The Beatrice Gilmore Charitable Trust

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £120,382 (2024)
• Success Rate: Not publicly available
• Decision Time: Within 4 weeks of trustee meeting
• Grant Range: £5,000 - £15,000 per round (up to £45,000 over 3 years)
• Geographic Focus: Africa and Indian sub-continent (through UK charities)

Contact Details

• Website: https://beatricegilmoretrust.org.uk
• Email: admin@beatricegilmoretrust.org.uk
• Phone: 01425 657321
• Address: 16 Glasshouse Studios, Fryern Court Road, Fordingbridge, Hampshire, SP6 1QX

Overview

The Beatrice Gilmore Charitable Trust was registered as a charity in 2022 to fulfil the wishes of Bernie O'Neill, who died in 2021 and left the bulk of her estate (valued at £2.5m in property assets) to be used for charitable purposes. Named in honour of her mother, Beatrice Gilmore, the trust provides grants to UK registered charities working closely with communities in Africa and India to provide enduring benefits to the most marginalised in those communities. The trust's vision is to bring about lasting improvement to the lives of those who have been disadvantaged due to cultural prejudice and exploitation. With total income of £133,512 and expenditure of £120,382 in 2024, the trust focuses on education, health, disability, poverty relief, and community development through locally-led projects.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

• Single-Year Grants: £5,000 - £15,000 per funding round
• Multi-Year Grants: Up to £45,000 spread over three years for programmes requiring time to make measurable impact
• Application Cycles: Two rounds per year (April and November meetings)

Eligibility Requirements

• UK registered charities only
• Annual income between £50,000 and £1.5m
• Engaged in activities charitable in law
• Dynamic, supportive relationship with non-UK charitable projects
• Trust funding must comprise 40-80% of total project costs
• Overheads and monitoring costs must not exceed 20% of the award

Priority Areas

The trust works with UK charities who establish deep links at all levels in local communities, focusing on projects that:

• Address issues creating vulnerability and marginalisation
• Are locally-led in Africa and the Indian sub-continent
• Provide enduring benefits to the most marginalised communities
• Focus on education, health, disability, poverty relief, and community development

What They Don't Fund

• Direct applications from non-UK charities
• Charities with income below £50,000 or above £1.5m
• Projects where their funding would be less than 40% or more than 80% of total costs
• Projects with overheads and monitoring costs exceeding 20%

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Governance and Leadership

Trustees

• Michael Jellicoe - Chair
• Louise Mayhook
• Matthew Jellicoe
• Scott Preston

The trust operates with strong governance policies including complaints handling, financial controls, risk management, safeguarding, and serious incident reporting. No trustees receive remuneration for their roles.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

The trust uses a three-stage process for all eligible grant requests:

1. Initial Assessment: Applications are assessed to determine whether they meet current priorities and merit further consideration
2. Due Diligence: A due diligence review is conducted by two trustees; further information may be requested
3. Final Review: Shortlisted applicants are reviewed by all trustees who make the final decision on grant awards

Application Deadlines:

• Submit by 28th February for consideration at the April trustee meeting
• Submit by 30th September for consideration at the November trustee meeting

Decision Timeline

Trustees meet twice yearly, normally in April and November. Shortlisted applicants will be informed of decisions within four weeks of the trustee meeting. This means applicants can expect a total timeline of approximately 1-2 months from deadline to decision notification.

Success Rates

Success rate data is not publicly available. The trust is relatively new (established 2022) and selective in its funding approach.

Reapplication Policy

No specific reapplication policy is published on the trust's website.

Application Success Factors

Based on the trust's stated priorities and funded projects, successful applications demonstrate:

• Strong local partnerships: The trust emphasizes working with charities who “establish deep links at all levels in local communities.” Projects should demonstrate genuine, collaborative relationships with local communities rather than top-down interventions.

• Focus on marginalised communities: Successful projects address cultural prejudice and exploitation affecting the most vulnerable populations. Recent funded projects include empowering marginalised Maasai women in Tanzania and supporting school leavers in trafficking-prone districts of Nepal.

• Sustainable, enduring impact: The trust seeks to provide “enduring benefits” and is willing to fund multi-year projects (up to 3 years) that require time to make measurable impact.

• Locally-led approaches: Projects should be locally-led rather than externally imposed, aligning with the trust's mission to work with charities that have deep community links.

• Financial transparency: Applications must clearly demonstrate that the trust's contribution would represent 40-80% of total project costs and that overheads and monitoring costs stay within 20% of the award.

• Appropriate organizational size: Applicant charities should have income between £50,000 and £1.5m, suggesting the trust targets established but not overly large organizations.

Examples of funded projects:

• Ace Africa: 2-year funding to empower marginalised Maasai women in Arusha, Northern Tanzania
• Child Rescue Nepal: Support for talented school leavers in the trafficking-prone district of Makwanpur
• Reaching the Unreached (RTU): Pilot project enabling rural women to set up small business enterprises through business skills training in Tamil Nadu, South India

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Target the right organizational size: Ensure your charity's annual income falls between £50,000 and £1.5m before applying
• Demonstrate deep local partnerships: Emphasize your organization's collaborative, locally-led approach and established community relationships
• Financial structure matters: Structure your project budget so the trust's contribution would be 40-80% of total costs, with overheads under 20%
• Multi-year thinking: Don't hesitate to request multi-year funding (up to 3 years/£45,000) if your project needs time to achieve sustainable impact
• Geographic focus is strict: Only apply if working in Africa or the Indian sub-continent through UK-registered charities
• Plan ahead for deadlines: With only two application cycles per year (February 28 and September 30), timing is critical
• Focus on the most marginalised: Clearly articulate how your project addresses cultural prejudice, exploitation, or vulnerability affecting the most disadvantaged communities

References

• The Beatrice Gilmore Charitable Trust website: https://beatricegilmoretrust.org.uk
• Charity Commission register entry for The Beatrice Gilmore Charitable Trust (Charity No. 1200074): https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/en/charity-search/-/charity-details/5194402/full-print
• The Beatrice Gilmore Charitable Trust “About Us” page: https://beatricegilmoretrust.org.uk/about-us/
• The Beatrice Gilmore Charitable Trust “Apply” page: https://beatricegilmoretrust.org.uk/grants/grant-making-cycle/
• The Beatrice Gilmore Charitable Trust “Funded Projects” page: https://beatricegilmoretrust.org.uk/funded-projects/
• The Beatrice Gilmore Charitable Trust Trustees' Annual Report 2023 (via UK Charity Commission)