The Marian Elizabeth Trust

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £1,222,223 (2023-24)
• Annual Income: £1,844,929
• Grant Range: Not publicly disclosed
• Number of Grants: Approximately 5 organizational grants per year to hospices
• Geographic Focus: England, with emphasis on Liverpool, Wirral, Birmingham, Leicestershire, Rutland, and South Lincolnshire
• Application Process: No public application process for organizations

Contact Details

Address: The Enterprise Centre, Priors Hall, Corby, NN17 5EU

Email: info@themarianelizabethtrust.org

Website: https://themarianelizabethtrust.org/

Charity Number: 1166932

Overview

The Marian Elizabeth Trust was established in memory of Marian Edwards and her daughter Elizabeth, who was born in 1939 and suffered from profound mental handicap. Registered in 2015, the Trust focuses on promoting the physical and mental welfare of people who suffer from mental illness, incapacity or disability, arrested or incomplete development of mind, or any other disorder of mind. With an annual income of £1.8 million (primarily from donations and legacies) and expenditure of £1.2 million on charitable activities in 2023-24, the Trust operates through two distinct funding streams: a limited number of grants to hospices and other specialized care providers (approximately 5 per year), and a significant partnership with Family Fund to support individual families caring for children with complex disabilities.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Organizational Grants to Hospices

The Trust makes a limited number of grant awards each year (5 in the most recent audited financial year) to registered charities such as hospices in England which specialize in providing care to children suffering with severe disabilities, with a special focus on those with profound and multiple learning difficulties. Grant amounts are not publicly disclosed, and the Trust works with several hospices across the Midlands.

Individual Family Support (via Family Fund Partnership)

The Trust makes a significant annual donation to Family Fund, which administers grants to individual families caring for children with complex disabilities in specific geographic areas including Liverpool, Wirral, Birmingham, Leicestershire, Peterborough, and surrounding areas. Individuals cannot apply directly to the Trust and must first apply through Family Fund.

Priority Areas

• Children's hospices and palliative care organizations
• Registered charities providing specialized care for children with severe disabilities
• Organizations supporting children with profound and multiple learning difficulties
• Geographic preference for Midlands, Liverpool, Wirral, and surrounding areas
• Focus on children with complex significant needs requiring specialized care

What They Don't Fund

• Direct applications from individuals (must apply through Family Fund partnership)
• Organizations outside England
• General disability services not focused on children with profound disabilities
• Organizations not specializing in care for children with the most complex needs

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Governance and Leadership

Trustees

• Michael Edwards - Chairman
• Maureen Edwards - Trustee
• Rosemary Edwards - Trustee
• Robert Rowley - Trustee

The Trust has 4 trustees, none of whom receive remuneration, payments, or benefits from the charity. The charity has no trading subsidiaries and maintains up-to-date reporting with the Charity Commission for England and Wales.

Governance Structure

The Trust appears to be family-led, with the Edwards family maintaining direct involvement in honor of Marian and Elizabeth Edwards. This personal connection to the cause influences the Trust's focused approach to supporting children with profound disabilities.

How to Apply to The Marian Elizabeth Trust

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process for organizational grants.

The Marian Elizabeth Trust makes grants to hospices and charitable organizations through trustee discretion. The Trust makes approximately 5 organizational grants per year, but does not accept open applications from prospective grantees.

Organizations interested in being considered for funding may contact the Trust directly at info@themarianelizabethtrust.org to inquire about their grant-making process, though there is no guarantee that unsolicited inquiries will result in funding consideration.

For individual families seeking support, applications must be made through the Trust's partnership with Family Fund at www.familyfund.org.uk/marian-elizabeth-trust/

Decision Timeline

No public information available regarding decision timelines for organizational grants, as the Trust operates through trustee discretion rather than scheduled funding rounds.

Success Rates

Not applicable due to the absence of a public application process. The Trust makes approximately 5 organizational grants per year from available funds.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable given the closed grant-making approach.

Application Success Factors

Since The Marian Elizabeth Trust does not operate a public application process, success factors differ from traditional grant-making organizations:

For Hospices and Charitable Organizations:

• Geographic alignment: Organizations operating in the Midlands, Liverpool, Wirral, Leicestershire, Rutland, and South Lincolnshire appear to be preferred
• Specialization in complex needs: The Trust specifically seeks organizations providing care for children with severe disabilities, with particular emphasis on profound and multiple learning difficulties
• Registered charity status: The Trust only makes grants to registered charities in England
• Children's services focus: Organizations must specialize in children's care rather than general disability services
• Quality of specialized care: Given the personal nature of the Trust's founding (in memory of Elizabeth Edwards who had profound mental handicap), organizations demonstrating exceptional care for children with the most complex needs are likely priorities

Strategic Considerations:

Organizations that align closely with the Trust's mission may benefit from direct outreach to the trustees via the contact email, though this should be done respectfully and without expectation, given the closed nature of their grant-making. Building awareness of your organization's work through sector networks, partnerships with Family Fund, or connections with the hospice care community in the Midlands may increase visibility with the Trust's decision-makers.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Closed grant-making model: This Trust does not accept open applications; grants are made at trustee discretion to approximately 5 hospices per year
• Highly specialized focus: Only organizations providing specialized care for children with profound and multiple learning difficulties should consider approaching the Trust
• Geographic specificity: Strong preference for organizations operating in Midlands, Liverpool, Wirral, and Leicestershire areas
• Family-led governance: The Trust is personally connected to its cause through the Edwards family, suggesting that alignment with their values and experiences is crucial
• Partnership approach: The Trust's significant partnership with Family Fund demonstrates their interest in collaborative funding models
• Limited funding availability: With only 5 organizational grants per year, this is not a realistic funding prospect for most organizations, but may be worth relationship-building for those closely aligned
• Contact for inquiry: Organizations may contact info@themarianelizabethtrust.org to introduce their work, though expectations should be managed given the closed process

Similar Funders

These funders have a similar focus and geographic reach:

• Lancashire Teaching Hospitals Charity
• The Inman Charity
• The Leslie Smith Foundation
• The Hamilton Wallace Trust
• The O'sullivan Family Charitable Trust
• The Kentown Wizard Foundation
• Rj And Ah Daniels Charitable Trust
• The P A R Charitable Trust
• The Gerald Micklem Charitable Trust
• The Northwick Trust

References

• The Charity Commission for England and Wales. (2024). “Charity overview: THE MARIAN ELIZABETH TRUST - 1166932.” Retrieved from https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-details/?regid=1166932&subid=0 []
• The Marian Elizabeth Trust official website. (2025). Retrieved from https://themarianelizabethtrust.org/ []
• Family Fund. (2025). “The Marian Elizabeth Trust programme.” Retrieved from https://www.familyfund.org.uk/grants/schemes/marian-elizabeth-trust/ []
• The Charity Commission. (2024). “Full charity details and accounts - THE MARIAN ELIZABETH TRUST.” Retrieved from https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/en/charity-search/-/charity-details/5076355/full-print []