The Royal Bath & West Society

Registered charity 1039397 · since 1994bathandwestsociety.com·Bath and North East Somerset, Devon, Dorset, Gloucestershire, North Somerset, Somerset, Wiltshire·Updated 30 October 2026

At a glance

Open to applications

Fixed application deadlines · unsolicited applications welcome

Key takeaways

Check fit against the Society's themes of agriculture, rural crafts, rural arts, agricultural education, community projects and the rural economy.
Its geographic focus lists Somerset, Dorset, Devon, Wiltshire, Gloucestershire, Bristol, Banes and North Somerset, but the Prince of Wales Award is open only to organisations located in Bristol, Banes, Somerset, North Somerset, Dorset, Wiltshire or Gloucestershire, so Devon-based groups should check that route before applying.
The only amount stated is £1,000 for the Prince of Wales Award, and the annual report gives no overall grants figure or grant range, so a modest request is the safest starting point.
Applications close on 1 June and 22 October each year, and the award favours projects with a strong place in their community and clear long-term viability, while priority for individual awards goes to those whose award would make a real difference and who would return to the South West.
Organisations that are not run by the community for the community, or that do not improve the lives of the local community, should not apply for the Prince of Wales Award, and individuals should apply only for courses relevant to agriculture, manufacture, commerce and rural crafts.

Overview

The Royal Bath & West Society is a charity registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales (charity number 1039397).

The Royal Bath & West Society was founded on 8 September to encourage agriculture, arts, manufacture and commerce. It offers awards, grants and scholarships to promote agriculture and rural crafts, and supports rural arts and agricultural education. Its Charity Committee Fund would normally receive 10% of the unrestricted surplus each year, and it distributed £10k during the year.

What they fund

Priority Areas

The Society offers awards, grants and scholarships to promote agriculture and rural crafts, and supports rural arts and agricultural education. Its funding reaches individuals pursuing agricultural and related courses as well as community-run organisations and initiatives. It supports local projects and national initiatives; its community award is for projects run by the community, with broad involvement, that improve local lives and are sustainable. Its wider charitable remit includes research, education, knowledge transfer and innovation for agriculture, the countryside and the rural economy, and building public understanding of farming, food and the rural economy. The Grants Committee considers applications, and recipients are invited to contribute to Society activities.

Themes

Agriculture
Rural crafts
Rural arts
Agricultural education
Community projects
Rural economy

Geographic Focus

Somerset; Dorset; Devon; Wiltshire; Gloucestershire; Bristol; Banes; North Somerset.

What they don't fund

Applicants should be drawn from Somerset, Dorset, Devon, Wiltshire, Gloucestershire and Bristol
Chosen courses should be relevant to the core values of the Royal Bath and West of England Society – for the encouragement of agriculture, manufacture, commerce and rural crafts
The Prince of Wales Award only:
- Located in Bristol, BANES, Somerset, North Somerset, Dorset, Wiltshire or Gloucestershire
- An organisation run by the community for the community
- Improving the lives of the whole or specific part of the local community
- Sustainable

How to apply

Organisations can apply to The Prince of Wales Award, which is for community-run organisations and initiatives.

Deadlines: Applications have closing dates on 1 June and 22 October each year.

Application windows:

Applications have closing dates of 1st June and 22nd October in any year.
Applications have closing dates of 1st June and 22nd October in any year.

Who can apply:

The Prince of Wales Award: Organisations that enter must be located in Bristol, BANES, Somerset, North Somerset, Dorset, Wiltshire or Gloucestershire; be an organisation run by the community for the community; improve the lives of the whole or specific part of the local community; and be sustainable.

Application success factors

What the charity says:

Courses should relate to the Society’s core values of agriculture, manufacture, commerce and rural crafts.
Priority goes to applicants whose award would make a real difference to their lives and future.
Priority goes to applicants who would return to the South West and contribute to its local economy.
The Prince of Wales Award favours projects that play a strong part in their community and have clear long-term viability.
The award’s judges shortlist finalists and visit them.
Grant recipients are invited to present their work and steward at the Society’s shows.

Where they fund

Where it says it funds

Similar funders

Funders supporting work similar to The Royal Bath & West Society.

Five years of accounts

Financial year	Income	Expenditure	Grants paid	Accounts document
year to 31 December 2021	£1,755,000	£1,925,000	—	Accounts for year to 31 December 2021
year to 31 December 2022	£2,951,000	£3,087,000	—	Accounts for year to 31 December 2022
year to 31 December 2023	£3,089,000	£3,402,000	—	Accounts for year to 31 December 2023
year to 31 December 2024	£4,017,000	£3,978,000	—	Accounts for year to 31 December 2024
year to 31 December 2025	£3,968,000	£3,875,000	—	Accounts for year to 31 December 2025

— No grants figure for those years.

Figures from the charity’s filed accounts and its register entry. The document icon links to the charity’s entry on the Charity Commission register, where its filed accounts can be found.