The Hadley Trust

Charity Number: 1064823

Annual Expenditure: £4.8M

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £4,803,945 (charitable activities expenditure, 2024)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly available
  • Decision Time: Not specified - rolling basis
  • Grant Range: Average £45,000 (for small-medium charities)
  • Geographic Focus: England and Wales

Contact Details

Address: Gladsmuir, Hadley Common, Barnet, EN5 5QE

Phone: 020 8447 4577

Email: carol@hadleytrust.org

Note: The Trust does not maintain a public website. Information is available through the Charity Commission register.

Overview

The Hadley Trust was founded on 13 October 1997 as a grant-making foundation supporting UK registered charities that create opportunities for disadvantaged people. With total funds of £6.6 million as of March 2024, the Trust operates primarily through investment income. The Trust has evolved from funding the Hadley Centre at the University of Bristol (2000-2019) to now supporting the Hadley research programme at the Rees Centre, University of Oxford. In recent years, the Trust has strategically shifted to establish deeper, long-term relationships with a smaller number of selected partners where it can have the greatest impact, focusing particularly on criminal justice and young people's services.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Trust provides grants averaging £45,000 to small and medium-sized UK registered charities. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis with no fixed deadlines.

Historical funding distribution (year ended 31 March 2019, total £3,471,910 to 77 organisations):

  • Crime and Justice: £1,545,000 (largest allocation)
  • Young People: £479,122
  • Social Investment: £347,190
  • Hospices: £319,415
  • Medical: £239,561
  • Local: £211,785
  • International: £149,291

Priority Areas

Core Focus Areas:

  • Criminal justice reform and rehabilitation
  • Young people's services and development
  • Children's social care research (particularly looked after children, foster care, kinship care, and adoption)

What They Fund:

  • Projects benefiting communities and addressing poverty
  • Support for people disadvantaged by environmental, educational, or economic circumstances
  • Services for people with physical or other disabilities
  • Research into causes of hardship and means to alleviate it
  • Both policy-focused charities and grassroots service providers

Major Research Partnership:

The Trust funds the Hadley Programme at the Rees Centre, University of Oxford, led by Professor Julie Selwyn, focusing on the subjective well-being of looked after children. This includes the Bright Spots Programme, a partnership supporting local authorities to systematically listen to children in care and care leavers.

What They Don't Fund

Specific exclusions are not publicly documented, though the Trust focuses on UK registered charities and prefers those small enough to establish meaningful working relationships.

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Governance and Leadership

Board of Trustees

  • Sir Philip William Hulme - Chair
  • Lady Janet Hulme - Trustee
  • Juliet Christine Lyon CBE - Trustee (appointed 28 March 2019)
  • Katherine Elizabeth Prideaux - Trustee (appointed 18 August 2011)
  • Sophie Ann Swift - Trustee (appointed 18 August 2011)
  • Thomas William Hulme - Trustee (appointed 18 August 2011)

No trustees receive remuneration, payments, or benefits from the charity. The Trust employs 3 staff members, including one in the £60-70k salary range.

Key Personnel

Ruth Daniel - Director of The Hadley Trust. A senior charity executive and qualified solicitor with over twenty years' professional experience, Ruth previously served as Chief Executive of the Access to Justice Foundation.

Trustee Philosophy: According to public records, “The trustees aim to strike a balance between supporting charities that work in the policy arena, working to improve the system, and those that actively provide support and services on the ground, either nationally or just within their local communities.”

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

Applications may be made at any time with no fixed deadline on a rolling basis. Contact the Trust directly via:

  • Email: carol@hadleytrust.org
  • Phone: 020 8447 4577

Important Note: The Trust does not maintain a public website or formal online application portal. Applicants should reach out directly to discuss proposals.

Decision Timeline

Specific decision timelines are not publicly documented. Applicants should inquire directly when submitting proposals.

Current Application Context

The Trust has stated: “In recent years the Trust has become increasingly focused on some core areas of activity where it feels it is able to have the greatest impact, establishing more in-depth relationships with a smaller number of selected partners, which means the trust does not take on many new funding commitments. However, the Trust will always consider and respond to new proposals.”

This suggests the Trust operates a selective approach but remains open to compelling new applications.

Success Rates

In the year ended 31 March 2019, the Trust awarded grants to 77 organisations. Current success rates are not publicly available.

Reapplication Policy

Not specified in publicly available information.

Application Success Factors

Charity Size and Relationship Potential

The Trust explicitly prefers charities “which are small enough to establish a meaningful working relationship.” Average grants of £45,000 suggest they target organisations where this level of funding can make a significant impact.

Strategic Alignment

Focus on Long-Term Partnerships: The Trust aims “to be a stable, long-term funding partner for its recipients” and “to establish long-term relationships with supported charities.” Applications should demonstrate potential for ongoing partnership rather than one-off projects.

Core Priority Areas: With criminal justice and young people identified as the two particular areas of focus, applications addressing these themes are most likely to align with current priorities.

Balance Between Policy and Practice

The trustees seek “a balance between supporting charities that work in the policy arena, working to improve the system, and those that actively provide support and services on the ground.” Both types of work are valued - demonstrating how your work contributes to systemic change or direct service delivery will strengthen applications.

Research and Evidence

The Trust's major investment in the Hadley Programme at Oxford demonstrates a strong interest in evidence-based practice and research that improves outcomes. Applications that incorporate research, evaluation, or evidence-based approaches may be particularly attractive.

Geographic Scope

While the Trust operates throughout England and Wales, it also funds some international work (£149,291 in 2019), suggesting flexibility for compelling proposals beyond core geographic boundaries.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Build relationship first: Given the Trust's emphasis on meaningful working relationships with smaller charities, consider initial contact to explore alignment before submitting a full proposal. The Trust “will always consider and respond to new proposals.”
  • Demonstrate long-term potential: Position your application as the beginning of a partnership, not just a one-off grant request. Show how your organisation could benefit from stable, long-term support.
  • Align with criminal justice or young people themes: These are the two explicitly stated priority areas. If your work touches these themes, make the connection clear and prominent.
  • Show both policy and practice impact: Applications that demonstrate both grassroots service delivery and broader systemic impact align with the trustees' stated philosophy.
  • Size matters: As a small to medium-sized charity, you're in the sweet spot. Larger organisations may find the Trust less receptive given their preference for organisations where they can establish meaningful relationships.
  • Evidence and research orientation: Given the major research partnership with Oxford, applications that incorporate evaluation, learning, and evidence-based practice may stand out.
  • Be realistic about competition: The Trust explicitly states it “does not take on many new funding commitments” due to focus on deeper relationships with fewer partners. Applications need to be exceptionally well-aligned and compelling.

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