able to pursue our social justice goals with so many wonderful partners, not to mention our independent means, is indeed a great privilege.”

Debbie Pippard, Director of Programmes

  • Long-standing director, standing down in 2026

Board of Trustees

Erica Cadbury, Chair

  • Board largely drawn from direct descendants of founders Barrow and Geraldine Cadbury
  • Quote: “Sara has ably led the trust in new as well as long-standing directions, notably in social investment, shareholder activism and in international fora.”
  • On philanthropic responsibility: Exploring origins of wealth "is introspective but it is also a vital strategic activity and encourages trusts and foundations to take responsibility for the origins of their wealth, (rather than seeing it as a 'money tree')."

Recent Trustee Appointments: Kimberly Garande, Faiza Khan MBE, Radhika Bynon

Other Trustees: Esther McConnell (Deputy CEO, East European Resource Centre), Harry Serle (Chair, Investment Management Committee)

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

  1. Research: Watch the Trust's funding animation and review programme objectives and explainer videos
  2. Initial Enquiry: Complete online enquiry form (not a full application)
  3. Response: Trust responds within 10 working days
  4. Full Application: Only submit if invited by the Trust after discussing your project
  5. Agreement: Sign grant agreement before payments begin

Important: Do not submit a full application form unless you have been invited to do so after initial enquiry.

Application Method: Rolling basis—no set grant-making deadlines

Portal: Online enquiry and application forms via website

Decision Timeline

  • Enquiry response: Within 10 working days
  • Full application decision: Up to 4 months, usually shorter
  • Total timeline: Typically 3-4 months from enquiry to decision

Success Rates

The Trust acknowledges they "are not in a position to fund all the applications we receive, even if they fall within a programme's criteria." Specific success rates are not publicly disclosed.

Grant data: 1,135 grants awarded totaling £43.5 million (historical data from 360Giving)

Reapplication Policy

"There is no bar on reapplying, but it's best to talk to us first to ensure your new application meets our criteria and we can consider funding it."

Unsuccessful applicants are welcome to reapply but should contact the Trust first to discuss whether the new project meets funding criteria.

Application Success Factors

What the Trust Values

Structural change focus: “Focus of funding is for specific work directed to making structural change.” Projects must address root causes of inequality, not just symptoms.

Systems change approach: Building evidence bases, advocating for change, and ensuring voices of affected people are heard in debates.

Policy influence: Much of their work is directed toward national policy and practice change.

Long-term partnerships: Particularly valued in the Migration programme.

Geographic alignment: National scope or Birmingham/Black Country location for local work.

Before Applying

  • Read the Trust's “Vision, Mission and Values”
  • Watch programme-specific videos and animations
  • Review their current funded work on 360Giving
  • Check that your project seeks structural change, not just service delivery
  • Ensure your organisation can influence policy, build evidence, or amplify marginalised voices

Red Flags to Avoid

  • Frontline service delivery without policy/advocacy component
  • Individual applications (organisations only)
  • Projects outside Birmingham that aren't national in scope
  • Applications that don't align with one of the three programme areas
  • Proposals that don't center lived experience of affected communities
  • Projects that don't address race or gender justice considerations

Programme-Specific Advice

Criminal Justice: Currently closed to unsolicited applications until April 2025. Sign up to e-news and social media for updates. May invite applications for specific strands aligned with programme aims.

Migration: Long-term partners preferred. Demonstrate understanding of intersectionality of race, gender, and immigration status. Show how you center lived experience in leadership.

Economic Justice: Birmingham-based only. Show how you enable economically marginalised people to influence local economic decisions. Focus on campaigning, activism, and building alternative models.

Examples of Recent Funding Priorities

  • Evidence-based blueprints for young adult justice systems
  • National coalitions (e.g., National Women's Justice Coalition)
  • Migration policy research and campaigning at national level
  • Community organisers transforming economic inequality systems in Birmingham
  • Alternative economic model development

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  1. Structural change is paramount: The Trust funds policy, advocacy, campaigning, and evidence-building—not frontline services. Your application must demonstrate how you'll influence systems, not just support individuals.
  1. Start with an enquiry, not a full application: The Trust is clear that you should only submit a full application if invited. Use the enquiry form to test fit first.
  1. Geographic specificity matters: National policy work is welcomed; local work must be Birmingham/Black Country-focused. Be explicit about your geographic scope.
  1. Center lived experience: All programmes prioritize amplifying voices of people affected by injustice. Show how your work is led by or accountable to affected communities.
  1. Race and gender justice are cross-cutting: Demonstrate understanding of how your work addresses racial and/or gender inequalities within your issue area.
  1. Partnership and coalition work is valued: The Trust works catalytically and values organisations that collaborate with others to build evidence and influence policy.
  1. Be patient and relationship-focused: Decisions can take up to 4 months. The Trust values long-term partnerships. Reapplication is possible—discuss with them first before resubmitting.

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References

Direct quotes used:

  • Dame Sara Llewellin quote on leadership from Third Sector article
  • Erica Cadbury quote on leadership and philanthropic responsibility from various Trust communications
  • Trust's statements on structural change and funding priorities from official website