The Lord Austin Trust

Charity Number: 208394

Annual Expenditure: £0.1M

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £140,598 (2024)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly available
  • Decision Time: Not publicly available
  • Grant Range: Not publicly available
  • Geographic Focus: Birmingham and West Midlands (Birmingham City, Dudley, Sandwell, Solihull, Walsall)

Contact Details

Email: chrissy@lordaustintrust.org.uk

Phone: 07940 160 844

Address: Shakespeare Martineau, 1 Colmore Square, Birmingham, B4 6AA

Charity Number: 208394

Website: None available

Overview

The Lord Austin Trust, registered since 22 September 1962 and formerly known as the Herbert Baron Austin Will Trust, is a Birmingham-based grant-making charity with total expenditure of £140,598 in the financial year ending March 2024. The trust provides financial assistance to hospitals and other organisations within the Birmingham area and surrounding West Midlands region. Named after Herbert Austin, 1st Baron Austin (1866-1941), the founder of the Austin Motor Company who was recognized for his philanthropic works including support for Birmingham General Hospital, the trust continues his legacy of charitable giving. The charity operates exclusively through grant-making to organisations and maintains a focused geographic remit across five local authority areas in the West Midlands.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The trust operates a discretionary grant-making program with applications likely considered on a rolling or case-by-case basis. Specific grant amounts and program structures are not published publicly.

Priority Areas

The trustees have broad discretion to promote charitable purposes but may give preference to:

  • Health Promotion: Supporting hospitals and health-related organisations
  • Education for Young People in Need: Advancing education for young persons experiencing need, hardship, or distress
  • Support for Older People: Relieving persons over 60 years of age who are in need, hardship, or distress
  • Arts, Culture, Heritage, and Science: General support in these areas
  • General Charitable Purposes: Within the Birmingham area and West Midlands

Beneficiary Groups

  • Children and young people
  • Elderly individuals (particularly those over 60)
  • People with disabilities
  • Other charities and voluntary bodies
  • The general public

What They Don't Fund

Specific exclusions are not publicly documented. Given the trust's focus on the Birmingham and West Midlands region, organisations outside this geographic area are unlikely to be funded.

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Governance and Leadership

Trustees

Mr. Neil Andrews - Chair

Sarah Elizabeth Wood - Trustee (appointed 17 November 2022)

Robert Jonathan Hunt - Trustee (appointed 23 November 2020)

The trust has three trustees who receive no remuneration or benefits from the charity. The trust maintains formal policies on conflicts of interest, financial reserves, and risk management.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

The trust does not have a public website or published application guidelines. Prospective applicants should contact the trust directly via email (chrissy@lordaustintrust.org.uk) or phone (07940 160 844) to inquire about application procedures and eligibility requirements.

Given the trust operates through the law firm Shakespeare Martineau, applications may need to be submitted in writing to the registered office address.

Decision Timeline

Decision timelines are not publicly available. Applicants should inquire directly with the trust about expected timeframes.

Success Rates

Success rates and application volumes are not publicly disclosed.

Reapplication Policy

No information is publicly available regarding reapplication policies for unsuccessful applicants.

Application Success Factors

Due to limited publicly available information, specific guidance on application success factors is not available. However, based on the trust's stated priorities, applicants should consider:

  • Geographic Alignment: Ensure your organisation operates within Birmingham City, Dudley, Sandwell, Solihull, or Walsall
  • Priority Area Match: Projects focused on health promotion, education for disadvantaged young people, or support for elderly people in hardship appear to be priorities
  • Hospital and Health Focus: The trust has a historical connection to supporting hospitals and health organisations in Birmingham
  • Organisational Status: The trust makes grants to organisations (not individuals), so applicants must be constituted charities or voluntary bodies
  • Clear Need Demonstration: Given the trust's focus on people in “need, hardship or distress,” applications should clearly articulate the level of need being addressed

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Direct Contact Required: With no website or published guidelines, establishing direct communication with Chrissy at the trust is essential before applying
  • Geographic Specificity: The trust has a tight geographic focus on Birmingham and the immediate West Midlands area - organisations outside this area should not apply
  • Health Heritage: The trust's historical connection to Herbert Austin's support for Birmingham hospitals suggests health-related causes may be particularly well-received
  • Vulnerable Groups Priority: Focus on young people in distress, elderly people over 60 in hardship, or people with disabilities aligns with stated priorities
  • Modest Scale: With annual expenditure around £140,000, this is a relatively small trust - expect modest grant sizes
  • Limited Information Strategy: Be prepared to build a relationship and ask detailed questions about application requirements, as little is published
  • Professional Administration: Being administered through a law firm (Shakespeare Martineau) suggests formal, professional application standards may be expected

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