The National Benevolent Charity

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £388,000 (organizational grants, 2023)
• Total Income: £811,048 (2024)
• Success Rate: 53% (614 grants awarded from 1,157 organizational applications in 2023)
• Decision Time: 2 months for small grants (≤£2,000); 3 months for larger grants
• Grant Range: £2,000 - £40,000 (Bristol offers highest amounts)
• Geographic Focus: Bristol, Gloucestershire, and Wiltshire & Swindon only

Contact Details

Website: https://www.natben.org.uk

Main Office:

• Email: office@natben.org.uk
• Phone: 01666 505 500
• Address: c/o Randall & Payne, Chargrove House, Shurdington, Cheltenham, GL51 4GA

Organizational Grants Manager (Vicky Oram-Ahern):

• Email: vicky.oram@natben.org.uk
• Phone: 01666 848 667

Overview

Founded in 1812 and incorporated by Royal Charter in 1859, The National Benevolent Charity has over 200 years of history supporting people experiencing poverty. Despite its “national” name, the charity exclusively funds work in three specific regions: Bristol, Gloucestershire, and Wiltshire & Swindon. The charity's formal purpose is “the relief of qualifying persons who are in need of assistance by reason of old age, infirmity, sickness or economic circumstances.” With total income of £811,048 in 2024, the charity distributed £388,000 in organizational grants in 2023, supporting 614 projects. Led by CEO Ali Russell, the organization operates with just three employees and maintains a strong preference for frontline organizations working with marginalized people and grassroots community groups. The charity operates under three core values: Open (responding to individual circumstances), Compassionate (prioritizing people), and Collaborative (partnering with others).

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Bristol:

• Main grants: £20,000 annually over two years (£40,000 total per organization)
• Smaller grants: Up to £2,000 (considered year-round)
• Application method: One annual deadline (typically Autumn)

Gloucestershire & Wiltshire & Swindon:

• Maximum: £10,000 per organization, per year
• Smaller grants: Up to £2,000 (considered year-round outside panel meetings)
• Application method: Annual deadlines

Priority Areas

The charity supports work addressing:

1. People in destitution/crisis - Immediate relief for those facing severe hardship
2. Employment/education/training opportunities - Programs helping people develop skills and access work
3. Strengthening families and/or communities - Initiatives building social cohesion and support networks
4. Financial resilience - Support helping people manage money and build economic stability

What They Fund

• Not-for-profit organizations with an agreed constitution
• Organizations whose “primary service users are experiencing poverty” and whose funded activity aims to alleviate it
• Frontline organizations working with marginalized people (preference)
• Grassroots community organizations (preference)
• Core costs and project-specific costs

What They Don't Fund

• Exclusively religious projects
• Political campaigns and lobbying
• Animal/plant relief organizations
• Retrospective or deficit funding
• One-off conferences or events (unless aligned with charitable objects)
• Work outside Bristol, Gloucestershire, and Wiltshire & Swindon

Ready to write a winning application for The National Benevolent Charity?

Our AI helps you craft proposals that match their exact priorities. Save 10+ hours and increase your success rate.

Join the Launch List

Governance and Leadership

The charity is governed by 8 trustees who receive no remuneration, payments, or benefits. The organization maintains a Finance and Investment Committee with specialized oversight.

Chief Executive Officer: Ali Russell

Ali Russell emphasizes the charity's commitment to seeing impact firsthand: “We wanted to come and see The Harbour Project and Youth Action Wiltshire because it is really good to see what the charities we fund are doing, and to hear first-hand how lives have improved because of our grants is absolute gold dust.”

On what the charity looks for: "The aim of our fund is Improving Lives so if the groups who apply can show they are doing that we will be interested. When it comes to looking at which groups we want to fund, it's a blank canvas really."

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

• Applications submitted via online Expression of Interest form on the website
• Smaller grants (up to £2,000) considered year-round outside panel meetings
• Larger grants reviewed at annual panel meetings
• Applicants contacted within two weeks of submission to acknowledge receipt

Decision Timeline

• Smaller grants (≤£2,000): Decision within two months of submission
• Larger grants: Decision within three months of application deadline
• All applicants notified of outcomes promptly

Success Rates

In 2023, the charity received 1,157 organizational applications and awarded 614 grants, representing a 53% success rate. This is a relatively strong success rate compared to many other funders, suggesting that applications meeting the eligibility criteria have a reasonable chance of success.

Reapplication Policy

• Organizations receiving two consecutive years of funding must wait 12 months before reapplying
• Unsuccessful applicants receive feedback
• No right of appeal for declined applications
• No specific restriction mentioned for unsuccessful applicants reapplying in subsequent years

Application Success Factors

What Makes a Strong Application

1. Clear demonstration of poverty relief: Primary service users must be experiencing poverty, and the application must clearly show how the funded activity will alleviate it
2. Alignment with priority areas: Strong applications address at least one of the four priority outcomes (destitution/crisis, employment/education/training, strengthening families/communities, or financial resilience)
3. Frontline and grassroots focus: The charity prefers organizations working directly with marginalized people and community-based groups
4. Demonstrable impact: Show how lives will be improved - the charity values evidence of real-world outcomes

Examples of Funded Projects

Youth Action Wiltshire: Received £4,000 for outdoor activity days including cycling, archery, heritage, conservation and cooking for vulnerable young carers and other young people, providing respite during lockdown. Also funded gazebos and PPE equipment.

The Harbour Project, Swindon: Funded English lessons for refugees to enable them to integrate into their communities.

In 2023, organizational grants totaling £388,000 were distributed across:

• Destitution relief: £207,000
• Family strengthening: £104,000
• Financial resilience: £60,000
• Education/training: £14,000

Key Language and Terminology

• “Improving Lives” - The central mission and what reviewers look for
• “Poverty relief” and “alleviating poverty”
• “Frontline organizations”
• “Grassroots community organizations”
• “Marginalized people”
• Focus on demonstrating impact on “primary service users”

Reporting Requirements

The charity takes a “light touch” approach to reporting, typically requesting that organizations share their annual or impact reports rather than requiring formal written reports specifically for the grant. This reduces administrative burden on funded organizations.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

1. Geographic eligibility is crucial: If your work isn't in Bristol, Gloucestershire, or Wiltshire & Swindon, do not apply - this is a strict requirement despite the “national” name.

1. Show clear poverty focus: Applications must demonstrate that primary service users are experiencing poverty and explain how the funded work will alleviate it - this is non-negotiable.

1. Strong success rates for eligible applicants: With a 53% success rate, eligible organizations have a reasonable chance, but this also means competition is real.

1. Emphasize direct impact: The CEO values hearing firsthand how grants improve lives - include specific, tangible examples of outcomes and impact.

1. Consider smaller grants for quick funding: The £2,000 grants decided within two months offer a faster route to funding and are considered year-round.

1. Frontline and grassroots organizations are preferred: If your organization works directly with marginalized communities at a grassroots level, emphasize this - it's a clear advantage.

1. Plan for multi-year relationships: Bristol applicants can secure two-year funding (£40,000 total), but remember the 12-month waiting period after two consecutive years of funding.

Similar Funders

These funders frequently fund the same charities:

• Quartet Community Foundation
• ACCESS - THE FOUNDATION FOR SOCIAL INVESTMENT
• The Edward Gostling Foundation
• The Big Give Trust
• Power to Change Trust
• The Barrow Cadbury Trust
• Somerset Community Foundation
• Thirty Percy Foundation
• The Blagrave Trust
• THE VEOLIA ENVIRONMENTAL TRUST
• The Aurora Trust
• The Nisbet Trust
• The Medlock Charitable Trust
• The Will Charitable Trust
• The Francis Winham Foundation
• THE DAVID FAMILY FOUNDATION
• CLA Charitable Trust
• National Lottery
• LOCAL TRUST
• I CAN DO IT LIMITED

References

• The National Benevolent Charity official website: https://www.natben.org.uk/
• Grants for Organisations page: https://www.natben.org.uk/grants-for-organisations
• Charity Commission Register entry for charity number 212450: https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/en/charity-search/-/charity-details/212450
• Marlborough News article on Improving Lives Fund: https://marlborough.news/lead/improving-lives-fund-set-up-after-pilot-in-oxenwood-and-swindon/
• CEO Ali Russell quotes from site visits to Youth Action Wiltshire and The Harbour Project, published in local news coverage