The Patricia Routledge Foundation

Charity Number: 1077862

Annual Expenditure: £0.5M

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £502,371 (2024)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly available
  • Decision Time: At trustees' discretion (variable)
  • Grant Range: Not publicly specified
  • Geographic Focus: England and Wales

Contact Details

Website: https://funding.ludlowtrust.com

Email: charitabletrusts@ludlowtrust.com

Phone: 0117 313 8200

Administered by: Ludlow Trust Company Ltd, Tower Wharf, Cheese Lane, Bristol BS2 0JJ

Applications: Submit via the Ludlow Funding Enquiry Gateway at https://funding.ludlowtrust.com

Overview

The Patricia Routledge Foundation (registered charity number 1077862) was established in 1999 as a grant-making trust for general charitable purposes. The foundation continues the philanthropic legacy of Dame Patricia Routledge DBE (1929-2025), the celebrated British actress best known for her role in “Keeping Up Appearances,” who donated over £1 million during her lifetime to support young people embarking on careers in music and theatre. The foundation had total income of £491,377 and expenditure of £502,371 for the year ending March 2024. Managed by Ludlow Trust Company, the foundation operates through an innovative online application portal that matches applicants with over 275 charitable trusts. As described in tributes following Dame Patricia's passing, she was “a prodigiously generous philanthropist” who “never talked about” her charitable work, reflecting a commitment to supporting emerging artists and various charitable causes across England and Wales.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation operates as a grant-making trust with applications accepted on a rolling basis through the Ludlow Funding Enquiry Gateway. Applicants can either apply directly to The Patricia Routledge Foundation or submit a general application that may be matched to this or other Ludlow-managed trusts.

Application Method: Online portal (https://funding.ludlowtrust.com) - no cost to apply

Priority Areas

The foundation supports a broad range of charitable purposes:

  • Arts, Culture, Heritage & Science - particularly supporting young people beginning careers in music and theatre
  • Education & Training - with emphasis on emerging artists and performers
  • Health & Disability - advancement of health or saving of lives; supporting people with disabilities
  • Poverty Relief - prevention or relief of poverty
  • Environment & Conservation - environmental protection and heritage conservation
  • Overseas Aid - famine relief and international development
  • General Charitable Purposes - other exclusively charitable objects under English and Welsh law

Beneficiary Groups: Children and young people, elderly people, people with disabilities, other charities and voluntary bodies

What They Don't Fund

The foundation's registered purposes specify grants must be for “exclusively charitable” purposes under the laws of England and Wales. Specific exclusions are not publicly detailed, but applications must align with registered charitable objectives.

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Governance and Leadership

Trustees (as of 2024)

  • Katherine Patricia Routledge - Trustee
  • Suzanne Wendy Simmons - Trustee (appointed June 2021)
  • Matthew Andrew Sims - Trustee (appointed June 2021)
  • Thomas David Nason - Trustee
  • Ludlow Trust Company Ltd - Corporate Trustee (appointed April 2021)

The foundation operates with five trustees who control the charity's work and management on behalf of beneficiaries. One or more trustees receive payments from the charity for providing services.

Leadership Philosophy

From Dame Patricia Routledge's own approach to philanthropy: She understood from personal experience “how important that transition from education into professional life was, as well as the unique challenges this period of change can present” for young artists. Her foundation continues this commitment to supporting emerging talent at critical career stages.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

  1. Complete the online application form describing your charity and the work requiring funding
  2. Submit at no cost to your organization

The platform is accessible via PC, tablet, or smartphone and streamlines the application experience while reducing paper usage.

Decision Timeline

Decision timelines are at the discretion of the trustees and vary depending on their meeting schedule. There is no fixed timeline for decisions once applications are submitted through the Gateway. Trustees consider matched applications “in the usual course of their decision making process.”

Success Rates

Specific success rate data for The Patricia Routledge Foundation is not publicly available. The Ludlow Gateway has received nearly 8,000 applications since its launch in September 2023 across all 275+ trusts managed by the platform, with over £2.5 million in grants facilitated through the system.

Reapplication Policy

No specific reapplication restrictions or waiting periods are publicly documented. Charities are encouraged to maintain updated information on the portal.

Application Success Factors

Key Alignment Factors

Focus on Young People in the Arts: Given Dame Patricia's personal commitment to supporting emerging artists, applications demonstrating support for young people beginning careers in music, theatre, or performing arts are likely to align well with the foundation's ethos.

Transition Support: The foundation's founder understood the challenges of transitioning “from education into professional life.” Projects supporting this critical period may resonate with trustees.

Evidence of Impact: While specific guidance is not published, applications should clearly articulate the charitable benefit and impact on beneficiaries.

Known Grant Recipients

Organizations that have received support include:

  • The JMK Trust - supports young theatre directors
  • Young Sounds (formerly Association of Young Musicians) - music education organization for young people
  • Chichester Cathedral Music Foundation - supporting cathedral choir and music programs

Strategic Tips

  1. Use the Matching Feature: Consider submitting a general application to be matched across multiple Ludlow-managed trusts, potentially increasing chances of funding
  2. Emphasize Young Beneficiaries: Applications supporting children, young people, or emerging artists align with the foundation's demonstrated priorities
  3. Arts & Education Focus: Projects combining arts, culture, education, and youth development appear particularly aligned
  4. Professional Development: Support for young people at career transition points reflects the founder's philanthropic interests

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Broad Charitable Remit: While the foundation has demonstrated interest in arts and young people, it supports a wide range of general charitable purposes across England and Wales
  • Rolling Applications: No fixed deadlines - apply when ready through the online portal at no cost
  • Gateway Advantage: The Ludlow platform can match your application to 275+ trusts, potentially reaching multiple funders with one submission
  • Youth & Arts Alignment: Given Dame Patricia's legacy, projects supporting young people in music, theatre, and performing arts have strong thematic alignment
  • Variable Timelines: Plan ahead as decision times vary by trustee meeting schedules - no guaranteed turnaround time
  • Professional Transition Focus: Programs supporting young artists' transition from education to professional careers align with the founder's stated values
  • Modest Profile: This is a foundation that operates without publicity-seeking, reflecting Dame Patricia's approach of generous giving without public discussion

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