The Charles & Elsie Sykes Trust

The Charles & Elsie Sykes Trust is a charity registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales (charity number 1204728).

The Charles & Elsie Sykes Trust awards grants to qualifying charities to help them achieve their charitable goals, primarily for beneficiaries in the Yorkshire area. It was launched when its founder achieved a life ambition, and it was renamed after a later death in recognition of a considerable contribution. Its giving falls into four kinds of grant: Annual Grants for ongoing programmes that are repeated over a number of years, Medical Grants for healthcare and medical research, Special Grants for one-off charitable projects, and Exceptional Grants, which are usually well in excess of its normal level of giving. Its annual giving was £966,075 paid.

Priority Areas

The Trust awards grants to qualifying charities to help them achieve their charitable goals, primarily for beneficiaries in Yorkshire. It especially welcomes applications from charities focused on Yorkshire beneficiaries that help people suffering from poverty, disability, homelessness, domestic abuse and addiction; it also emphasises children, young people and the elderly, music and singing linked to education and access to musical events for less fortunate people, hospital equipment and public-health initiatives. For medical research it is particularly keen to receive applications from Yorkshire-based research institutions. Eligible applicants include charities registered with the Charity Commission, exempt or excepted charities, and Community Interest Companies. Non-medical applications must directly benefit Yorkshire projects; medical research may serve beneficiaries throughout the UK. Grants are awarded to qualifying, active, effective and prudently run charities by trustees.

Themes

• Poverty
• Disability
• Homelessness
• Domestic abuse and addiction
• Children and the elderly
• Music and education
• Medical research

Geographic Focus

Yorkshire; UK.

Submit the completed application form with the documents uploaded to it. The appropriate subcommittee considers qualifying applications and recommends them to the next quarterly Trustees’ meeting for approval.

Deadlines: Applications must be received by the last Monday of January, April, July and October for the following Trustees’ meeting.

Application windows:

• Applications must be received by the last Monday in January for the following meeting.
• Applications must be received by the last Monday in April for the following meeting.
• Applications must be received by the last Monday in July for the following meeting.
• Applications must be received by the last Monday in October for the following meeting.

Who can apply:

• Your organisation must be registered with the Charity Commission, be an Exempt or Excepted charity, or a Community Interest Company (CIC)
• Hospice grant applications will only be considered if the application is for medical equipment

What to send:

• The Trust Online Application Form
• The Trust Checklist
• Your Charity’s most recent and up to date Annual Report and Accounts
• Audited accounts, independently examined accounts, or for charities with income under £25,000, the accounts you would normally produce

Applying again: If you are unsuccessful, you may make a fresh application, either for the same charitable purpose or for alternative projects, at any time. If you are successful, you may apply for another grant only after 12 months has passed since your previous successful grant application.

What the charity says:

• The Trust particularly welcomes applications focused on Yorkshire beneficiaries and its stated priority areas.
• For medical research, it is particularly keen to receive applications from Yorkshire-based research institutions.
• The Trustees consider each application using the information provided, any further information they consider necessary, visits and follow-up reports.
• The Trust awards grants to qualifying, active, effective and prudently run charities.