The Elizabeth Hardie Ferguson Charitable Trust Fund

Charity Number: CUSTOM_2E5D17D0

Annual Expenditure: £0.3M

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £311,349 (2023)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly available
  • Decision Time: Not publicly available
  • Grant Range: Not publicly specified
  • Geographic Focus: UK-wide and overseas

Contact Details

Address: 2nd Floor Barfield House, 26-28 Alderley Road, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 1PL

Charity Number: SC026240 (Scottish Charity)

Website: None publicly listed

Note: No public contact details (email or phone) are available through charity registers.

Overview

The Elizabeth Hardie Ferguson Charitable Trust Fund was established in 1997 by Sir Alex Ferguson in memory of his mother, Elizabeth Hardie Ferguson. Since its founding, the Trust has distributed over £2 million to charitable causes throughout the UK. The Trust operates primarily as a fundraising body, holding regular gala dinners that have raised substantial sums—including £400,000 at a 2024 event. With an income of £724,898 and expenditure of £311,349 in the year ending April 2023, the Trust supports charitable organizations at the discretion of its trustees. The Trust is especially committed to the welfare and wellbeing of children and young people, and also actively supports medical research charities and hospitals requiring medical equipment.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Trust does not appear to operate formal grant programs with specific application cycles. Instead, the trustees exercise sole discretion in determining which charitable organizations or activities to support. Funding decisions are made on a discretionary basis rather than through an open application process.

Priority Areas

The Trust focuses on:

  • Children and young people's welfare and wellbeing - Primary focus area
  • Medical research - Particularly children's cancer research
  • Hospital equipment - Supporting hospitals in need of medical equipment
  • General charitable purposes including:
  • Prevention or relief of poverty
  • Advancement of education
  • Advancement of health
  • Saving of lives
  • Advancement of citizenship or community development
  • Advancement of the arts, heritage, culture or science
  • Relief of those in need by reason of age, ill-health, disability, financial hardship or other disadvantage

What They Don't Fund

No specific exclusions are publicly listed, though the broad discretionary nature of the Trust means funding decisions rest entirely with the trustees.

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Governance and Leadership

The Trust is governed by trustees who exercise sole discretion over funding decisions. Sir Alex Ferguson established the Trust in memory of his mother and remains connected to its activities.

Specific trustee names and backgrounds are not publicly available through charity registers or published materials.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

No formal public application process is advertised. The charity register indicates that the Trust makes grants to both individuals and organizations, but there is no publicly available website, application form, or published guidelines for how organizations can request funding.

Given the discretionary nature of the Trust, funding appears to be awarded proactively by trustees rather than through an open application process. Organizations wishing to be considered for support would likely need to contact the Trust directly at their registered address in Wilmslow.

Decision Timeline

Not publicly available.

Success Rates

No data available on application volumes or success rates.

Reapplication Policy

Not publicly available.

Application Success Factors

Given the lack of public application process, specific success factors are difficult to determine. However, based on the Trust's stated priorities and known beneficiaries:

Known Beneficiaries:

  • Friends of Rosie (children's cancer research charity) - Received funding for three active children's cancer research projects
  • NHS organizations - Supported through fundraising events
  • Various organizations focused on children's welfare and medical equipment

Strategic Approach:

The Trust appears to identify and support causes aligned with its mission rather than responding to open applications. The connection to Sir Alex Ferguson and the focus on tangible community impact (particularly for children's welfare and medical research) appear to be guiding principles.

Suggested Approach:

Since there is no formal application process, organizations working in the Trust's priority areas (children's welfare, medical research, hospital equipment) may wish to:

  • Write directly to the trustees at the registered address
  • Clearly articulate how the project aligns with children's welfare or medical research
  • Demonstrate tangible community impact
  • Provide specific funding needs (particularly for equipment or research projects)

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No open application process - This Trust operates on a discretionary basis with no advertised application route
  • Strong focus on children - Welfare and wellbeing of children and young people is the primary commitment
  • Medical research priority - Particularly children's cancer research and hospital equipment needs
  • Fundraising model - The Trust generates income through gala dinners and events rather than endowment income alone
  • UK-wide scope - While registered in Scotland, the Trust supports causes throughout the UK
  • Direct approach needed - Without a formal process, direct contact with trustees at the registered address is likely necessary
  • Discretionary decision-making - Funding decisions rest entirely with trustees rather than published criteria

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