The Equilibrium Foundation

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £173,883 (2024)
• Grant Range: £500 - £30,000
• Geographic Focus: North West England (Cheshire, Greater Manchester, Merseyside, Lancashire, Cumbria)
• Decision Time: 3 months (Major Awards), 4 weeks (Community Support Scheme)
• Total Distributed Since 2010: Over £1 million

Contact Details

• Website: equilibrium.co.uk/charity
• Email: charity@equilibrium.co.uk
• Phone (New enquiries): 0161 383 3335
• Phone (Existing clients): 0161 486 2250
• Charity Number: 1136933

Overview

The Equilibrium Foundation was established in July 2010 by Equilibrium Asset Management (founded in 1995) to make people's lives better by supporting charitable causes across the North West of England. With total income of £192,855 and expenditure of £173,883 in the year ending August 2024, the foundation has distributed over £1 million to charitable causes since inception. Governed by five trustees and supported by 46 volunteers, the foundation focuses particularly on education and disability charities, helping people experiencing disadvantages to have better opportunities for learning and employment. The foundation predominantly assists charitable activities by making grants to organisations nominated by staff and clients of Equilibrium Asset Management, with a focus on the young, the elderly, and other causes with personal connections to the Equilibrium community.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Major Grant Awards (Annual)

• Amount: £30,000 total fund (2025)
• 2025 Focus: Education and employment initiatives for individuals aged 16 and over
• Previous Awards: £60,000 distributed in 2023 to seven organizations focusing on child poverty
• Application Method: Fixed annual cycle with online application
• Timeline: Applications open March 10, close May 16, winners announced August

Community Support Scheme (Biannual)

• Amount: Up to £500 per grant
• Recipients: Five winners selected twice yearly
• Application Method: Rolling online applications reviewed every six months
• Coverage Area: Greater Manchester, Cheshire East, and Cheshire West
• Established: 2015
• Next Deadline: March 1, 2026 (then September 7, 2025 cycle)

Priority Areas

The foundation supports a wide range of organizations with particular emphasis on:

• Education and skills development - Programs developing people's skills and employability
• Disability support - Organizations helping children and young people with disabilities access specialized equipment and services
• Youth development - Programs serving children and young people, particularly addressing disadvantage
• Poverty alleviation - Initiatives tackling child poverty and family hardship in the North West
• Employment pathways - Training and opportunities for individuals to improve employment prospects
• Community wellbeing - Local charities making positive contributions to North West communities

Recent grant recipients have addressed hygiene poverty, youth sports programs, homelessness support, gang prevention, family support, play therapy, and accessibility initiatives.

What They Don't Fund

For the Community Support Scheme, exclusions include:

• Individual applicants (organizations only)
• Political activities
• Animal welfare projects
• Commercial enterprises

For Major Grant Awards, eligibility requires:

• Organizations must be UK registered charities or exempt charities with HMRC number
• Income must be less than £500,000 in last financial year
• Main office must be registered in Cheshire, Greater Manchester, Merseyside, Lancashire, or Cumbria
• Work must be exclusively or mainly in these areas

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Governance and Leadership

Trustees (5 members, unpaid):

• Colin Lawson (Founder and Managing Partner of Equilibrium)
• Debbie Jukes
• Helen Besant-Roberts
• Sarah Warburton
• Katy Littler

Colin Lawson founded Equilibrium Asset Management on August 10, 1995, and established the Equilibrium Foundation in 2010 to formalize the company's charitable giving through staff and client nominations.

The foundation operates with no paid trustees, with all trustees receiving no remuneration, payments, or benefits from the charity. The organization is supported by 46 volunteers who contribute to its operations.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

Major Grant Awards

Applications are submitted through an online process available on the Equilibrium Foundation website. The application cycle follows a fixed annual timeline:

1. March 10: Applications open
2. May 16: Application deadline
3. June: Review and shortlisting by expert panel
4. August: Winners announced

The judging panel includes Equilibrium clients, external charity experts, and foundation representatives. For the 2023 awards, the panel included Equilibrium client Chris Fox, The Bursary Foundation founder Jenny Hopkinson, and Think Philanthropy's Andrew Evans.

Community Support Scheme

Applications are submitted via online form available on the foundation website. The scheme operates on a biannual cycle:

• Submission Deadlines: Twice yearly (next deadline: March 1, 2026)
• Selection: Five winners chosen each round
• Review Process: Rolling applications reviewed at deadline
• Notification: Within 4 weeks of submission deadline for successful applicants

For both programs, organizations can contact the foundation with queries at charity@equilibrium.co.uk or call 0161 383 3335 for new enquiries.

Decision Timeline

Major Grant Awards: Approximately 5 months from application opening to announcement

• Application period: March 10 - May 16 (2 months)
• Review period: June (1 month)
• Announcement: August (2 months after close)

Community Support Scheme: Within 4 weeks of submission deadline for successful applicants (unsuccessful applicants may experience different timelines)

Success Rates

Specific success rate statistics are not publicly disclosed. However, the foundation notes receiving “a huge number of applications from such well-deserving organisations” for their major grant awards, indicating competitive selection.

For the Major Grant Awards, the foundation awarded 7 organizations in 2023 from the pool of applications received.

For the Community Support Scheme, 5 winners are selected from each biannual round of applications.

Reapplication Policy

Community Support Scheme: Unsuccessful applicants are explicitly encouraged to reapply in future rounds. There is no stated waiting period or restriction on reapplication.

Major Grant Awards: No specific reapplication policy is stated, but the annual theme changes suggest organizations addressing different focus areas may have opportunities in subsequent years.

Application Success Factors

Based on the foundation's documented priorities and recent awards, successful applications demonstrate:

Alignment with Annual Theme: The foundation selects different focus areas each year. For 2025, strong applications will focus specifically on education and employment initiatives for individuals aged 16 and over. The 2023 theme was alleviating child poverty in the North West, where 34% of children live in poverty. Tailoring your application to the stated annual theme is critical.

Geographic Specificity: All recent recipients are based in specific North West locations (Wilmslow, Bolton, Chester, Salford, Wigan, Trafford, Wythenshawe, Manchester). Applications must demonstrate clear registration and operation within Cheshire, Greater Manchester, Merseyside, Lancashire, or Cumbria.

Measurable Impact on Specific Beneficiaries: Successful 2023 recipients showed tangible project outcomes:

• Bolton Toy Library used funds to appoint a new Diversity Support Worker
• Norbrook Youth Club enhanced kitchen facilities for cooking classes with accessibility improvements
• Prevent2Protect expanded workshop reach and frequency for gang prevention education

Financial Appropriateness: Organizations must have income under £500,000 in their last financial year, positioning the foundation to support smaller-to-medium sized charities where grants can make significant impact.

Connection to Equilibrium Community: The foundation “predominantly seeks to assist charitable activities by making grants to organisations which have been nominated by the staff and clients of Equilibrium Asset Management.” While not an absolute requirement, connections through staff or client nominations may strengthen applications.

Clear Project Focus: Whether applying for unrestricted funding (requiring organizational work to principally develop skills and employability) or project funding (requiring a specific project in this area), clarity about how funds will be used is essential.

Practical, Concrete Solutions: Recent awards went to organizations providing tangible support - hygiene products, specialized equipment, kitchen facilities, workshop expansion - rather than purely advocacy or research initiatives.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Theme alignment is paramount: The foundation changes focus annually. For 2025, only education and employment initiatives for ages 16+ will be considered. Review the current year's theme before applying.

• Geographic boundaries are strict: Your organization's main office must be registered in the specified North West regions (Cheshire, Greater Manchester, Merseyside, Lancashire, or Cumbria) with work exclusively or mainly in these areas.

• Two pathways to funding: Consider both the major grants (£30,000 fund, competitive, annual) and Community Support Scheme (£500, biannual, potentially less competitive) based on your project scale.

• Income ceiling matters: Organizations with income over £500,000 are ineligible for major grants. This focuses funding on smaller-to-medium charities.

• Connection helps: While not required, nominations from Equilibrium staff or clients strengthen applications. Consider whether your organization has any existing connections to leverage.

• Reapplication is welcomed: If unsuccessful in the Community Support Scheme, the foundation explicitly encourages reapplication. Don't be discouraged from trying again.

• Decision timelines are transparent: Major grants follow a published timeline (March-August). Community Support Scheme applicants can expect responses within 4 weeks of deadlines, allowing for planning.

References

• The Equilibrium Foundation Charity Overview - Equilibrium website
• Equilibrium Foundation Grant Awards - Application information and 2025 focus
• Community Support Scheme - Application details and eligibility
• Equilibrium Foundation Grant Awards 2023 - Details of 2023 recipients and grant amounts
• Winners of Community Support Scheme – Spring 2025 - Recent scheme recipients
• Charity Commission Register - The Equilibrium Foundation (1136933) - Financial information and governance
• Meet the team at Equilibrium - Leadership and trustee information
• OpenCharities - The Equilibrium Foundation - Charity purpose and governance details