The Charity of Thomas Dawson
At a glance
Key takeaways
- If your work fits education or poverty relief in the OX1-4 postcode area or St Clement's Parish, this funder is worth approaching, but its grants are modest, usually up to £1,000 for individuals and up to £10,000 for organisations, so ask within those bands.
- Applications are accepted on a rolling basis: complete the appropriate form and send it to Office@CoTD.org.uk.
- Organisations need a governing document, at least three unrelated people on the governing body, a bank account with two unrelated signatories, and safeguarding policies in place.
- Do not apply for staff costs or salaries, for full university fees, for support beyond a first degree, or as an independent or private school, and do not apply at all if monitoring on a previous award is overdue.
- Individuals should check the residence and age rules first: educational grants need three years' residence in OX1-4 and exclude anyone aged 25 or over, while parish support needs one year's residence in the parish and a supporting statement or sponsor.
Overview
The Charity of Thomas Dawson is a charity registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales (charity number 1205844).
The Charity of Thomas Dawson (charity number 1205844) began from the bequest of a number of tenements, and it continues to support the church of St Clement and the poor of the parish. Its poverty relief works partly through supporting education in all forms. Half of its net annual income goes to the Parochial Church Council of St Clement, and the other half funds grants to individuals and institutions for education, bursaries and poverty relief. Its annual report records annual giving of £270,643.
What they fund
Priority Areas
The Charity supports the Church of St Clement and the poor of its parish, with poverty relief delivered in part through education. It makes grants to individuals and to organisations providing education and development opportunities for young people, and supports poverty-relief work for people living in or organisations serving the parish. Educational grants focus largely on community-based organisations, which it considers best placed to deliver public benefit and sustainable local change. Its organisational grants support work for low-income and disadvantaged groups. Organisation applicants must meet governance and banking requirements, and eligible requests are assessed against the Charity’s objects and geographical criteria.
Themes
- Church support
- Poverty relief
- Education
Geographic Focus
OX1-4 postcode; St Clement’s Parish.
What they don't fund
- Staff costs as part of any grant
- Applications from any applicant where monitoring on previous awards is overdue
- Further applications from organisations receiving their first grant until they submit a satisfactory monitoring report
- Applications from organisations without a governing document, a governing body of at least three unrelated individuals, and a bank account in the organisation’s name with at least two unrelated signatories
- Grants to organisations that cannot demonstrate that safeguarding is a priority and that they have adequate safeguarding policies and procedures in place
- Educational Individual only:
- Full fees for university degrees
- Support beyond first degree
- individuals aged 25 or over at the time of application
- individuals who have not resided in OX1-4 for 3 years, except that in exceptional circumstances a shorter qualifying period may suffice
- applications without a supporting statement/sponsor
- Educational Organisation/school only:
- Payments for independent or private schools
- retrospective claims
- Salaries for any staff
- organisations providing education and development opportunities for people aged 25 or over
- organisations outside OX1-4
- Parish Community support Individual/Family only:
- Rent/Council tax/Debts
- retrospective claims
- individuals who have not resided in the Parish of St Clements for 1 year, except that in exceptional circumstances a shorter qualifying period may suffice
- applications without a supporting statement/sponsor/debt advice worker/social services/Social worker
- Parish Community support Organisation/School only:
- Payments for independent or private schools
- retrospective claims
- Salaries for permanent staff
How to apply
Applicants complete the appropriate application form and send it to Office@CoTD.org.uk.
What to send:
- Educational grants for individuals: Application form; supporting statement/sponsor.
Applying again: Organisations receiving their first grant must submit a satisfactory monitoring report before further applications; applications are not accepted where monitoring on previous awards is overdue.
Application success factors
What the charity says:
- Applications should fit the Charity’s objects and geographical criteria.
- Applicant organisations must have a governing document, at least three unrelated people on the governing body, and a bank account with two unrelated signatories.
- Applicant organisations must show that safeguarding is a priority and have adequate safeguarding policies and procedures.
- The Charity normally expects grant offers to include up to three agreed measures of success.
- Organisations must submit satisfactory monitoring before the Charity will accept further applications.
Where they fund
Where it says it funds
Similar funders
Funders supporting work similar to The Charity of Thomas Dawson.
2 years of accounts
| Financial year | Income | Expenditure | Grants paid | Accounts document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| year to 30 November 2024 | £637,906 | £842,211 | £518,611 | Accounts for year to 30 November 2024 |
| year to 30 November 2025 | £655,364 | £703,171 | £270,643 | Accounts for year to 30 November 2025 |
Income vs grants paid
IncomeGrants paid
Total value each financial year
Grants paid stayed within income across the 2 years shown.
- Grants paid, year to 30 November 2024: grants to institutions, as reported on the charity register (Part B).
- Grants paid, year to 30 November 2025: the accounts do not say whether this is grants awarded or paid.
Figures from the charity’s filed accounts and its register entry. The document icon links to the charity’s entry on the Charity Commission register, where its filed accounts can be found.
Sources
Registers and filings
Other sources
- cotd.org.uk · read on 30 October 2026
- cotd.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/2025-06-Grant-making-policy-final.pdf · read on 30 October 2026
- cotd.org.uk/grant-giving-oxford · read on 30 October 2026
- cotd.org.uk/about · read on 30 October 2026
- Annual report (year to 30 November 2025)
This profile draws on the funder’s own website as well as its filed accounts.
Sources last checked on 30 October 2026.
🎯 You've done the research. Now write an application they can't refuse.
Hinchilla combines funder's specific priorities with your organisation's past successful grants and AI analysis of what reviewers want to see.
Data privacy and security by default
Your organisation's past successful grants and experience
AI analysis of what reviewers want to see
A compelling draft application in 10 minutes instead of 10 hours
Spotted something that needs correcting? Let us know
At a glance
Applying to The Charity of Thomas Dawson?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- 01865 634301source
- Office@CoTD.org.uksource
- The Charity of Thomas Dawson, St Clement’s Community Centre, Cross Street, Oxford OX4 1DAsource
- cotd.org.uk
- Apply online
Applying to The Charity of Thomas Dawson?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- 01865 634301source
- Office@CoTD.org.uksource
- The Charity of Thomas Dawson, St Clement’s Community Centre, Cross Street, Oxford OX4 1DAsource
- cotd.org.uk
- Apply online