The Eveson Trust

Charity Number: 1196672

Annual Expenditure: £5.1M
Birmingham City, Coventry City, Dudley, Herefordshire, Sandwell, Solihull, Walsall, Wolverhampton ... [1 more]

Contact Info

Website: https://www.eveson.org.uk

Phone: 01905 905085

Email: admin@eveson.org.uk

Be the first to know about new funding opportunities

Get notified when we add new funders to the directory

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £4.6 million (charitable activities expenditure, year ending March 2024)
  • Fund Value: Approximately £100 million
  • Decision Time: 1-6 months (monthly trustee meetings, but may take up to 6 months)
  • Grant Range: £3,000 - £50,000+ (proportionate to charity size)
  • Geographic Focus: Herefordshire, Worcestershire, and West Midlands metropolitan boroughs (Birmingham, Coventry, Wolverhampton, Dudley, Sandwell, Solihull, Walsall)

Contact Details

Address: Sansome Lodge, 6 Sansome Walk, Worcester, WR1 1LH

Phone: 01905 905085

Email: admin@eveson.org.uk

Website: https://www.eveson.org.uk

For grants of £50,000 or more, applicants should contact Chief Executive Claire Bowry to book an appointment to discuss eligibility.

Overview

The Eveson Trust was established under the will of the late Mrs Violet Eveson, who passed away in 1993. In April 2022, the trust converted to a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) and became The Eveson Trust (charity number 1196672), succeeding the Eveson Charitable Trust (charity number 1032204). The Trust operates from an endowment fund of approximately £100 million, generating all its income from investments rather than fundraising. To date, the Trust has awarded over £76 million in grants to charitable institutions across the West Midlands region. The Trust's mission reflects Violet Eveson's links with Herefordshire through hop farming and the West Midlands where she lived throughout her married life, focusing grant-making on registered charities supporting vulnerable people in these areas.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Regular Grants (Rolling basis, online application)

  • No set minimum or maximum
  • Awards proportionate to charity size and project scope
  • For example: a charity with £30,000 annual income unlikely to receive more than £5,000
  • Grants over £50,000 require pre-application appointment with Chief Executive
  • Funds revenue costs, project costs, and capital projects
  • Recent awards range from £3,000 to £50,000

Capital Grants (Rolling basis, online application)

  • For equipment, vehicles, or building renovation
  • Capital applications over £10,000 only considered from charities previously funded regularly
  • Must be within the Trust's geographic area

Enhance Grants (For previous grant holders only)

  • Up to £10,000 towards training or consultancy advice
  • Available to charities the Trust has supported previously

Priority Areas

The Trust supports registered charities helping:

People with Disabilities

  • Physical disabilities including blind and deaf people
  • Learning difficulties and special educational needs
  • Assistance and support services

Mental Health

  • People in need of mental health support services
  • Community mental health programs

Children and Young People (up to age 25)

  • Disadvantaged children including those living in poverty, with limited local facilities, young carers, children in/leaving care, children with parents in prison, children in refuges
  • Young people at risk of gang exploitation or in the justice system
  • Disabled or special needs children

Other Beneficiary Groups

  • Older people
  • People experiencing homelessness
  • Hospitals and hospices (note: no longer accepting medical research applications - the Trust now works with the University of Birmingham on strategic medical research funding)

What They Don't Fund

Organization Types:

  • Community Interest Companies (CICs)
  • Community Amateur Sports Clubs (CASCs)
  • Social enterprises
  • Unregistered charities
  • Charities funding other charities

Project Types:

  • Retrospective grants (work already completed or starting before decision)
  • Multi-year grants (by invitation only)
  • Overseas trips or activities
  • Individual support requests
  • Professional training/development for staff
  • Religious activities
  • Political activities
  • Animal welfare
  • Fundraising activities or fundraiser salaries
  • Legal costs
  • General awareness raising campaigns
  • General community support
  • Delivery of National Curriculum
  • Replacing statutory funding (schools with special needs may apply but Trust won't replace statutory obligations)
  • Capital improvements to community buildings like church halls or village halls (unless improving access or providing toilet facilities for people with disabilities)
  • Reclaimable VAT

Geographic Restrictions:

  • Capital projects located outside their funding area
  • Projects benefiting people outside Herefordshire, Worcestershire, and West Midlands

Governance and Leadership

Chief Executive

Claire Bowry joined The Eveson Trust in 2019. On her role, she states: “Being part of an organisation which supports charities to help people in need” is what she likes best about her job. On the Trust's approach, she highlights “Reliability – we have funded lots of our beneficiary charities for many years” as the organization's unique selling point.

Commenting on the Trust's funding philosophy, Claire noted regarding the Lord's Taverners Wicketz programme: “We could see the potential of the Wicketz programme to enhance the lives of young people living in disadvantaged communities, giving them the chance to learn life skills and teamwork while having fun too.”

Chair of Trustees

Judi serves as Chair, having practiced as a Chartered Accountant for many years and been a trustee since 2014.

Trustees (10 total)

  • Tamsin Clive - Trustee since January 2017
  • Richard - Trustee since 2004, served as chairman for five years until January 2019
  • Mark - Joined March 2021, Chartered Accountant
  • David - Joined July 2021, Consultant Rheumatologist at Hereford County Hospital
  • Vivien Cockerill - Solicitor, previously pensions partner at Wragge & Co
  • The Rt Revd Richard Jackson - Bishop of Hereford, installed March 2020
  • Louise - Former partner at Wragge & Co specializing in trust and charity law
  • Shanti - Dual qualified Solicitor and Barrister, joined March 2025

The Trust employs 3 staff members (one in the £60-70k salary range) and no trustees receive remuneration.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

Two-Stage Process:

  1. Initial Expression of Interest submitted online
  2. Full application submitted online via website

Application Timing:

  • New applicants can apply at any time (rolling basis)
  • Previous applicants must wait at least one year from the date on their decision email (regardless of outcome)
  • Only one application per year per charity

Pre-Application Requirements:

  • For grants of £50,000+: contact Chief Executive to book appointment
  • Previous grant holders: must have spent previous grant fully (or repaid excess) and submitted satisfactory grant report

Important Notes:

  • Applications are entered into the next available trustee meeting with space
  • “Please do not contact us regarding the progress of your application”
  • Cannot apply for work that has already started or will begin before decision is made

Decision Timeline

Standard Timeline:

  • Trustees meet monthly
  • Applications reviewed at next available meeting
  • Some applications may be referred to full Board

Expected Decision Time:

  • Typical: 1-2 months for monthly trustee review
  • Maximum: Up to 6 months if referred to full Board

Success Rates

Specific success rate data is not publicly available. However, the Trust notes that common reasons for rejection include high reserves without explanation, unclear project purpose, insufficient evidence of need, and missing documentation.

Reapplication Policy

Yes, unsuccessful applicants may reapply:

  • Must wait at least one year from the date on the decision email
  • No additional restrictions beyond the one-year waiting period
  • Same one-application-per-year rule applies

Important: The Trust's policy is that they will not discuss why an application was rejected. However, they provide a list of common rejection reasons on their website.

Application Success Factors

Trust's Direct Guidance

Funding Philosophy:

"The Trust does not like to be a sole funder and usually funds on a proportionate basis related to the size of a charity's income and/or the total project cost."

Grant Size Expectations:

The Trust explicitly states: "For example, if your charity's income is £30,000 a year, they are not likely to award you more than £5,000 and a smaller grant would be more likely."

Reserve Levels:

"Charities holding more than one year's expenditure in unrestricted funds without a reason will be considered a lower priority." Applicants should explain the reason for high reserves.

Common Reasons for Rejection

According to the Trust's FAQ:

  • Unclear purpose: “It is not clear what the grant will be used for”
  • Geographic mismatch: Beneficiaries outside the funding area
  • Insufficient evidence: “There is not enough evidence of need for the service or project”
  • Missing information: “The charity did not supply the information or documents requested”
  • High support/overhead costs
  • Governance issues
  • Inadequate safeguarding policies
  • Lack of project delivery capacity
  • High unrestricted reserves without explanation

Examples of Successful Projects

Hospices (Core Costs):

  • St Richard's Hospice: £50,000
  • Mary Stevens Hospice: £40,000

Disability Support:

  • National Deaf Children's Society: £35,000 for Advice and Guidance Service capacity
  • Canine Partners: £10,000 for assistance dog aftercare
  • Beacon Centre for the Blind: £10,000 for activities
  • Vamos Theatre: £5,000 for inclusive theatre programs

Homelessness:

  • Birmingham City Mission: £15,000 for care center
  • Refugee and Migrant Centre: £15,000 for housing support
  • NewStarts: £7,500 for furniture donations

Older People:

  • Age UK: £15,000 for Telephone Friendship Service
  • Worcester Wheels: £15,000 for events and transport

Young People:

  • Leadership Through Sport and Business: £8,000 for career development program (23 young people supported, 5 secured employment)
  • Chance to Shine: £10,200 for cricket coaching
  • Andrew Simpson Foundation: £9,450 for sailing program
  • Birmingham Settlement: £10,000 for early years program

Transport/Equipment:

  • St John Ambulance: £21,500 for electric vehicle to replace diesel support car

Strategic Tips

  1. Demonstrate sustainability: Develop diverse funding streams; the Trust encourages applying to multiple funders
  2. Be proportionate: Request amounts appropriate to your organization's size
  3. Evidence the need: Provide clear evidence of need for the service or project
  4. Explain reserves: If holding significant reserves, provide clear justification
  5. Complete documentation: Supply all requested information and documents
  6. Strong safeguarding: Ensure robust safeguarding policies are in place
  7. Clear governance: Demonstrate sound organizational governance
  8. Local impact: Clearly show how the project benefits people in Herefordshire, Worcestershire, or West Midlands
  9. Build relationships: The Trust values reliability and has funded many charities for many years - consider starting with smaller grants and building a track record

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  1. Geographic specificity is critical - Your project must directly benefit people in Herefordshire, Worcestershire, Birmingham, Coventry, Wolverhampton, Dudley, Sandwell, Solihull, or Walsall. National charities must demonstrate clear local delivery.
  1. Proportionate requests succeed - The Trust explicitly considers organizational size when making awards. A £30,000 income charity should request £5,000 or less. Don't ask for more than your organization can reasonably absorb.
  1. Partnership funding is preferred - The Trust does not like to be sole funders. Show other funding sources and demonstrate a diverse funding strategy.
  1. Reserve levels matter - Charities with over one year's expenditure in unrestricted reserves are lower priority unless there's a clear rationale. Explain your reserves policy clearly.
  1. Reliability and relationships count - The Trust prides itself on long-term relationships, offering Enhance Grants to previous recipients and regularly funding charities for many years. Consider starting smaller and building a track record.
  1. Evidence, clarity, and completeness - Three most common rejection reasons relate to unclear purpose, insufficient evidence of need, and missing documentation. Be thorough, specific, and evidence-based.
  1. Timing is flexible but patience is required - While applications are accepted on a rolling basis, decisions can take up to 6 months. Plan accordingly and don't chase progress updates (they explicitly request you don't).

Similar Funders

These funders frequently fund the same charities:

References

  1. The Eveson Trust Official Website. “About Us.” https://www.eveson.org.uk/about-us/
  1. The Eveson Trust. “What We Fund.” https://www.eveson.org.uk/what-we-fund/
  1. The Eveson Trust. “Application Guidelines.” https://www.eveson.org.uk/application-guidelines/
  1. The Eveson Trust. "What We Don't Fund." https://www.eveson.org.uk/what-we-dont-fund/
  1. The Eveson Trust. “FAQ.” https://www.eveson.org.uk/faq/
  1. The Eveson Trust. “Grant Stories.” https://www.eveson.org.uk/grant-stories/
  1. Charity Commission for England and Wales. “THE EVESON TRUST - Charity Overview.” Charity Number 1196672. https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-search/-/charity-details/5185115
  1. Worcester Web Studio. “Meet the Client: The Eveson Charitable Trust.” https://worcesterwebstudio.com/meet-the-client-the-eveson-charitable-trust/
  1. Get Grants. “Meet the Funder: The Eveson Charitable Trust.” https://www.getgrants.org.uk/meet-the-funder-the-eveson-charitable-trust/
  1. The Eveson Trust. “Our Staff.” https://www.eveson.org.uk/staff/
  1. The Eveson Trust. “Our Trustees.” https://www.eveson.org.uk/trustees/