The Road Safety Trust

Charity Number: 1156300

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: Over £1.1 million (2024 round)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
  • Decision Time: 3-4 months
  • Grant Range: £10,000 - £500,000
  • Geographic Focus: UK-wide

Contact Details

  • Website: www.roadsafetytrust.org.uk
  • Email: info@roadsafetytrust.org.uk
  • Phone: 7736466059
  • Registered Charity Number: 1156300

Overview

The Road Safety Trust is the UK's largest independent grant-giving charity funding road safety initiatives, established to reduce the numbers of people killed or injured on roads. Since its inception, the Trust has awarded over £9.6 million to 100+ projects through 2024. The Trust is uniquely funded through its wholly-owned trading subsidiary UKROEd, which operates the National Driver Offender Retraining Scheme (NDORS), with any surplus donated to the Trust annually. Their strategic approach focuses on funding innovative research and practical interventions through education, engineering, or enforcement approaches.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

  • Small Grants Programme: £10,000 - £50,000 (maximum 24 months duration, rolling applications September-December)
  • Large/Major Themed Grants: £50,000 - £500,000 (up to 36 months duration, applications March-June)
  • Application Method: Two-stage process for small grants (Expression of Interest followed by full application); online portal system

Priority Areas

  • Road safety research and practical interventions
  • Projects addressing inequalities in road safety (current theme focus)
  • Innovation and pilot schemes with national scale-up potential
  • Education, engineering, or enforcement approaches
  • Vehicle design research, cycling safety, hazard perception
  • Trauma techniques at road traffic collisions
  • Projects requiring partnership working or collaboration

What They Don't Fund

  • Road calming measures or local road signs
  • General road calming schemes
  • School-based projects (unless particularly innovative)
  • Active Travel schemes that have already been piloted elsewhere
  • Core funding (project funding only)
  • Services previously funded by statutory bodies
  • 100% of total project costs
  • Party political activities
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Governance and Leadership

The Trust operates under a Board of Trustees with specialized committees including the Road Safety Initiatives Committee (five trustees), Audit and Risk Committee, and Communications and Engagement Committee. No trustees receive remuneration.

Rob Gifford, Chief Executive: “What is important is that the Trust will be able to support road safety activity and UKROEd will seek to build on high quality courses as an educational alternative to enforcement.”

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

  • Two-stage process for Small Grants: Expression of Interest (EOI) followed by full application for shortlisted candidates
  • Online application portal with eligibility screening
  • Applications reviewed by Grants Team and Road Safety Initiatives Committee
  • Final approval by the Board of Trustees

Decision Timeline

  • Small Grants: 3 months from closing date
  • Large Grants: 4 months from closing date
  • Notification: Usually within 5-6 months for major grants, sooner for smaller grants
  • Small Grants Schedule: Applications open September 23, EOI reviews by mid-November, full applications due December 12, decisions late January/early February

Success Rates

Success rates are not publicly disclosed. Applications are carefully considered against grant criteria with those most closely aligned put forward for Board approval.

Reapplication Policy

Reapplication policy for unsuccessful applicants is not publicly disclosed - contact the Trust directly for guidance.

Application Success Factors

  • Innovation Focus: Grants are specifically for “new innovations and pilots or trials” with potential for national scale-up
  • Partnership Requirements: All projects should involve partnership working or collaboration with other organizations
  • Evidence of Impact: Projects must show proposed link to reducing casualties
  • Other Funding Sources: All small grants projects should have other sources of funding (cash or in-kind)
  • Reporting Expectations: All projects expected to produce a report and describe how findings will be shared and promoted
  • Theme Alignment: Applications should align with the current funding round theme (e.g., “Inequalities in Road Safety” for 2024)

Recent successful projects include virtual cycling training tools, mature driver assessments, mobile triage applications for emergency services, and data system linkage projects addressing collision prevention.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Focus on innovative approaches rather than established practices - the Trust specifically seeks “new innovations and pilots”
  • Demonstrate clear potential for national scale-up beyond the pilot area
  • Ensure strong partnership elements and collaboration with other organizations
  • Align applications with the specific theme of each funding round
  • Include other funding sources (cash or in-kind) - 100% funding requests are not eligible
  • Emphasize measurable impact on reducing road casualties and injuries
  • Plan for comprehensive evaluation and dissemination of findings
  • Consider the Trust's unique funding model through driver education courses when framing applications

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