The Fifty Fund

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £298,224 (2024)
• Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
• Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed
• Grant Range: Not publicly disclosed
• Geographic Focus: Nottinghamshire (with exceptions in extraordinary circumstances)

Contact Details

Email: GEMMA.HOPPER@NELSONSLAW.CO.UK

Phone: 07940 260085

Registered Address: Nelsons Solicitors, Pennine House, 8 Stanford Street, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, NG1 7BQ

Overview

The Fifty Fund is a well-established charitable trust registered with the Charity Commission in April 1963. With an annual expenditure of approximately £298,224 (2024), the charity's primary objective is to provide relief to persons resident in Nottinghamshire who are in need, hardship, or distress. The fund operates through a small board of four trustees and maintains no paid staff. The charity takes a flexible approach to grant-making, providing direct grants to individuals in need, paying for goods and services on their behalf, or making grants to other charitable organizations that serve similar populations. When funds are not utilized for direct relief, they may be donated to charities with similar aims to help individuals and families in need within the geographic area.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Fifty Fund operates through trustee discretion rather than formal grant programs. The trustees have three primary methods of providing relief:

1. Direct Grants to Individuals: Making grants of money directly to persons in need
2. In-Kind Support: Providing or paying for goods, services, or facilities for those in need
3. Grants to Organizations: Making grants to other persons or bodies who provide goods, services, or facilities to those in need

Priority Areas

• Relief of poverty and financial hardship
• Support for individuals and families in distress
• Supporting Nottinghamshire residents facing need
• Funding charitable organizations with similar aims serving the local area

Known Beneficiary: Open Minds Nottingham (mental health peer support organization)

What They Don't Fund

While not explicitly stated, the geographic restriction to Nottinghamshire is clear. The trustees may consider exceptional cases for those resident outside the area or only temporarily resident, but this appears to be rare.

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Governance and Leadership

The Fifty Fund is governed by four trustees who serve without remuneration:

• Rev Amanda Cartwright - Chair (appointed 2012)
• Mark Jenkinson - Trustee (appointed 2015)
• Dr David William Hannah - Trustee (appointed 2017)
• Jane Patricia Imrie - Trustee (appointed 2022)

The charity operates through Nelsons Solicitors in Nottingham, with legal affairs managed through this firm. No trustees receive any remuneration, payments, or benefits from the charity, demonstrating their commitment to maximizing funds available for charitable purposes.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process. The Fifty Fund operates on a trustee-discretion basis, with grants awarded through the trustees' own knowledge and networks. There is no online portal, application form, or formal deadline system.

Grants appear to be made based on:

• Trustee awareness of need within the Nottinghamshire community
• Referrals from trusted sources
• Direct knowledge of individuals or organizations in need
• Relationships with other charitable organizations in the region

Decision Timeline

Not publicly disclosed. As grants are made at trustees' discretion rather than through application rounds, timing varies based on individual circumstances.

Success Rates

Not publicly disclosed due to the discretionary nature of grant-making.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable due to the absence of a formal application process.

Application Success Factors

Since The Fifty Fund does not accept applications, traditional application success factors do not apply. However, organizations and individuals benefit when:

• They are known to the trustees or recommended by trusted contacts: The fund operates through trustee knowledge and networks
• They serve Nottinghamshire residents: Geographic focus is clearly defined
• They address poverty, hardship, or distress: Alignment with the fund's core charitable purpose is essential
• Organizations have similar charitable aims: The fund supports other charities that serve individuals and families in need

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• The Fifty Fund does not accept unsolicited applications - it operates entirely on trustee discretion
• Geographic focus on Nottinghamshire is firm, with only exceptional cases considered outside this area
• The fund serves both individuals in need directly and organizations that support similar populations
• Grants can take the form of direct cash, payment for goods/services, or grants to intermediary organizations
• The charity is managed through Nelsons Solicitors, with contact through Gemma Hopper
• Open Minds Nottingham is a known beneficiary, indicating support for mental health and peer support services
• The fund has been operating since 1963, demonstrating long-term commitment to the Nottinghamshire community

Similar Funders

These funders frequently fund the same charities:

• The Arts Council of England
• The Football Foundation
• BBC Children in Need
• The National Foundation for Youth Music
• The Liz and Terry Bramall Foundation
• The Albert Hunt Trust
• THE 29TH MAY 1961 CHARITY
• B&Q Foundation
• THE MORRISONS FOUNDATION
• THE JONES 1986 CHARITABLE TRUST
• THE HARAMEAD TRUST
• The Wixamtree Trust
• THE 1989 WILLAN CHARITABLE TRUST
• PILKINGTON CHARITIES FUND
• J N Derbyshire Trust
• The Willan Charitable Trust
• The Jessie Spencer Trust
• THE CROSS TRUST
• THE GRAY TRUST
• CHARLOTTE MARSHALL CHARITABLE TRUST

References

• Charity Commission Register of Charities, “THE FIFTY FUND - 214422,”: https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-details/?regid=214422&subid=0
• Charity Commission financial data for financial year ending 31 December 2024: Total income £255,283, Total expenditure £308,514
• Open Minds Nottingham, “Funders,”: https://openmindsnottingham.co.uk/funders/
• Various charity directory listings including Charity Choice and Giving is Great