The Kristina Martin Charitable Trust

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £244,277 (2024/25)
• Success Rate: Approximately 7% (29 grants from over 400 applications in recent round)
• Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed
• Grant Range: Typically up to £10,000, with exceptional grants up to £50,000
• Geographic Focus: UK national (small grassroots charities preferred)

Contact Details

Website: www.kmct.org.uk (redirects to sites.google.com/kmct.org.uk/kmct/home)

Email: info@kmct.org.uk

Phone: 01635 953437

Note: The Trustees regret that they are not able to reply to all printed or electronic correspondence or return material supplied in support of unsolicited applications in order to minimize administrative costs.

Overview

The Kristina Martin Charitable Trust (Charity No. 249913) was established by Thomas and Jacqueline Martin following the death in 1965 of their only and much-loved daughter, Kristina Martin. Approaching its 60th anniversary in 2026, the Trust's aim is to champion mental well-being for all. The Trust supports UK-registered charities whose work supports those with mental health issues and provides support and activities which tackle, in particular but not exclusively, suicide, online bullying, and grief, fostering hope and resilience, working both in the UK and internationally. During the year ended 5 April 2025, the Trust awarded 29 grants totalling £244,277 (2024: £247,000; 2023: £281,352). The Trust received over 400 applications worth a total of £6.25 million compared with the available funding, demonstrating high competition for grants.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Trust operates an annual grant round with themed funding streams. For 2025/26, £400,000 is available, allocated equally across four themes with £100,000 per theme:

• Breaking the link between homelessness and poor mental health: Supporting UK-registered charities that provide housing accommodation for those who are currently homeless and ongoing support for the improvement of their mental health thereafter.

• Reduction in the effects of social media on mental health: For charities that create significant pathways from online to physical community participation, for example, through volunteering, peer/influencer/educator, or paid work. Notable recent recipient: PAPAYA – Parents Against Phone Addiction in Young Adolescents (£30,000).

• Reduction of social isolation: Aimed at charities who own or operate a community hub which is used to improve social inclusion, reduce isolation, and provide support services and activities that support mental health and loneliness within their community.

• Improving mental health outcomes for children and young people: For charities that have demonstrable experience improving mental health outcomes through projects that improve early identification of mental health concerns, thereby facilitating early intervention, or improve the provision of resources, activities, and programs to support positive mental health experiences.

Grant Amounts

In the last two years, the vast majority of grants made were for up to £10,000. The largest grant awards were £30,000 each to Homeless Link and Bristol charity PAPAYA. While most grants will not exceed £50,000, the final award amount is at the discretion of the trustees. Funds can be for a specific project or for core costs, but core costs must relate to a specific activity/service provided.

Priority Areas

The Trust gives priority to applications that:

• Demonstrate positive change to service users
• Show engagement of a variety of volunteers
• Are driven or supported by young people
• Include clear measures of impact
• Show strong knowledge transfer into the whole mental health sector from the work undertaken
• Come from small, grassroots UK-registered charities, ideally with an annual turnover of less than £1 million

The Trust particularly welcomes innovative approaches from long-established or newly formed charities where young people themselves may drive the charity.

What They Don't Fund

While the Trust's grant-making policy technically covers “the full breadth of charitable purposes for the benefit of the general public and mankind,” in practice, the Trust has focused exclusively on mental health and wellbeing initiatives in recent years. Organizations without a core focus on supporting mental health and well-being are unlikely to be successful.

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Governance and Leadership

The Trust is governed by a board of 4 trustees. No trustees receive remuneration, payments, or benefits from the charity. Specific trustee names are not publicly disclosed on the Trust's website, reflecting the Trust's approach of minimizing administrative burden and costs. The charity has no employees with benefits over £60,000 and operates with minimal overhead to maximize grant-making capacity.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

Applications must be submitted using the online application form available on the Trust's website at sites.google.com/kmct.org.uk/kmct/home. Important: There is no 'save' option for the online form, so applicants should prepare their responses in advance.

The Trust operates an annual grant round with specific opening and closing dates. The most recent round opened on 24 October 2025 and closed on 12 December 2025.

Applicants are encouraged to review the following sections on the Trust's website before applying:

• Mission Statement & Aims
• Specific Grant Themes
• Eligibility Criteria
• Application questions

Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible, applicants must:

• Be UK-registered charities with a written constitution and charitable aims
• Have a minimum of three trustees who are not related
• Have a core focus on supporting mental health and well-being
• Be able to demonstrate measurable impact
• Operate in local, UK, or international contexts

The Trust particularly prefers small, grassroots charities with an annual turnover of less than £1 million.

Decision Timeline

Specific decision timelines are not publicly disclosed. Due to the high volume of applications and the trustees' commitment to minimizing administrative costs, not all applicants receive individual responses.

Success Rates

Competition for funding is extremely high. In the most recent round, the Trust received over 400 applications requesting a total of £6.25 million compared with approximately £240,000 available for distribution. With 29 grants awarded from over 400 applications, the success rate is approximately 7%.

Reapplication Policy

Information about reapplication policies and waiting periods for unsuccessful applicants is not publicly disclosed. Given the annual grant round structure, organizations may apply in subsequent years.

Application Success Factors

Based on the Trust's stated priorities and recent grant-making patterns, successful applications should:

1. Demonstrate measurable impact: The Trust explicitly prioritizes applications that “include how impact will be measured.” Applicants should provide clear metrics and evaluation plans.

1. Show knowledge transfer: Applications should demonstrate “strong knowledge transfer into the whole mental health sector from the work applicants undertake.” This means showing how your work will benefit the broader sector, not just your immediate beneficiaries.

1. Evidence volunteer and youth engagement: The Trust gives priority to applications that show “engagement of a variety of volunteers” and work that is “driven or supported by young people.”

1. Focus on innovation: The Trust welcomes “innovative approaches from long-established or newly formed charities where young people themselves may drive the charity.”

1. Align closely with specific themes: With four distinct funding themes each allocated £100,000, applications should clearly align with one specific theme rather than attempting to address multiple areas.

1. Be realistic about grant amounts: With the vast majority of recent grants up to £10,000 and only exceptional grants reaching £30,000-£50,000, applications should propose budgets appropriate to this funding pattern.

1. Demonstrate positive change: Show concrete evidence of “positive change to service users” with specific examples and outcomes.

Recent successful recipients like Homeless Link and PAPAYA (Parents Against Phone Addiction in Young Adolescents) exemplify the Trust's interest in addressing contemporary mental health challenges with clear, focused interventions.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Competition is intense: With a 7% success rate (29 grants from 400+ applications), your application must be exceptionally strong and closely aligned with the Trust's priorities.

• Small is preferred: The Trust explicitly targets grassroots charities with income under £1 million. If you're a larger organization, emphasize the specific project's grassroots nature.

• Impact measurement is critical: Don't just describe activities—provide clear, measurable outcomes and demonstrate how you'll evaluate success and share learnings with the sector.

• Youth involvement matters: Highlight any youth leadership, youth volunteers, or youth-driven aspects of your work, as this is explicitly prioritized.

• Choose your theme carefully: With £100,000 allocated to each of four distinct themes, ensure your application clearly fits one specific theme rather than trying to address multiple areas.

• Be prepared for no response: The Trust explicitly states they cannot reply to all correspondence. Don't interpret silence as rejection—it's part of their low-overhead operating model.

• Timing is everything: With only one annual grant round, missing the deadline means waiting a full year. Plan ahead and prepare your application thoroughly before the portal opens.

References

• The Kristina Martin Charitable Trust official website: https://sites.google.com/kmct.org.uk/kmct/home
• UK Charity Commission Register, Charity No. 249913: https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/en/about-the-register-of-charities/-/charity-details/249913
• VCSE News: "The Kristina Martin Charitable Trust Grants - Mental Health & Homelessness": https://vcse.uk/news-article/2025-10-24/the-kristina-martin-charitable-trust-grants-mental-health-and-homelessness
• Supporting Communities: “Kristina Martin Charitable Trust Accepting Applications”: https://supportingcommunities.org/funding-news-1/2025/10/30/kristina-martin-charitable-trust-accepting-applications
• Multiple regional CVS and funding advisory websites providing consolidated information about the Trust's grant programmes