The Mccorquodale Charitable Trust

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £321,733 (2024)
• Annual Income: £332,651 (2024)
• Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
• Decision Time: At trustees' discretion (typically quarterly meetings)
• Grant Range: Not publicly disclosed
• Geographic Focus: UK-wide (England, Wales, and Scotland)
• Charity Number: 297697

Contact Details

Website: https://funding.ludlowtrust.com

Email: charitabletrusts@ludlowtrust.com

Phone: 0117 313 8200

Address: Ludlow Trust Co Ltd, Tower Wharf, Cheese Lane, Bristol, BS2 0JJ

Overview

The McCorquodale Charitable Trust is a UK-registered charity (number 297697) established for general charitable purposes. Managed by the Ludlow Trust Company, the trust operates through Ludlow's innovative Funding Enquiry Gateway, which connects applicant charities with over 400 charitable trusts including The McCorquodale Charitable Trust. In the financial year ending April 2024, the trust had an income of £332,651 and distributed £321,733 in charitable expenditure, representing a significant increase from the previous year's expenditure of £176,880. The trust is governed by five trustees and accepts applications on a rolling basis through the online portal. Previous recipients demonstrate the trust's broad charitable scope, spanning heritage preservation, healthcare, social welfare, and the arts.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The McCorquodale Charitable Trust operates through a rolling application process via the Ludlow Funding Enquiry Gateway. Applications can be submitted at any time and are matched with the trust's priorities by Ludlow's Trust Managers before being reviewed by trustees.

Funding Types: Both capital and revenue funding available

Priority Areas

The trust supports general charitable purposes with demonstrated funding across:

• Animal Welfare: Supporting organizations working with animal protection and welfare
• Arts and Culture: Funding cultural organizations and artistic initiatives
• Healthcare and Wellbeing: Supporting organizations addressing physical and mental health needs
• Heritage and Building Preservation: Grants for conservation and preservation projects
• Social Welfare: Supporting organizations addressing poverty, homelessness, and social disadvantage

Beneficiary Groups: Children, young people, older people, people in poverty, people with ill health, people with mental health conditions, religious groups, and the general public

Previous Recipients

Confirmed past grant recipients include:

• National Trust Scotland
• English Speaking Union
• The Abbotsford Trust
• Erskine Hospital
• St Mungo's
• Highland Hospice
• The Timespan Heritage and Arts Society

What They Don't Fund

Specific exclusions are not publicly documented. As a trust supporting “general charitable purposes,” applications should align with established charitable activities recognized under UK charity law.

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Governance and Leadership

The trust is governed by five trustees:

• Colin Norman McCorquodale - Trustee
• Laura McCorquodale - Trustee (appointed December 2013)
• Caroline Lowsley-Williams - Trustee
• Luke Michael Lowsley-Williams - Trustee (appointed October 2023)
• One additional trustee (name not publicly disclosed)

The Charity Commission notes that one or more trustees receive payments or benefits for services provided to the charity. The trust operates with no employees earning over £60,000 and has no trading subsidiaries.

Professional management and administration is provided by Ludlow Trust Company, an independent trust corporation with expertise in managing charitable trusts and facilitating philanthropy.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

Online Application Portal: All applications must be submitted through the Ludlow Funding Enquiry Gateway at https://funding.ludlowtrust.com

Eligibility: UK registered charities and exempt charities are eligible to apply. Charitable organizations not registered with the Charity Commission can email applications to charitabletrusts@ludlowtrust.com

Application Types:

1. Targeted Application: Apply specifically to The McCorquodale Charitable Trust if you believe there is strong synergy with the trust's charitable objectives
2. General Application: Submit a general application that will be matched to any suitable trusts from Ludlow's portfolio of 400+ charitable trusts

Application Process:

1. Create a free account on the Ludlow Funding Enquiry Gateway
2. Provide detailed information about your charity's purposes
3. Describe your specific project, geographic focus, and target beneficiaries
4. Submit your application
5. Trust Managers review and match applications to relevant trusts
6. Matched applications are forwarded to trustees for consideration
7. Applications accepted for UK and overseas projects

Rolling Basis: Applications can be submitted at any time throughout the year.

Decision Timeline

Decision-making is at the discretion of the trustees. While specific timelines are not published, charitable trusts managed by Ludlow typically hold trustee meetings quarterly (often in January, April, July, and October), though exact schedules may vary.

Applicants should expect the following stages:

1. Initial submission and matching by Trust Managers
2. Review period by trustees (timing depends on meeting schedule)
3. Notification of decision

Success Rates

Specific success rates for The McCorquodale Charitable Trust are not publicly disclosed. However, the Ludlow Funding Enquiry Gateway has received nearly 8,000 applications since its launch in September 2023, facilitating the distribution of over £2.5 million in grants and donations across all trusts in the portfolio.

Reapplication Policy

No specific reapplication restrictions are documented. Unsuccessful applicants may reapply, particularly if circumstances have changed or if the application can be strengthened to better align with the trust's charitable objectives.

Application Success Factors

Specificity is Critical: The matching algorithm used by the Ludlow Funding Enquiry Gateway prioritizes detailed applications. Be specific about:

• Your charitable purpose and activities
• The particular project requiring funding
• Geographic scope of your work
• Target beneficiary groups
• Clear outcomes and impact measures

Alignment with Charitable Purposes: Review the trust's previous recipients to understand the breadth of their interests. The McCorquodale Charitable Trust has demonstrated support across diverse charitable sectors, from heritage conservation to social welfare.

Quality of Application: Since Trust Managers review applications before matching them to relevant trusts, ensure your application is:

• Well-written and professionally presented
• Clear about funding needs and how funds will be used
• Supported by evidence of your charity's track record
• Specific about capital or revenue needs

Demonstrating Impact: While specific guidance from trustees is not publicly available, charitable trusts typically value:

• Clear demonstration of charitable benefit
• Evidence of effective governance and financial management
• Realistic and achievable project goals
• Sustainability beyond the grant period

Leveraging the Gateway System: The Ludlow platform “removes an element of luck in choosing which specific trust to apply to” by allowing your application to be seen by any of 400+ charitable trusts. Ensure your application is comprehensive enough to match with multiple potential funders while remaining targeted to The McCorquodale Charitable Trust if that is your primary focus.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Apply through the digital gateway: The McCorquodale Charitable Trust exclusively uses the Ludlow Funding Enquiry Gateway (https://funding.ludlowtrust.com) for applications—direct postal or email applications are not accepted
• Broad charitable scope: With “general charitable purposes” as their objective and diverse previous recipients, this trust is open to applications across multiple sectors including arts, heritage, health, social welfare, and animal welfare
• Detail drives matching success: The more specific you are about your project, geography, and beneficiaries, the better the Trust Managers can match your application to the trustees' priorities
• Rolling applications with quarterly decisions: Submit applications at any time, but expect decisions to align with trustee meeting schedules (typically quarterly)
• Consider dual-track approach: You can apply specifically to The McCorquodale Charitable Trust or submit a general application to be matched with any relevant trusts in Ludlow's portfolio of 400+
• No cost to apply: The Ludlow Funding Enquiry Gateway is free for charities to use, reducing barriers to access
• Professional administration: Applications are screened by experienced Trust Managers before reaching trustees, so ensure your application meets professional standards

Similar Funders

These funders frequently fund the same charities:

• National Lottery Heritage Fund
• The Wolfson Foundation
• THE HEADLEY TRUST
• The Swire Charitable Trust
• The Clore Duffield Foundation
• The Kirby Laing Foundation
• P F Charitable Trust
• Hollick Family Foundation
• THE ROGER DE HAAN CHARITABLE TRUST
• THE JOHN S COHEN FOUNDATION
• The Ofenheim Charitable Trust
• The Anthony and Elizabeth Mellows Charitable Settlement
• The Elmley Foundation
• Jerwood Foundation
• The Leche Trust
• The Godinton Charitable Trust
• The Ancaster Trust
• National Lottery
• THE FOYLE FOUNDATION
• THE WYSELIOT ROSE CHARITABLE TRUST

References

• Charity Commission for England and Wales. (2024). The McCorquodale Charitable Trust - Charity Number 297697. Retrieved December 8, 2025, from https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/en/charity-search/-/charity-details/297697
• Funding Scotland. (2024). The McCorquodale Charitable Trust. Retrieved December 8, 2025, from https://funding.scot/funds/a0Rb0000007Y1qzEAC/the-mccorquodale-charitable-trust
• Ludlow Trust Company. (2024). The Ludlow Funding Enquiry Gateway. Retrieved December 8, 2025, from https://www.ludlowtrust.com/insights/the-ludlow-funding-enquiry-gateway/
• Ludlow Trust Company. (2024). Ludlow's Funding Enquiry Gateway. Retrieved December 8, 2025, from https://www.ludlowtrust.com/insights/ludlows-funding-enquiry-gateway/
• Ludlow Trust Company. (2024). Funding Enquiry Gateway Portal. Retrieved December 8, 2025, from https://funding.ludlowtrust.com
• Charity Commission Register of Charities. (2024). Trustees - The McCorquodale Charitable Trust. Retrieved December 8, 2025, from https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/en/charity-search/-/charity-details/297697/trustees