The Rainford Trust

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £437,013 (FY 2023)
• Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
• Decision Time: Several weeks (Local Appeals Committee) to potentially longer (full Board review)
• Grant Range: £1,000 - £5,000 (typical range; no upper limit)
• Geographic Focus: St Helens and surrounding area (priority), UK-wide, and international

Contact Details

Website: www.therainfordtrust.org

Email: shirley.robinson@brabners.com

Phone: 0151 600 3362

Address: c/o Brabners LLP, Horton House, Exchange Flags, Liverpool L2 3YL

Overview

The Rainford Trust is a grant-making charity established in 1973 by members of the Pilkington family, reflecting the family's long association with St Helens as the home of Pilkington Brothers' glass-making industry. The Trust operates throughout England and Wales with total expenditure of £437,013 in the financial year ending July 2023. The Trust's mission is to support charitable purposes and charitable institutions, with particular focus on the St Helens Metropolitan Borough Council area and other locations where Pilkington operated. The Trust takes a flexible approach to funding, considering applications for specific projects as well as core funding including salaries and overheads. Administrative support is provided by Brabners LLP, a law firm in Liverpool.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

• Main Grant Programme: £1,000 - £5,000 (typical range)
• Rolling application process via online application form
• No formal upper limit on grant amounts - larger grants may be referred to full Board
• Both project-specific and core funding considered

Priority Areas

The Trust funds a broad range of charitable activities across:

• Welfare: General welfare, disability support, services for elderly people and young people
• Medical: Health and medical causes
• Education: Educational projects and support (including grants to individuals born in or resident in St Helens area)
• Environmental: Environmental conservation and protection
• Religion: Religious activities
• Arts/Culture: Cultural initiatives
• Community Development: Economic and community development projects
• Animal Welfare: Animal protection causes
• Overseas Aid: International charitable work (through UK-registered charities)

Geographic Priority: St Helens and surrounding area receive priority consideration, plus other locations where Pilkington operated. UK-registered charities working nationally or internationally are also considered.

What They Don't Fund

• Organizations unable to provide accounts filed on time for at least three years prior (exceptions may be made for recently formed charities)
• Overseas organizations not registered as charities in the UK

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Governance and Leadership

The Trust operates with a two-tier decision-making structure:

Local Appeals Committee: A subset of trustees that normally meets ten times per year to consider appeals and award grants within their authority.

Full Board of Trustees: Meets three times per year (March, July, November) to consider larger appeals and award grants, plus applications referred by the Local Appeals Committee.

All trustees serve without remuneration, payments, or benefits from the charity. Contact for administrative matters is through Shirley Robinson at Brabners LLP.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

• Payee details including full charity name
• Full name of correspondent to whom cheque should be directed
• Specific purpose of funding (project or core costs)

Eligibility Requirements:

• Registered charity with the Charity Commission for England and Wales, Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator, or Charity Commission for Northern Ireland; OR
• Unregistered charity with income less than £5,000 per year (must provide governing document and explanation)
• Accounts filed on time for at least three years prior to application (exceptions possible for recently formed charities)

Decision Timeline

Initial Review: Application reviewed with accounts to determine whether to submit to Local Appeals Committee

Local Appeals Committee: Can approve or reject grants; may refer to main Board of Trustees if appropriate - this process can take several weeks

Full Board Review: For larger grants or referred applications - meets three times per year (March, July, November)

Payment: Once a decision to award a grant is made, applicants should normally receive payment within two weeks

Rejection Policy: It is not current policy to send rejection letters, so applicants are not informed if their application is unsuccessful

Reapplication Policy

• No limits on the number of applications an organization or individual may make
• Trustees generally prefer not to make a grant more than once in three years to the same applicant
• However, exceptions exist and applications from previous recipients (including unsuccessful applicants) may be considered on their own merits

Application Success Factors

Financial Documentation is Critical: The Trust emphasizes the importance of providing complete accounts showing cash flows, statement of activities, and balances. Accounts must demonstrate financial responsibility with timely filing over at least three years.

Geographic Alignment Matters: Applications from St Helens and surrounding areas, or locations where Pilkington operated, receive priority consideration. Clearly explain any connection to these areas.

Flexibility in Funding Type: The Trust is open to funding both specific projects and core costs including salaries and overheads. Don't assume they only fund project-specific work - clearly articulate what you need.

Clear Payee Information: Applications must include precise payee details with full charity name and correspondent name. Administrative clarity is valued.

Broad Charitable Purposes Welcome: The Trust supports a wide range of charitable activities across welfare, medical, education, environmental, religious, cultural, and community development sectors. Don't self-reject based on narrow assumptions about their interests.

Three-Year Gap Preferred: While not absolute, the Trust prefers not to award grants to the same organization more than once in three years. If reapplying sooner, make a compelling case for exceptional circumstances.

No Feedback on Rejections: Since the Trust does not send rejection letters due to high application volumes, unsuccessful applicants receive no feedback. If rejected, consider waiting and reapplying with a strengthened application.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• St Helens connection is your strongest asset - If your organization serves St Helens or has links to Pilkington locations, emphasize this prominently as it's the Trust's priority geographic area
• Keep financial house in order - Three years of on-time filed accounts is typically essential; recent formation is the main exception considered
• Don't underestimate core funding opportunities - The Trust explicitly considers core costs including salaries and overheads, not just projects
• Typical grants are £1,000-£5,000 - Pitch your request within this range for faster Local Appeals Committee approval; larger amounts go to the full Board
• No rejection notification means reapplication is welcome - Since you won't hear if rejected, feel free to apply again with an improved case
• Be patient and plan timing - Decision timelines stretch over several weeks to months depending on committee schedules; three Board meetings per year (March, July, November) mean potential longer waits for larger grants
• Broad charitable purposes considered - The Trust's wide range of funded causes means most UK charitable work is potentially eligible

Similar Funders

These funders have a similar focus and geographic reach:

• The Batchworth Trust
• THE BASIL SAMUEL CHARITABLE TRUST
• The Archer Trust
• The Blyth Watson Charitable Trust
• The Dischma Charitable Trust
• The Bay Tree Charitable Trust
• Langdale Trust
• The Bowland Charitable Trust
• Susanna Peake Charitable Trust
• The Rest-Harrow Trust

References

• The Rainford Trust official website: www.therainfordtrust.org/who-what-we-fund
• The Rainford Trust application guidance: www.therainfordtrust.org/how-to-apply
• Charity Commission Register of Charities: charity number 266157, https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/en/charity-search/-/charity-details/266157
• Giving is Great Charity Factsheet: THE RAINFORD TRUST, https://givingisgreat.org/charity-factsheet/?regNo=266157
• Financial data: Charity Commission records for financial year ending 31 July 2023