The Mclay Dementia Trust

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £358,214 (2024)
• Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
• Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed
• Grant Range: Small-scale innovative projects (specific amounts not disclosed)
• Geographic Focus: UK-wide, with particular welcome to applications from the North of the UK

Contact Details

• Website: www.mclaydementiatrust.com
• Email: McLayDementiaTrust@gmail.com
• Phone: 020 7399 0000
• Charity Number: 1170225

Overview

The McLay Dementia Trust was established in late 2016, born from a daughter's experience caring for her mother with dementia at home and the recognition that care and services could be significantly improved. The trust reported total income of £413,791 and expenditure of £358,214 for the financial year ending April 2024. The trust operates with three trustees, one or more of whom receive payments or benefits from the charity. The McLay Dementia Trust focuses on supporting smaller, innovative projects that improve quality of life for people with dementia and their carers—projects that might not attract funding from major research councils or larger charities. The trustees are particularly interested in initiatives that may be trialled on a small scale and in a local area but are likely to have wider impact across the UK.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The McLay Dementia Trust does not appear to operate formal grant programs with fixed deadlines or published application cycles. Instead, they fund small-scale, innovative projects on what appears to be a discretionary basis.

Major Partnership Initiatives:

• MedicAlert Safe and Found Programme (launched June 2023): Provided first-year free MedicAlert membership to over 800 people living with dementia in the UK, with match funding between The McLay Dementia Trust and MedicAlert

Recent Grant Recipients:

• ReMind UK: Support for “Living Well with Dementia courses” for people diagnosed with dementia and their carers
• Lichfield Garrick Theatre: Funding for dementia-friendly film screenings

Priority Areas

• Small-scale innovative projects improving quality of life for people with dementia
• Support for carers of people with dementia
• Projects that enhance independence and safety for those living with dementia
• Initiatives with potential for wider impact beyond their initial local trial
• Community-based programmes that might not receive funding from larger organizations
• Geographic preference: Applications from the North of the UK are particularly welcome

What They Don't Fund

Specific exclusions are not publicly documented, though the trust's focus on “smaller innovative projects” and those “which might not attract funding from major research councils or larger charities” suggests they are looking to fill gaps rather than duplicate existing large-scale research or service provision.

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Governance and Leadership

The McLay Dementia Trust operates with three trustees. Specific names and backgrounds of trustees are not publicly disclosed in readily available sources. One or more trustees receive payments or benefits from the charity. The trust operates without employees earning over £60,000 and has no trading subsidiaries.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a publicly documented application process. The trust appears to operate through trustee discretion, identifying and supporting projects through relationships and direct approaches. There is no online application portal, published application forms, or fixed deadlines mentioned in any publicly available sources.

Grant awards appear to be made through:

• Invitation and trustee discretion
• Direct partnership discussions with organizations
• Identification of projects that align with the trust's mission

Decision Timeline

Decision timelines are not publicly disclosed. The trust operates on a discretionary basis rather than fixed grant rounds.

Success Rates

Application numbers and success rates are not publicly available.

Reapplication Policy

No information available regarding reapplication policies.

Application Success Factors

Given the limited public information about the application process, success factors must be inferred from the trust's stated priorities and funded projects:

Key Alignment Factors:

• Innovation: The trust explicitly seeks “innovative projects” that bring new approaches to dementia care
• Small-scale with scaling potential: Projects “which may be trialled on a small scale and in a local area but are likely to have wider impact for other areas of the UK”
• Filling funding gaps: The trust specifically targets projects “which might not attract funding from major research councils or larger charities”
• Quality of life focus: All funded projects should demonstrably improve quality of life for people with dementia and/or their carers

Funded Project Examples:

• MedicAlert Safe and Found Programme: Large-scale partnership providing safety and independence for people with dementia, serving over 800 individuals
• ReMind UK's Living Well with Dementia courses: Educational and support programmes for people diagnosed with dementia and their carers
• Lichfield Garrick dementia-friendly film screenings: Community-based activities providing accessible cultural experiences in adapted environments

Geographic Considerations:

Applications from the North of the UK are particularly welcome, though the trust funds UK-wide initiatives.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• No public application process: This trust does not accept open applications through a standard process; engagement likely requires relationship building and direct contact
• Small-scale innovation is key: Focus on novel, pilot-scale projects that could be replicated elsewhere rather than large-scale service delivery
• Fill the gap: Position your project as something that wouldn't attract funding from larger funders due to its innovative or small-scale nature
• Quality of life emphasis: Clearly demonstrate how your project will improve daily living for people with dementia and/or their carers
• Northern England advantage: If operating in the North of the UK, emphasize this in any initial approaches
• Partnership approach: The trust has demonstrated willingness to engage in significant partnerships (e.g., MedicAlert programme serving 800+ people), so don't assume they only fund very small grants
• Contact directly: Given the lack of public application process, direct contact via email (McLayDementiaTrust@gmail.com) or phone (020 7399 0000) is necessary

Similar Funders

These funders have a similar focus and geographic reach:

• Alzheimer's Research UK
• Q Charitable Trust
• D D McPhail Charitable Settlement CIO
• John Horniman's Children's Trust
• THE VETERANS' FOUNDATION
• The Forbes Charitable Foundation
• THE TRUEMARK TRUST
• Peter Harrison Foundation
• The Pilgrim Trust
• The Rayne Foundation

References

• Charity Commission Register: The McLay Dementia Trust, Charity Number 1170225, https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/
• The McLay Dementia Trust official website: www.mclaydementiatrust.com
• PharmiWeb.com: “New programme designed to keep people living with dementia safe and found with MedicAlert,” 6 June 2023, https://www.pharmiweb.com/press-release/2023-06-06/new-programme-designed-to-keep-people-living-with-dementia-safe-and-found-with-medicalert
• ReMind UK: “Our funders,” https://www.reminduk.org/our-funders/
• Lichfield Garrick Theatre: “Dementia Friendly Film Screenings,” https://www.lichfieldgarrick.com/support-us/dementia-friendly-film-screenings/
• MedicAlert UK: “The McLay Dementia Trust Grant,” https://www.medicalert.org.uk/mclay-dementia-trust/