The General Charity Fund

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £40,000 (most recent year)
• Success Rate: Not publicly available
• Decision Time: Applications reviewed twice yearly (March and October deadlines)
• Grant Range: £1,000 - £2,000
• Geographic Focus: Merseyside (Liverpool, Knowsley, Sefton, St Helens, Wirral) and surrounding region

Contact Details

Address: Trust Admin, Rathbones, Port of Liverpool Building, Pier Head, Liverpool L3 1NW

Phone: 0151 236 6666

Email: TrustAdminLiverpool@rathbones.com

Website: generalcharityfund.org.uk

Note: The fund has limited resources for phone inquiries and prefers email or postal submissions.

Overview

The General Charity Fund, also known as the Pilkington General Charity Fund or Col W W Pilkington Will Trusts - The General Charity Fund, is a Liverpool-based grant-making charity registered on 16 June 1964 (Charity Number: 234710). Established through the will of Colonel W W Pilkington, the fund supports registered charities operating in Merseyside in five key fields: Arts, Drugs, Welfare, Medicine, and the Environment. In the most recent year, the fund awarded 27 grants totalling £40,000, with most grants ranging between £1,000 and £2,000. The charity had total income of £60,980 for the financial year ending 30 June 2024. The fund is administered by Rathbones, Liverpool, and operates with three trustees who receive no remuneration. The fund particularly welcomes applications from organizations based in Merseyside, though it will consider national charities with specific projects in the region and, in exceptional circumstances, international organizations working in their priority areas.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

• Standard Grants: £1,000 - £2,000 (typical range)
• Minimum Grant: £1,000
• Application Method: Rolling basis with two deadlines per year (March 1st and October 1st)
• Application Format: Written applications by post or email

Priority Areas

The fund supports registered charities working in five specific fields:

1. Arts - Supporting arts organizations and programs
2. Drugs - Organizations working on drug-related issues
3. Welfare - Charities providing welfare services
4. Medicine - Medical charities and health-related organizations
5. Environment - Environmental organizations and conservation projects

Geographic Priority: The fund particularly welcomes applications from organizations based in Merseyside (Liverpool, Knowsley, Sefton, St Helens, and Wirral). National charities are considered if they can demonstrate specific benefits to people in Merseyside and the surrounding region. International applications are only considered in exceptional circumstances.

What They Don't Fund

• Individuals - Grants are made only to registered charities
• Organizations not working in the five priority fields
• Organizations with no connection to Merseyside (unless exceptional circumstances)
• Applications that don't meet stated criteria (the fund notes that “rejection will only cause disappointment”)

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Governance and Leadership

Trustees

• Eleanor Jones
• Neil Jones
• Philip Pilkington

Trustee Remuneration: No trustees receive any remuneration, payments, or benefits from the charity.

Administration: The fund is administered by Rathbones, Liverpool.

Background

The fund was established through the will of Colonel W W Pilkington and reflects the Pilkington family's long philanthropic tradition in the Liverpool area, stemming from their successful glass manufacturing business.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

Submission Methods: Applications may be submitted by post or email to TrustAdminLiverpool@rathbones.com or the postal address listed above.

Application Requirements:

• Concise explanation of the reasons for your request
• Expected outcomes from the funding
• For national charities: specific details about how work will benefit people in Merseyside and the surrounding region
• Budget details or cost information relating to the project
• Details of any funding already received
• A specific funding amount requested (rather than asking for “a contribution”)
• Bank details for payment if successful (bank name, account name, account number, sort code)

Before Applying: The fund encourages applicants to review their FAQ section to address common questions before contacting them directly. Applications that don't meet stated criteria should not be submitted as “rejection will only cause disappointment.”

Decision Timeline

Trustee Meetings: The trustees meet twice annually to review applications.

Deadlines:

• March 1st
• October 1st

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis throughout the year, but decisions are made at the bi-annual trustee meetings. Specific timeframes from submission to decision notification are not published.

Success Rates

In the most recent year, 27 charities received grants totalling £40,000. The total number of applications received is not publicly disclosed, so a specific success rate percentage cannot be determined. With typical grants of £1,000-£2,000 and total giving of £40,000, the fund supports a focused number of organizations each year.

Reapplication Policy

Information about reapplication policies for unsuccessful applicants is not explicitly stated on the fund's website or public materials.

Application Success Factors

Direct Advice from the Funder

The fund provides specific guidance for applicants:

Be Specific: "Ask for a specific sum, rather than simply asking for 'a contribution.'" This is explicitly stated in their application guidance and suggests the fund values clear, definite requests.

Demonstrate Regional Impact: For national charities, the fund emphasizes: “care should be taken to explain how work will specifically benefit the people of Merseyside and the surrounding region.” This indicates that demonstrating clear local impact is critical for non-Merseyside organizations.

Be Concise: Applications should “explain concisely the reasons for their request and the expected outcomes.” The fund values clear, succinct applications rather than lengthy proposals.

Provide Financial Context: “Enclose details relating to budgets or costs and, where relevant, details of any funding already received.” This shows the fund wants to understand the broader financial picture.

Key Success Factors

1. Registered Charity Status: This is non-negotiable. Only registered charities are eligible.

1. Geographic Connection: Merseyside-based organizations or those with clear, specific Merseyside projects have priority.

1. Alignment with Five Fields: Applications must clearly fall within Arts, Drugs, Welfare, Medicine, or Environment.

1. Realistic Grant Requests: With typical grants of £1,000-£2,000, applications should request amounts within this range.

1. Clear Outcomes: The fund wants to understand expected outcomes, not just activities.

What to Avoid

The fund explicitly discourages applications that don't meet their criteria, stating rejection “will only cause disappointment.” This suggests:

• Don't apply if you're not a registered charity
• Don't apply if you don't work in one of the five priority fields
• Don't apply if you have no Merseyside connection (unless truly exceptional circumstances)
• Don't submit vague or unfocused applications

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

1. Keep it small and specific: With grants typically £1,000-£2,000, tailor your request to discrete, well-defined projects rather than asking for large-scale funding. Request a specific amount.

1. Demonstrate Merseyside impact: If you're not based in Merseyside, you must clearly articulate how your work specifically benefits people in Liverpool, Knowsley, Sefton, St Helens, or Wirral. Generic “national reach” statements won't suffice.

1. Align with the five fields: Ensure your application clearly fits within Arts, Drugs, Welfare, Medicine, or Environment. Don't try to stretch outside these areas.

1. Plan for bi-annual decisions: With only two decision points per year (March and October), plan your application timing carefully to ensure funding arrives when needed.

1. Be concise and outcome-focused: The fund values brevity and wants to understand outcomes, not just activities. Focus on what will change as a result of the grant.

1. Limited annual capacity: With total giving of £40,000 and 27 grants awarded, the fund supports a small number of organizations. Competition is likely significant for these modest grants.

1. No frills approach: The fund operates with minimal administrative resources (noting they cannot handle phone inquiries). Match this with a straightforward, no-nonsense application that makes their decision easy.

References

• The General Charity Fund official website. “Home.”. https://generalcharityfund.org.uk/
• The General Charity Fund. “What We Fund.”. https://generalcharityfund.org.uk/what-we-fund/
• The General Charity Fund. “How to Apply.”. https://generalcharityfund.org.uk/how-to-apply/
• The General Charity Fund. “Contact.”. https://generalcharityfund.org.uk/contact/
• Charity Commission for England and Wales. “Charity overview, THE GENERAL CHARITY FUND - 234710.” Register of Charities.. https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-details/?regid=234710&subid=0