The Sir James Knott Trust

Charity Number: 1001363

Annual Expenditure: £3.4M
Gateshead, Newcastle Upon Tyne City, North Tyneside, South Tyneside, Sunderland, Durham ... [2 more]

Contact Info

Website: www.knott-trust.co.uk

Phone: 0191 486 2825

Email: info@knott-trust.co.uk

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £3.2 million
  • Organizations Funded: 400+ annually
  • Decision Time: 6 weeks (small grants); up to 18 weeks (larger grants)
  • Grant Range: £400 - £300,000 (typically under £30,000)
  • Geographic Focus: North East England (Northumberland, Tyne and Wear, Durham, Hartlepool)

Contact Details

Address: Sir James Knott Trust, Connected Voice Office, One Strawberry Lane, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE1 4BX

Phone: 0191 486 2825

Email: info@knott-trust.co.uk

Website: www.knott-trust.co.uk

Pre-application Support: The Trust welcomes pre-application discussions via phone or email to help shape your request.

Overview

Founded in 1924 by Tyneside shipowner Sir James Knott, the Trust celebrated its centenary in 2024. Operating from Newcastle upon Tyne, the Trust distributes over £3 million annually among approximately 500 charitable organizations across the North East of England. Since 1990, more than 8,500 grants have been made with a combined value of £27.8 million. The Trust's primary objective is to help improve the conditions of people living and working in Northumberland, Tyne and Wear, Durham, and Hartlepool. The Trust describes itself as “pragmatic and flexible” in its grant making, preferring unrestricted, longer-term funding with a “light touch” approach. It particularly prioritizes micro-organizations with no paid staff, which make up over a third of the North East charity sector.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Trust operates a rolling grants programme with different processing tiers:

  • Small Grants (£1,000 and under): Processed outside scheduled trustee meetings with an average turnaround of 6 weeks
  • Medium Grants (£2,000 or under): Emphasized to support micro-organizations
  • Standard Grants: Often £5,000 per year over 3 years toward running costs
  • Larger Grants: Occasionally £15,000 per year over 3 years; rarely exceed £30,000
  • Major Capital Grants: Range up to £300,000 (unusual; recent examples include £50,000 to Beamish Museum and £150,000 for Beamish Georgian development)

Applications are accepted year-round on a rolling basis. Trustees meet quarterly to make decisions on larger grants, with responses taking up to 18 weeks. Notifications are sent within 2 weeks of trustee meetings.

Priority Areas

Sir James Knott's Historical Interests (receive special consideration):

  • Employment and work opportunities
  • Safe housing
  • Community gathering spaces
  • Military and maritime causes (reflecting the loss of Sir James and Lady Knott's two sons in WWI)

Current Funding Categories:

  • Arts and culture
  • Service charities (military/maritime)
  • Public services
  • Housing
  • Heritage and historic buildings
  • Health and sport
  • Education and training
  • Environment
  • Community issues and events

Organizational Priorities:

  • Local rather than national organizations
  • Basic needs provision over enhancement activities
  • Micro-organizations without paid staff
  • Organizations with turnover under £3 million
  • Faith-based organizations (if activities are open to all faiths and none)

What They Don't Fund

  • Research projects
  • Retrospective funding (activities already completed)
  • Grants to individuals
  • Organizations outside designated geographic area (excludes Darlington, Stockton, Redcar, Middlesbrough)
  • National charities (unless demonstrating “exceptional additional value” to the region)

Governance and Leadership

The Trust operates under a board of trustees who meet quarterly to make grant decisions. The Trust Staff Team includes assessors who conduct site visits for applications over £10,000.

Key Personnel Insights: Jo Curry of the Sir James Knott Trust has provided practical guidance to applicants, emphasizing the Trust's pragmatic and flexible approach: “If you are considering making an application to the Sir James Knott Trust, telephone them to discuss what you need and how to shape the request.” Curry also notes: “At the Sir James Knott Trust, we are pragmatic and flexible in our grant making, and if funding already made will not cover what was envisaged, we are open to discussions about adapting the grant.”

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

Application Method:

  • Online application form available on the Trust's website (www.knott-trust.co.uk)
  • First-time applicants must create a login
  • Applications can be saved and returned to before submission
  • Submitted applications are automatically emailed to the applicant

Eligibility Requirements:

  • Registered charities, community groups, or social enterprises
  • Serving the North East region (Northumberland, Tyne and Wear, Durham, Hartlepool)
  • Organizational turnover under £3 million preferred
  • Social enterprises must have minimum 3 directors (majority non-related and unpaid), viable business plan, and trading income

Pre-Application Contact: The Trust strongly encourages telephone or email contact to discuss applications before submission, especially for church building projects or larger grants.

Site Visits: Applications over £10,000 will likely require a visit from an assessor or Trust Staff Team member.

Decision Timeline

  • Small Grants (under £2,000): Usually within 6 weeks
  • Larger Grants: Up to 18 weeks from submission
  • Post-Meeting Notification: Within 2 weeks of trustee meeting
  • Trustee Meetings: Quarterly

The Trust advises applicants to submit applications 3-4 months in advance of when funding is needed, accounting for the meeting schedule.

Success Rates

Specific success rate percentages are not publicly disclosed. However, the Trust funds over 400 organizations annually from applications received, distributing £3.2 million among approximately 500 grants.

Potential Reasons for Rejection:

  • Application falls outside Trust criteria
  • Incomplete application or missing documentation
  • Project deemed lower priority relative to other applications
  • Insufficient funds available at time of decision

Reapplication Policy

  • Unsuccessful applicants: Must wait 12 months before reapplying
  • Successful applicants: Must wait at least 24 months before applying for another grant

If an application is missed at one deadline, it will automatically be considered at the following trustee meeting.

Application Success Factors

Direct Advice from the Trust:

  1. Contact First: “If you are considering making an application to the Sir James Knott Trust, telephone them to discuss what you need and how to shape the request.”
  1. For Community Interest Companies: “Funders will expect to see a realistic business plan with income based on trading.”
  1. Financial Management: “Funders will have a look at the amount of free reserves as a proportion of annual expenditure and so it is worth having a detailed reserves policy and making prudent use of designating reserves.”
  1. Inflation Protection: "Don't be shy in asking for an inflation proof uplift" in multi-year grants, which have traditionally been tapered.
  1. Flexibility: The Trust is “open to discussions about adapting the grant” if circumstances change after funding is awarded.

Strategic Alignment:

  • Demonstrate connection to Sir James Knott's historical interests (work, housing, community spaces, military/maritime causes) where relevant
  • Emphasize provision of basic needs rather than enhancement activities
  • Highlight local impact over national reach
  • For national organizations, clearly articulate “exceptional additional value” to the North East region

Application Quality:

  • Complete all sections thoroughly
  • Provide all required documentation
  • Allow sufficient lead time (3-4 months) before funding is needed
  • For grants over £10,000, be prepared for site visits

Language and Approach:

  • The Trust uses practical, straightforward language
  • Emphasizes flexibility, pragmatism, and partnership
  • Values organizational sustainability and realistic planning
  • Prefers “light touch” over bureaucratic processes

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Pre-application discussion is welcomed and encouraged - call or email before submitting to shape your request effectively
  • Multi-year core funding is increasingly available - the Trust has moved toward longer-term grants (3 years) and welcomes requests for inflation-proof uplifts
  • Small organizations are prioritized - micro-organizations without paid staff are particularly valued; over a third of recipients fall into this category
  • Local beats national - local organizations are strongly preferred; national charities must demonstrate exceptional additional value to the region
  • Connect to founder's legacy where possible - applications aligned with Sir James Knott's interests (employment, housing, community spaces, military/maritime causes) receive special consideration
  • Flexibility and pragmatism are core values - the Trust is open to adapting grants if circumstances change and prefers unrestricted funding with minimal reporting burden
  • Allow sufficient time - submit 3-4 months before funding is needed; larger grants take up to 18 weeks for decisions

Similar Funders

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References