The Holehird Trust

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £204,216 (income), £402,568 (expenditure) as of March 2024
• Success Rate: ~86% (Cumbria Community Foundation average)
• Decision Time: Applications acknowledged within 5 working days; decisions communicated within 5 working days of committee meeting
• Grant Range: Up to £2,000 (average £1,250)
• Geographic Focus: Former County of Westmorland (now parts of Westmorland and Furness unitary authority in Cumbria)

Contact Details

The Holehird Trust

• Address: 79 Ely Road, Little Downham, Ely, Cambridgeshire
• Phone: 07851153016
• Email: clerk@holehirdtrust.com

For Grant Applications (via Cumbria Community Foundation)

• Contact: Ellen Clements
• Phone: 01900 825760
• Email: grants@cumbriafoundation.org
• Website: www.cumbriafoundation.org

Overview

The Holehird Trust (Charity Number 235345) was registered in July 1964 and operates in Cumbria, specifically serving the former County of Westmorland. The trust originated from the Holehird estate, which was gifted in trust in 1945 by Henry Groves to Westmorland County Council for people in need of special care. The charity was formally established in 1962 to administer the estate.

Currently, Cumbria County Council (now succeeded by Westmorland and Furness Council) serves as trustee. The trust has five trustees and operates primarily through grant-making to voluntary and community organizations, as well as providing buildings and facilities through its land and property estate. Grant-making is administered through the Cumbria Community Foundation's Holehird Trust Fund. The trust focuses on supporting elderly people, disabled people, and children and young people up to age 18 in the former Westmorland area, which includes towns such as Kendal, Windermere, Appleby-in-Westmorland, Kirkby Stephen, Sedbergh, Ambleside, and Coniston.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Holehird Trust Fund (administered by Cumbria Community Foundation): Up to £2,000 over one year (average grant £1,250)

• Rolling application process through online portal at Cumbria Community Foundation
• Applications assessed against fund criteria and CCF's grant-making priorities

Priority Areas

The trust gives priority to projects supporting:

• Elderly people: Projects that improve quality of life, reduce isolation, and provide essential services
• Disabled people: Including sports sessions, accessibility improvements, and support services
• Children and young people up to age 18: Particularly those in isolated rural communities or looked after by local authorities

Examples of funded projects include:

• Sports sessions for disabled people
• General running costs for rural nurseries
• Music projects for children in isolated rural communities
• Community centre building work to comply with accessibility requirements
• Musical instruments for community bands

What They Don't Fund

While specific exclusions aren't explicitly detailed, eligibility is restricted to:

• Organizations operating within the former County of Westmorland geographical area
• Projects that benefit the three priority groups (elderly, disabled, children/young people)
• Legally charitable work (applicants don't need to be registered charities, but work must be charitable in nature)

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Governance and Leadership

Trustee: Cumbria County Council (function now transferred to Westmorland and Furness Council following local government reorganization in April 2023)

Structure: The trust is governed by a Joint Committee that holds regular meetings to oversee the trust's operations and review grant applications. The committee includes representatives with expertise in local community issues.

Key Personnel:

• Clerk to the Trust: contactable at clerk@holehirdtrust.com
• Grant administration managed by Cumbria Community Foundation's Grants and Donor Services team

The trust has five trustees who receive no remuneration. Policies are in place covering financial controls, risk management, and safeguarding.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

Applications must be submitted through the Cumbria Community Foundation online portal at www.cumbriafoundation.org. Organizations cannot apply directly to the Holehird Trust.

Application Process:

1. Complete the online application form at Cumbria Community Foundation's website
2. Ensure your organization operates in and benefits residents of the former County of Westmorland
3. Applications are acknowledged within 5 working days
4. The Grants and Donor Services team assesses applications against the Holehird Trust Fund criteria and CCF's overall grant-making priorities
5. Staff may visit or telephone to gather further information about your project
6. Eligible applications are presented to grants committees comprising people with expertise in local community issues
7. Decisions are communicated within 5 working days after the committee meeting

Eligibility Requirements:

• Open to voluntary and community groups, including grassroots community organizations and small-to-medium-sized voluntary organizations
• You do not need to be a registered charity, but the work must be legally charitable
• Organizations with outstanding monitoring reports from previous grants cannot submit new applications until reports are submitted

Decision Timeline

• Acknowledgement: Within 5 working days of submission
• Committee Review: Applications go through committee assessment (specific meeting schedule not publicly detailed)
• Notification: Within 5 working days of committee decision
• Overall timeline: While not explicitly stated, similar community foundation funds typically operate on an 8-12 week cycle from submission to decision

Success Rates

The Cumbria Community Foundation, which administers the Holehird Trust Fund, reports an average success rate of 86% across its programmes. This includes applications withdrawn before committee review due to ineligibility, change in plans, insufficient fit to programme priorities, or governance/sustainability concerns.

The foundation manages over 100 grant-making funds and supports more than 500 community projects per year. Since 1999, it has invested over £60 million into almost 4,000 groups and 8,000 individuals.

Reapplication Policy

Organizations that have previously received grants from the Cumbria Community Foundation must submit all outstanding end-of-grant monitoring reports before submitting new applications. This is a strict requirement enforced before new applications will be assessed.

There is no explicit restriction on unsuccessful applicants reapplying, though applicants are encouraged to address feedback received or wait until circumstances have changed to strengthen their application.

Application Success Factors

What the Cumbria Community Foundation looks for:

The foundation's grant-making priorities align with specific outcomes. Strong applications will demonstrate how their project addresses:

• Improving the lives of disadvantaged children and families
• Improving life skills and employability
• Supporting older vulnerable people
• Improving health and well-being
• Strengthening fragile communities
• Enabling access to arts, sports, culture, heritage, and the environment

For the Holehird Trust Fund specifically:

• Clear geographical focus: Projects must serve residents of the former County of Westmorland (areas including Kendal, Windermere, Appleby, Kirkby Stephen, Sedbergh, Ambleside, Coniston, and surrounding communities)
• Priority beneficiary groups: Strongest applications will focus on elderly people, disabled people, or children/young people up to 18
• Rural community impact: Given the geographical area, projects addressing isolation in rural communities are well-aligned
• Practical, tangible outcomes: Examples of successful projects show practical support (equipment, building improvements, running costs) rather than purely strategic or awareness-raising work
• Modest budget requests: With grants typically under £2,000, projects should be appropriately scaled with clear deliverables

Organizational readiness:

• Staff may visit or call for additional information—be prepared to discuss your project in detail
• Having clear governance structures and financial sustainability demonstrates organizational capacity
• Completing monitoring reports promptly from any previous grants is essential

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Geographic eligibility is absolute: Verify your project serves residents of the former County of Westmorland (approximately the area covered by the former Eden and South Lakeland districts in Cumbria). Projects outside this area will not be eligible regardless of merit.

• Focus on the three priority groups: Applications should clearly demonstrate how they benefit elderly people, disabled people, or children/young people up to 18. Projects serving other groups may struggle even if otherwise strong.

• Scale your request appropriately: With grants normally under £2,000 and averaging £1,250, design projects that can achieve meaningful impact at this level. Think equipment purchases, specific running costs, or targeted activities rather than full program delivery.

• Leverage the high success rate: At 86% average success across CCF funds, eligible applications that align with priorities have strong chances. Ensure you meet basic eligibility before applying.

• Rural context matters: The former Westmorland area includes many isolated rural communities. Projects addressing rural challenges (isolation, access to services, connectivity) fit the geographical context well.

• Respond promptly to enquiries: Staff may visit or telephone for additional information—being responsive and prepared to discuss your project strengthens your application.

• Keep monitoring reports current: If you've previously received CCF grants, outstanding reports will block new applications. Complete all monitoring obligations before applying.

Similar Funders

These funders have a similar focus and geographic reach:

• The Hadfield Charitable Trust
• The David Snowdon Trust
• THE FRIEDA SCOTT CHARITABLE TRUST
• BENNY WALKER CHARITABLE TRUST
• Cumbria Community Foundation
• The Harold and Alice Bridges Charity
• Francis C Scott Charitable Trust
• The Roselands Trust
• 3R Foundation
• Cumbria Waste Management Environment Trust

References

• Charity Commission Register of Charities: “The Holehird Trust - Charity Number 235345” - https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/en/charity-search/-/charity-details/235345/full-print

• Cumbria Community Foundation: “Holehird Trust Fund” - https://www.cumbriafoundation.org/fund/holehird-trust-fund/ (Referenced December 2025)

• Cumbria Community Foundation: “Apply for a Grant” - https://www.cumbriafoundation.org/apply-for-a-grant/ (Referenced December 2025)

• fundsforNGOs: "Cumbria Community Foundation's Holehird Trust Fund - UK" (Referenced December 2025) - Information on grant examples and priorities

• Cumbria County Council Portal: “Holehird Trust Joint Committee” meeting agendas and minutes (Various dates 2019-2021) - Information on governance structure

• Wikipedia: “Westmorland” - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westmorland - Geographic context for former County of Westmorland