The Childhood Trust

Charity Number: 1154032

Annual Expenditure: £3.4M
Throughout London

Contact Info

Website: www.childhoodtrust.org.uk

Phone: 07882 812698

Email: info@childhoodtrust.org.uk

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £6,000,000 (2024)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed (receives more applications than can be supported)
  • Decision Time: Campaign-based (applications reviewed before each campaign cycle)
  • Grant Range: £4,000 - £100,000+ (via match funding)
  • Geographic Focus: All 33 London boroughs

Contact Details

Website: www.childhoodtrust.org.uk

Email: info@childhoodtrust.org.uk

Phone: 07882 812698

Pre-application Support: The Childhood Trust provides capacity-building workshops for charities on topics including campaign messaging and social media effectiveness.

Overview

Founded in 2013, The Childhood Trust is London's child poverty charity dedicated to alleviating the impact of poverty on children across the capital. Since inception, the charity has raised over £37 million through match-funding campaigns facilitated by The Big Give platform, supporting more than 900 projects and benefiting over 1.2 million children. The charity operates a unique funding model, working with approximately 135 carefully selected charity partners through two annual campaigns: Champions for Children (June/Summer) and Christmas Challenge (December). In 2024, The Childhood Trust raised £6 million for 113 charities, benefiting over 185,000 children. Their current 2023-2026 impact strategy, “Prepared for Life,” focuses on breaking the cycle of poverty through programmes addressing children's practical and emotional needs. In 2024, Grant Gordon OBE, the charity's founder and chair, was awarded an OBE for services to children and families.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Champions for Children (Summer Give Campaign)

  • Amount: £4,000 - £100,000+ (match-funded projects)
  • Application Method: Online via The Big Give platform
  • Timing: Applications typically open in early spring for June campaign
  • 2024 Results: Raised £5,006,400 supporting 84 charity partners reaching 185,000 children

Christmas Challenge Campaign

  • Amount: £4,000 - £100,000+ (match-funded projects)
  • Application Method: Online via The Big Give platform
  • Timing: Applications typically open in summer/autumn for December campaign
  • 2024 Results: Raised £6.4 million supporting programmes for over 190,000 children

Match Funding Structure: Charities must raise 50% of their target through online donations during the campaign week. The other 50% comes from matching funds: 25% from pledgers and 25% from The Childhood Trust. Charities must secure a minimum of £2,000 in pledges to be eligible.

Partnership Tracks: The Childhood Trust offers two funding tracks:

  • Grassroots Partner: For smaller charities
  • Synergy Partner: For larger charities with more established fundraising capacity

Priority Areas

The “Prepared for Life” 2023-2026 impact strategy focuses on four priority areas:

  1. Health: Fighting food insecurity, malnutrition, and health inequalities
  2. Resilience: Addressing children's mental health and emotional wellbeing
  3. Safety: Tackling squalid living conditions and preventing children from feeling lonely and vulnerable
  4. Confidence: Reducing the impact of educational inequalities

Beneficiaries: Projects must primarily benefit children experiencing poverty, demonstrated by poverty measures such as IDACI scores, Free School Meals eligibility, Pupil Premium status, or low household income.

Services Funded: Nutritious meals, purposeful play, safe spaces from gangs and violence, mentoring, therapy, learning support, arts bursaries, life-changing experiences, free childcare, support for child trafficking victims, and more.

What They Don't Fund

  • Religious activities
  • Capital costs
  • Grants exceeding 10% of an applicant's last annual income
  • Organizations outside London
  • Direct grants to individuals (funding provided through charity partners only)

Governance and Leadership

Chair and Founder: Grant Gordon OBE - Philanthropist who chairs a portfolio of UK charities including The Childhood Trust, The Cabrach Trust, and The Reekimlane Foundation. Awarded OBE in 2024 for services to children and families.

Chief Executive: Josephine McCartney (joined February 10, 2025) - Brings over 23 years of charitable sector experience from roles including CEO of Kent Community Foundation, and senior leadership positions at Imperial College Healthcare Charity and the Royal National Institute for Blind People.

McCartney states: "I'm thrilled to be joining this wonderful charity doing so much good work addressing unimaginable levels of poverty that children and families are facing in London today. I'm excited to work with charity partners to achieve more together, and believe there is much more that can be done in collaboration with other funders in London to address increasing child poverty across the capital."

Board of Trustees:

  • Grant Gordon OBE (Chair)
  • Galiema Amien Cloete (Trustee)
  • David Rhodes (Trustee)
  • Nicola Horlick (Trustee)
  • Lesley O'Mara (Trustee)
  • Rebecca Jacques (Trustee)
  • Mathias Hink (Trustee - Treasurer)
  • Jonathan Kelly (Trustee)

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

  1. Submit application including project details, budget, and outcomes aligned with one of four priority areas

Eligibility Requirements

  • UK-registered charity with Charity Commission number or tax-exempt status
  • Minimum one year of filed accounts
  • Annual income of £25,000 or more (as per last filed accounts)
  • Operating in London (all 33 boroughs eligible)
  • Existing supporter base and appetite to engage with public fundraising
  • Active trustee board or major donors prepared to make pledges
  • Ability to secure minimum £2,000 in pledges
  • Project must benefit children experiencing poverty
  • Cannot apply for grant exceeding 10% of last annual income

Decision Timeline

  • Initial Review: Applications reviewed against minimum criteria in Grant Making Policy
  • Assessment: Applications assessed on key areas including alignment with priority areas, evidence of outcomes, and fundraising capacity
  • Notification: Successful applicants notified before campaign launch
  • Campaign Period: Typically one week during which online donations are matched
  • Grant Distribution: Funds distributed following campaign completion

Success Rates

The Childhood Trust receives more applications than they can support, making the process competitive. Specific success rate percentages are not publicly disclosed. In 2024, 113 charities were selected across both campaigns from a larger applicant pool.

Reapplication Policy

Information about reapplication policies for unsuccessful applicants is not publicly disclosed. Charities are encouraged to contact info@childhoodtrust.org.uk for guidance.

Application Success Factors

Capacity Building Support

The Childhood Trust builds charity partners' capacity to run successful fundraising campaigns through workshops covering:

  • Campaign messaging formulation
  • Social media effectiveness
  • Digital fundraising techniques

Key Success Factors

  1. Strong Supporter Base: The charity looks for organizations with existing supporters and an appetite to engage with them and the general public
  2. Active Pledgers: Having active trustees or major donors prepared to make pledges to kickstart fundraising is crucial for campaign success
  3. Clear Outcomes: Demonstrating measurable outcomes against one of the four priority impact goals (Physical Health, Mental Wellbeing, Home & Community Environment, Learning & Work Readiness)
  4. Evidence of Poverty Impact: Clear demonstration that children experiencing poverty are primary beneficiaries using recognized poverty measures
  5. Fundraising Capacity: Ability to mobilize supporters and raise 50% of target through online donations during campaign week

Examples of Funded Projects

The Childhood Trust has funded diverse projects including:

  • Transforming Spaces Programme: Redecorates disadvantaged children's bedrooms and local youth clubs/community centres
  • Food Security Projects: Providing nutritious meals, food vouchers, and parcels (1,764,393 meals provided in 2023-2024)
  • Mental Health Support: Emotional and mental health services for 21,999 children in 2023-2024
  • Educational Support: 162,793 homework clubs, academic support, and soft skill sessions in 2023-2024
  • Essential Items: 3,030 essential items and vouchers provided in 2023-2024

Impact Evidence

Projects report strong outcomes:

  • 92% reported children had lower stress and anxiety levels
  • 86% reported children had more ideas for their future goals
  • 100% reported improvement in children's home environment
  • 92% reported children improved nutritional intake

Terminology and Language

The charity consistently uses language emphasizing:

  • “Breaking the cycle of poverty”
  • “Prepared for life”
  • “Healthy, happy and safe childhood”
  • “Practical and emotional needs”
  • “Alleviating the impact of poverty”

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  1. Match Funding Model Requires Active Fundraising: Unlike traditional grants, success depends on your ability to mobilize supporters during a one-week campaign period. Have pledgers ready with at least £2,000 committed before applying.
  1. Align with Priority Areas: Clearly demonstrate how your project addresses one or more of the four impact goals (Health, Resilience, Safety, Confidence) with measurable outcomes.
  1. London Focus is Absolute: All projects must serve children in London boroughs. Demonstrate poverty impact using recognized measures (IDACI, FSM, Pupil Premium).
  1. Build Capacity First: Take advantage of workshops and capacity-building support to strengthen your digital fundraising capabilities before applying.
  1. Scale Appropriately: Ensure your grant request doesn't exceed 10% of your annual income and that you have realistic capacity to raise 50% of your target through online donations.
  1. Timing is Crucial: Plan ahead for two annual windows (spring and autumn applications). Campaign success requires months of preparation with donors and trustees.
  1. Partner Relationship is Long-term: The Childhood Trust works with a network of 135 carefully selected charities. Selection as a partner offers ongoing opportunities across multiple campaigns, not just one-off funding.

Similar Funders

These funders frequently fund the same charities:

References