The Percy Bilton Charity

Charity Number: 1094720

Annual Expenditure: £0.9M
Geographic Focus: Northern Ireland, Scotland

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £911,452 (year ended March 2024)
  • Success Rate: Not disclosed (receives more applications than can be funded)
  • Decision Time: Monthly for small grants; quarterly for large grants
  • Grant Range: £750 - £5,000 (typical)
  • Geographic Focus: UK-wide

Contact Details

Address: Bilton House, 7 Culmington Road, London, W13 9NB

Phone: 020 8579 2829

Email: information@percybiltoncharity.org

Website: www.percybiltoncharity.org

Pre-Application Support: Applicants are welcome to telephone for advice and guidance at any stage of the application process.

Overview

Founded on 9 July 1962 by the late Percy Bilton, The Percy Bilton Charity is a grant-making trust (charity number 1094720) and company limited by guarantee. The charity awarded £911,452 in total grants during the year ended 31 March 2024, an increase from £824,733 the previous year. This was distributed as £483,108 to institutions and £428,344 to individuals. The charity's mission is to support registered charities whose primary objectives are to assist disadvantaged or underprivileged young people under 25, people with physical or learning disabilities or mental health problems, and older people aged over 60. The charity operates on a rolling application basis with no fixed deadlines, making it accessible year-round for eligible organizations. No trustees receive remuneration, payments or benefits from the charity.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Large Grants (£2,000+)

One-off capital grants, with the majority falling within £2,000-£5,000 range. The average grant is approximately £3,000. Applications rarely accepted for amounts over £5,000. Organizations must be registered charities. Applications considered at the next appropriate Board meeting (typically quarterly).

Small Grants (up to £750)

Awards for essential items, considered monthly. Organizations do not need to be registered charities but must supply a reference from another charity, Council for Voluntary Service, or local authority youth service.

Application Method: Rolling basis - applications accepted at any time throughout the year.

Priority Areas

The charity funds capital projects and equipment for registered charities assisting:

  • Disadvantaged/underprivileged young people (under 25 years): Educational and recreational facilities, supported living schemes
  • People with disabilities (physical or learning): Day centres, care homes, respite care facilities, sheltered housing, independent living accommodation, educational and recreational facilities, specialist adaptive equipment
  • People with mental health problems: Facilities providing care, support, and therapeutic environments
  • Older people (aged 60+): Day centres, care homes, respite care facilities, sheltered housing, educational and recreational facilities

Types of Equipment Funded: Tables and chairs, kitchen equipment, specialist adaptive equipment, recreational equipment, furnishings. Preference given to specific items the charity can fund in their entirety.

Minibuses: Only considered if used to transport older and/or disabled people with mobility problems. Organizations should apply once they have a shortfall of £15,000 or less, as trustees prefer to complete projects rather than provide partial funding.

What They Don't Fund

  • Office furniture and equipment (explicitly excluded)
  • Partial funding for large capital projects with shortfalls exceeding £15,000
  • Operating costs or salaries
  • Projects that do not directly benefit their target beneficiary groups
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Governance and Leadership

The Percy Bilton Charity operates as a company limited by guarantee with a board of trustees. All trustees serve in a voluntary capacity without remuneration, payments, or benefits. Specific trustee names are available through the Charity Commission register (charity number 1094720) and Companies House (company number 04529052). The charity maintains a lean operational structure, which is reflected in their policy of not notifying unsuccessful applicants in order to contain administrative costs.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

Application Method: Submit applications on organization's headed notepaper at any time. Applications may be submitted by post or email to information@percybiltoncharity.org.

Required Information:

  • Summary outlining the amount requested and purpose of funding
  • Brief history of the charity including year established, objectives, and work
  • Description of the project and intended outcomes
  • Confirmation that the organization can meet future running costs
  • For minibuses: specification including make, model, number of seats, and details of insurance, tax, and maintenance provision

Pre-Application Advice: The charity strongly encourages applicants to telephone for advice and guidance before applying to ensure the application meets eligibility criteria.

Decision Timeline

Large Grants: Considered at the next appropriate Board meeting following submission (typically quarterly cycles)

Small Grants: Considered monthly

Notification: The charity will notify successful applicants. However, to contain costs, they do not notify unsuccessful applicants - if you don't hear back, the application was unsuccessful.

Additional Information Requests: The charity may telephone, email, or write for further information to assess applications fully, though this does not guarantee funding.

Grant Acceptance: Large grants must be taken up within 12 months of approval date, so ensure timing aligns with project readiness.

Success Rates

The charity acknowledges receiving many more applications than they can fund for both large and small grants. Specific success rate percentages are not publicly disclosed. The charity distributed £483,108 to institutions in the year ended March 2024, representing multiple successful awards.

Reapplication Policy

Organizations may reapply after 12 months from the date of refusal for unsuccessful applications. For individual applications made through support workers, do not reapply for the same person within 12 months of any previous grant.

Application Success Factors

Key Advice from the Funder

“You are welcome to telephone this office for advice and guidance at any stage of your application.” The charity actively encourages pre-application contact to discuss eligibility and suitability.

What They Look For

Complete Funding Preferred: “Preference is given to specific items of furniture and equipment (excluding office items) which the Charity can fund in their entirety.” Applications should identify discrete items that can be fully funded rather than requesting partial contributions.

Final Stage Funding: For large capital projects like minibuses, “applicants should apply once they have a shortfall of £15,000 or less, as the trustees prefer to complete projects rather than provide partial funding.”

Sustainability: Applicants must demonstrate they can meet future running costs for funded equipment or facilities.

Direct Beneficiary Impact: Projects should directly serve one or more of the charity's target groups (young people under 25, people with disabilities, people with mental health problems, or older people 60+).

Types of Equipment Funded

Successful grants typically cover:

  • Specialist adaptive equipment for disabled users
  • Recreational equipment for day centres
  • Kitchen equipment for care facilities
  • Tables, chairs, and furnishings (excluding office furniture)
  • Wheelchair-accessible minibuses (in final funding stage)

Common Reasons for Rejection

While not explicitly stated, applications likely fail when they:

  • Request office furniture or equipment
  • Do not clearly align with beneficiary groups
  • Cannot demonstrate sustainability
  • Request partial funding for projects with large remaining shortfalls
  • Come from non-registered charities applying for large grants

Tips for Standing Out

  1. Contact them first: Take advantage of their open-door policy for pre-application advice
  2. Be specific: Clearly identify exact items needed with costs
  3. Show completion: Apply when you can demonstrate the grant will complete the project
  4. Evidence sustainability: Clearly explain how ongoing costs will be covered
  5. Focus on beneficiaries: Center the application on direct impact to target groups
  6. Time it right: For large projects, wait until you're in the final funding stage
  7. Follow the format: Use headed notepaper and include all required information

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Rolling applications work in your favor: No deadline pressure allows time to prepare strong applications and engage in pre-application dialogue
  • Pick up the phone: Their explicit encouragement to call for guidance is rare - use it to validate your approach before submitting
  • Think completion, not contribution: Frame requests around items they can fully fund rather than partial project support
  • Small can be strategic: The £750 small grants program offers a lower barrier to entry and faster monthly decisions
  • Timing matters for large projects: Wait until you've raised most funds before approaching them for the final £15,000 or less
  • Sustainability is non-negotiable: They need confidence you can maintain what they help you acquire
  • Silence means no: Budget your timeline accordingly, as unsuccessful applicants aren't notified

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