The Brelms Trust CIO

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £624,709 (2024)
• Success Rate: Information not available
• Decision Time: Quarterly trustee meetings
• Grant Range: £1,000 - £6,000 per year (up to £18,000 over 3 years)
• Geographic Focus: Yorkshire exclusively

Contact Details

• Website: www.brelmstrust.org.uk
• Email: admin@brelmstrust.org.uk
• Phone: Not available

Overview

The Brelms Trust CIO is a charitable incorporated organisation (registered charity number 1153372) originally established as a Charitable Trust in 2007 and registered as a CIO in 2013. The trust exclusively funds charities working in Yorkshire. The trust prioritises grant-giving to charities working at the heart of communities to tackle disadvantage. Their funding model supports both one-off grants and multi-year commitments of up to three consecutive years, with a focus on organisations that directly benefit Yorkshire communities.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

• Annual Grants: £1,000 - £6,000 (supporting staff salaries, volunteer expenses, running costs, and service provision)
• Multi-year Funding: Up to 3 consecutive years, maximum £18,000 total
• Application method: Quarterly trustee meetings

Priority Areas

• Charities working at the heart of communities to tackle disadvantage
• Organisations directly benefitting Yorkshire communities
• Staff salaries and employment costs
• Volunteer expenses
• Running costs and operational expenses
• Service provision
• Arts, education and sport
• Carers support
• Conservation
• Debt and benefits advice
• Domestic abuse and sexual violence
• Excluded young people
• Homelessness
• Older people facing isolation
• Physical and learning disabilities
• Physical and mental health
• Prevention of re-offending
• Refugees, asylum-seekers and ethnic minorities
• Rural isolation
• Substance misuse
• Support in bereavement
• Support for disadvantaged communities

What They Don't Fund

• Organisations outside Yorkshire
• 100% of project costs (applicants must demonstrate broader funding plans)
• Non-charitable organisations
• Charities with annual income exceeding £300,000
• Yorkshire branches of charities controlled by head offices outside Yorkshire (unless locally managed with local trustees and financial control)

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Governance and Leadership

Information about specific trustees and leadership is not publicly available through standard channels.

How to Apply to The Brelms Trust Cio

How to Apply

The Brelms Trust accepts applications from Yorkshire-based charities through an online application process. Applications must be submitted electronically with no paper copies or additional material. Applications are assessed throughout the year with grant awards made quarterly.

Decision Timeline

Trustees meet quarterly to review and award grants. All decisions are communicated by email as soon as possible after trustee meetings.

Success Rates

Specific success rate data is not publicly available. In 2024, the trust awarded 45 grants.

Reapplication Policy

• Existing or previous grantees must wait 12 months after submitting their final Monitoring and Evaluation Report before reapplying
• Previously rejected applications must wait 12 months from the rejection date before reapplying
• Trustees may offer a lower grant amount as an alternative to rejection
• No appeals process exists and trustees do not communicate reasons for rejections

Application Success Factors

• Geographic Eligibility: Must be a charity based in Yorkshire with beneficiaries exclusively in Yorkshire
• Financial Eligibility: Annual income must be less than £300,000, usually with unrestricted reserves of 6 months or less
• Local Control: Yorkshire branches of national charities need clear evidence of local management, local trustees, and local control of budgets
• Funding Mix: Demonstrate broader funding plans as the trust will not fund 100% of project costs
• Community Focus: Show clear evidence of working at the heart of communities to tackle disadvantage
• Budget Planning: Be prepared to work with partial funding (£1,000-£6,000 annual range)
• Long-term Vision: Consider whether multi-year funding (up to 3 years) would benefit your project
• Monitoring Requirements: Be prepared to complete annual Monitoring and Evaluation Reports and potentially host trustee visits

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Strict geographic restriction to Yorkshire-based charities serving Yorkshire communities
• Clear financial eligibility criteria (under £300,000 annual income, limited reserves)
• Modest grant sizes suitable for contributing to larger projects rather than sole funding
• Quarterly decision-making cycle allows for regular application opportunities
• Multi-year funding option provides stability for longer-term projects (up to £18,000 over 3 years)
• Essential to demonstrate diverse funding sources as they explicitly do not fund entire projects
• Focus applications on community-level disadvantage and direct beneficiary impact
• Online-only application process with strict reapplication waiting periods
• Comprehensive monitoring and evaluation requirements for successful grantees

Similar Funders

These funders have a similar focus and geographic reach:

• The Sylvia And Colin Shepherd Charitable Trust
• The Purey Cust Trust Cio
• The Jack Brunton Charitable Trust
• The Keith Howard Foundation
• Two Ridings Community Foundation
• West Riding Masonic Charities Limited
• Sir George Martin Trust
• The J G Graves Charitable Trust
• The Dashlight Foundation
• The Ken And Edna Morrison Charitable Trust

References

• The Brelms Trust CIO official website: www.brelmstrust.org.uk
• Charity Commission Register, Charity Number 1153372