The Constance Travis Charitable Trust

Charity Number: 294540

Annual Expenditure: £3.1M

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £3.1 million (charitable activities expenditure)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly available (invitation-only)
  • Decision Time: Not publicly specified
  • Grant Range: £8,000 - £100,000
  • Geographic Focus: Local, national and international
  • Total Income (2024): £5.1 million
  • Application Process: Invitation only

Contact Details

Address: 86 Drayton Gardens, London SW10 9SB

Email: travistrust86@yahoo.co.uk

Charity Number: 294540

Website: www.constancetravistrust.com

Note: The Trust does not accept unsolicited applications. Contact should only be made if formally invited by the trustees.

Overview

The Constance Travis Charitable Trust was established in 1986, endowed by Constance and Ray Travis. Constance Mary Travis (1911-2015) was a stage actress who married into the family that owned the firm that eventually became Travis Perkins, the timber and building materials chain. In later life, she became a philanthropist and the Trust has grown into one of Britain's leading family grant-making trusts. With total assets generating over £5.1 million in annual income (2024) and charitable expenditure of £3.1 million, the Trust supports approximately 90 charities annually through a mix of major and smaller grants. Following a strategic review, the trustees have chosen to concentrate their support on carefully selected national and international charities, significantly reducing the number of beneficiaries to focus on larger, more strategic grants.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Trust operates a two-tier grant structure:

  • Major Grants: Average £50,000 per award (approximately 45 charities annually)
  • Smaller Grants: Average £8,000 per award (approximately 45 charities annually)
  • Overall Range: £20,000 - £100,000 for eligible registered charities, exempt charities, and registered community amateur sports clubs

Priority Areas

The Trust's strategic allocation covers a broad range of charitable activities:

  • Medical Care and Research: Supporting health and wellbeing initiatives (confirmed funding to MND Association for care services in Northamptonshire)
  • Environmental Protection: Conservation and environmental initiatives
  • International Aid: Humanitarian and development work (confirmed support to MapAction)
  • Animal Welfare: Animal protection and rescue organizations
  • Community Projects: Local community development and support
  • Social Mobility Enhancement: Projects addressing inequality and deprivation
  • Educational Projects: Learning and development opportunities
  • Arts Outreach: Arts education and accessibility programs

What They Don't Fund

While not explicitly detailed in public materials, the Trust focuses on registered charities and community amateur sports clubs. Following their strategic review, they have moved away from supporting smaller local organizations in favor of larger national and international charities.

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Governance and Leadership

The Trust is governed by 4 trustees who receive no remuneration for their service. The Trust operates with no employees.

Key Contact: Ernest Raymond Anthony Travis (born May 1943) serves as the primary contact for the Trust. He is the son of Constance and Ray Travis and is identified as a retired businessman. Applications are directed to him at the London address.

The trustees conduct strategic reviews to assess the Trust's direction and have demonstrated a willingness to significantly shift their grant-making approach to maximize impact.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

This Trust does not accept unsolicited applications.

Following a strategic review, the Constance Travis Charitable Trust operates on an invitation-only basis. The trustees have decided to make donations to fewer, larger national and international charities and have considerably reduced the number of charities previously supported.

Although the trustees may make grants with no formal application process, they may, if considered appropriate, invite organizations to submit a formal application. The invitation process is entirely at the discretion of the trustees, who proactively identify and reach out to organizations they wish to support based on their strategic objectives.

The Trust regrets that it is unable to consider new unsolicited applications for the foreseeable future, and prospective applicants are asked to only contact the Trust if formally invited to do so.

Decision Timeline

Decision timelines are not publicly specified. Given the invitation-only nature and trustee-led approach, decisions are made at the trustees' discretion rather than following fixed cycles.

Success Rates

Success rate data is not publicly available. As the Trust operates on an invitation-only basis, traditional success rate metrics do not apply.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable due to invitation-only status. Organizations are asked not to submit unsolicited applications or reapplications.

Application Success Factors

Given the invitation-only nature of this Trust, traditional application success factors do not apply. However, the following insights may be valuable:

Strategic Alignment: The Trust has undergone a strategic review and refocused on larger national and international charities. Organizations that align with this scale and the Trust's eight priority areas (medical care, environment, international aid, animal welfare, community projects, social mobility, education, and arts) are more likely to be considered.

Established Track Record: The Trust appears to favor established charities with proven impact, as evidenced by their support for well-known organizations like the MND Association and MapAction.

Scale of Impact: With average major grants of £50,000 and a focus on national and international organizations, the Trust seeks charities that can demonstrate significant impact at scale.

Trustee Connections: As a family trust with trustee-led decision-making, relationships and connections with the trustees or their network may play a role in identification of potential beneficiaries.

Examples of Funded Work:

  • MND Association: Care and support services for people affected by motor neurone disease across Northamptonshire
  • MapAction: International humanitarian mapping and crisis response
  • Various organizations through the Northamptonshire Community Foundation's Constance Travis funds supporting young people, crime reduction, and community safety

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Invitation-only status: Do not submit unsolicited applications - the Trust will not respond to them
  • Strategic shift to scale: The Trust has deliberately moved toward supporting fewer, larger national and international charities rather than many smaller local organizations
  • Substantial grant amounts: Major grants average £50,000, making this a significant potential funder for established charities
  • Broad charitable interests: Eight priority areas provide diverse opportunities across medical, environmental, humanitarian, social welfare, and cultural sectors
  • Family trust governance: Four trustees make decisions without staff, suggesting a personal, values-driven approach to grant-making
  • Strong financial position: With over £5 million in annual income and £3.1 million in charitable expenditure, the Trust has substantial resources
  • Relationship-driven: Given the invitation-only approach, building awareness of your work within relevant networks may be valuable, though direct solicitation is discouraged

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References

Frequently Asked Questions

What does The Constance Travis Charitable Trust fund?

Grant Programs The Trust operates a two-tier grant structure: Major Grants: Average £50,000 per award (approximately 45 charities annually) Smaller Grants: Average £8,000 per award (approximately 45 charities annually) Overall Range: £20,000 - £100,000 for eligible registered charities, exempt charities, and registered community amateur sports clubs Priority Areas The Trust's strategic allocation covers a broad range of charitable activities: Medical Care and Research: Supporting health and wellbeing initiatives (confirmed funding to MND Association for care services in Northamptonshire) Environmental Protection: Conservation and environmental initiatives International Aid: Humanitarian and development work (confirmed support to MapAction) Animal Welfare: Animal protection and rescue organizations Community Projects: Local community development and support Social Mobility Enhancement: Projects addressing inequality and deprivation Educational Projects: Learning and development opportunities Arts Outreach: Arts education and accessibility programs What They Don't Fund While not explicitly detailed in public materials, the Trust focuses on registered charities and community amateur sports clubs. Following their strategic review, they have moved away from supporting smaller local organizations in favor of larger national and international charities.

How much funding does The Constance Travis Charitable Trust provide?

The Constance Travis Charitable Trust provides grants ranging from £8,000 - £100,000, with total annual giving of approximately £3.1 million (charitable activities expenditure).

How do I contact The Constance Travis Charitable Trust?

Address: 86 Drayton Gardens, London SW10 9SB Email: travistrust86@yahoo. co.

Is The Constance Travis Charitable Trust a registered charity?

Yes, The Constance Travis Charitable Trust is a registered charity with the Charity Commission (charity number 294540). They primarily serve organisations in Throughout England And Wales.

How do I apply to The Constance Travis Charitable Trust?

The Constance Travis Charitable Trust operates on an invitation-only basis and does not accept unsolicited applications. They typically identify and approach charities they wish to support directly.

Where is The Constance Travis Charitable Trust based?

The Constance Travis Charitable Trust is based in London SW10 9SB. They fund organisations in Throughout England And Wales.