The Hobson Charity Limited

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £1,370,000 (2023-24)
• Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
• Decision Time: 4 weeks (typically within 30 days)
• Grant Range: £500 - £100,000
• Geographic Focus: England and Wales
• Total Income: £1,637,796 (2023-24)
• Total Assets: £42.16m

Contact Details

Website: https://hobsoncharity.org.uk

Email: Post@HobsonCharity.org.uk

Phone: 020 3880 6425

Address: PO Box No. 57691, London NW7 0GR

Charity Number: 326839

Company Number: 1890971

Applications are submitted through an online portal accessible via the website.

Overview

Founded in 1985 by Sir Ronald Hobson, KCVO (1921-2017), a British entrepreneur and philanthropist, The Hobson Charity Limited continues as a family-run grant-giving charity under the chairmanship of Lady Patricia Marina Hobson OBE. The charity aims to offer grants to registered charities seeking to raise the quality of life, particularly for those who are young, disadvantaged, deprived, disabled or elderly. With total assets exceeding £42 million and annual grant distribution of approximately £1.37 million in 2023-24, the charity focuses exclusively on specific capital or equipment projects rather than core costs. Currently, trustees are prioritizing urgent cost-of-living related applications from frontline service charitable organisations, though non-urgent capital project applications are reviewed monthly.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Capital & Equipment Grants - £500 to £100,000

Rolling application basis through online portal. Grants are typically settled upon production of a paid invoice after purchase confirmation. No minimum or maximum limits are set, with funding at trustees' discretion.

Cost of Living Priority Grants

The charity is currently focusing attention on urgent cost-of-living related applications from frontline service organizations, processed on priority basis.

Standard Project Grants

For non-cost-of-living requests requiring specific item purchases, applications are considered monthly by trustees.

Priority Areas

• Relief of poverty, suffering and distress for those in need in the UK
• Advancement of education amongst UK inhabitants
• Recreation and leisure facilities supporting community welfare, particularly for young, disadvantaged, deprived, disabled or elderly people
• Specific capital items and equipment purchases
• Urgent cost-of-living support for frontline charities

What They Don't Fund

• Salaries, staffing or personnel costs (except in very exceptional circumstances)
• Core operational or running costs
• Repeat or multi-year funding requests
• Items or projects already purchased
• Applications from organizations outside England and Wales
• Individual applications (must be registered charities)
• Organizations without a functioning website

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Governance and Leadership

Chair: Lady Patricia Marina Hobson OBE

Trustees (all family members):

• Jennifer Hobson
• Elizabeth Kelsall
• Emma Cook

A small administrative team handles day-to-day operations under the Administrator's direction. No trustees receive any remuneration, payments or benefits from the charity. The charity has no trading subsidiaries.

The Hobson family continues the philanthropic legacy established by Sir Ronald Hobson with “the same enthusiasm” as when founded. The trustees evaluate each application individually against the charity's objectives, with emphasis on partnership approaches and due diligence including safeguarding governance assessment.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

The Hobson Charity uses a 7-step online application process:

1. Review Requirements - Read all guidance pages including Eligibility, Key Points, Safeguarding Requirements, Partnerships Approach, and How to Apply
2. Organization Registration - Complete registration with email validation
3. Login - Access the application portal
4. Submit Safeguarding Policy - Upload current safeguarding vulnerable people policies (PDF, max 3MB)
5. Complete Grant Application - Submit letter addressed to Trustees (PDF) with full project details and detailed budget, plus supporting documentation (quotations, estimates, plans, drawings)
6. Provide Financial Details - Upload most recent signed organizational accounts/financial statements
7. Submit Bank Details - Complete bank details form and upload complete bank statement

Steps 4-7 can be completed in any order after login through “My Application” portal.

Decision Timeline

Feedback timeframe: Usually within 30 days, though at peak periods may take longer.

Review frequency: Cost-of-living applications prioritized; other applications considered monthly by trustees.

Notification: Applicants may be contacted by a representative during review. Silence does not indicate rejection.

Success Rates

Success rates are not publicly disclosed. The charity notes that “there are no guarantees of success” and each application is considered individually by trustees.

Reapplication Policy

The charity states they do not offer repeat or multi-year requests “unless there are very exceptional circumstances.” Specific reapplication guidance for unsuccessful applicants is not published; organizations should contact the charity directly for advice.

Application Success Factors

What Trustees Look For

Evidence of broader fundraising: “The trustees will be interested in who else is supporting the project, the amounts raised and if there are any application requests outstanding or in the pipeline.” Project leaders must be actively raising funds elsewhere.

Complete and specific information: Incomplete information such as missing names or amounts may affect application evaluation. You must ask for a specific amount.

Post-purchase verification: Grants are typically settled only upon production of a paid invoice, confirming the purchase has been completed.

Website presence: Organizations must have a functioning website with details about operations and contact information.

Strong safeguarding: Due diligence includes safeguarding governance assessment. Robust policies for vulnerable people protection are essential.

Geographic consideration: Focus on England and Wales due to trustees' travel requirements for major projects.

Recent Funded Projects

Yorkshire Air Ambulance - £8,000 grant for air ambulance services. Total support since 2016: £18,240.

Hearts Together - Supported hospital hotel accommodation services for patients and families in South West England.

Mayor's Fund for London - Count on Us Primary Maths Challenge programme.

Key Language and Terminology

The charity emphasizes:

• “Quality of life” improvements
• “Specific items or projects” rather than ongoing support
• “Relief of poverty, suffering and distress”
• “Frontline service” organizations for current priority areas
• “Capital or equipment” projects
• Partnership approaches and co-funding

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

• Requesting salary, staffing or core operational costs
• Submitting applications for items already purchased
• Failing to provide detailed budgets and project information
• Not demonstrating active fundraising from other sources
• Missing website or inadequate online presence
• Incomplete safeguarding policies
• Large file sizes (compress PDFs to under 3MB using tools like iLovePDF or Adobe Acrobat)

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Capital projects only: Focus exclusively on specific equipment or capital items, not running costs or salaries. Ensure your request clearly identifies tangible items to be purchased.
• Timing is crucial: Apply before making purchases. The charity will not fund retrospective applications for items already bought.
• Show co-funding efforts: Demonstrate active fundraising from multiple sources. Trustees want to see who else supports your project and how much you've raised.
• Cost-of-living priority: If your project addresses urgent cost-of-living needs for frontline services, highlight this prominently as it's currently prioritized.
• Evidence-based budgets: Provide detailed budgets with supporting quotations, estimates, and documentation. Vague or incomplete information weakens applications.
• Safeguarding excellence: Strong safeguarding policies and governance are essential. This is assessed as part of due diligence.
• Be specific about amounts: The charity has no set limits (£500-£100k range historically), but you must request a specific amount with clear justification.

Similar Funders

These funders frequently fund the same charities:

• Garfield Weston Foundation
• THE BRIDGE TRUST
• The Gosling Foundation Limited
• Joseph Rowntree Foundation
• The John Scott Charitable Trust
• Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust
• The Henry Smith Foundation
• The Golden Bottle Trust
• The Cole Charitable Trust
• Souter Charitable Trust
• THE GRAND CHARITY
• The Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity
• BBC Children in Need
• JOHN LYON'S CHARITY
• MOONDANCE FOUNDATION
• THE HEALTH FOUNDATION
• Masonic Charitable Foundation
• National Lottery
• HENRY SMITH
• HELP FUND

References

• The Hobson Charity official website - https://hobsoncharity.org.uk (accessed 4 November 2025)
• UK Charity Commission Register - Charity 326839 - https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-search/-/charity-details/326839 (accessed 4 November 2025)
• The Hobson Charity Eligibility Criteria - https://hobsoncharity.org.uk/eligibility/ (accessed 4 November 2025)
• The Hobson Charity Application Process - https://hobsoncharity.org.uk/how-to-apply/ (accessed 4 November 2025)
• The Hobson Charity About Us - https://hobsoncharity.org.uk/about-us/ (accessed 4 November 2025)
• Yorkshire Air Ambulance - Hobson Charity Grant Announcement - https://www.yorkshireairambulance.org.uk/community-tys/the-hobson-charity-grant-yaa-8000/ (accessed 4 November 2025)
• Mayor's Fund for London - The Hobson Charity Partnership - https://www.mayorsfundforlondon.org.uk/people/the-hobson-charity/ (accessed 4 November 2025)