The Sir Tom Cowie Charitable Trust

Charity Number: 1096936

Annual Expenditure: £0.3M

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: ~£250,000 - £300,000
  • Decision Time: Up to 12 weeks
  • Grant Range: Discretionary (no fixed limits)
  • Geographic Focus: City of Sunderland and County Durham (excluding Darlington)
  • Total Endowment: ~£6 million
  • Total Awarded Since 2002: Over £5.2 million

Contact Details

  • Website: http://www.stcct.co.uk/
  • Email: ecg@graysllp.co.uk
  • Phone: 01onal 207 529663
  • Address: Estate Office, Broadwood Hall, Lanchester, County Durham, DH7 0TD
  • Pre-application Contact: The Trust recommends contacting the administrator before applying to discuss project eligibility

Overview

The Sir Tom Cowie Charitable Trust was established in 2002 by the late Sir Tom Cowie OBE (1922-2012), a renowned Sunderland-born entrepreneur who founded the Cowie Group (later known as Arriva). Since its inception, the Trust has awarded over £5.2 million to 305+ organisations across County Durham and Sunderland, with 257 grants distributed in recent years alone. The Trust operates from an expendable endowment of approximately £6 million and distributes around £250,000-£300,000 annually in grants.

Following Sir Tom's death in 2012, the trustees realigned the charity's focus to closely reflect his personal values and connections to the region. The Trust prioritises funding for disadvantaged young people and projects improving quality of life in less affluent communities. Secondary priorities include connecting urban populations with rural environments, historic building conservation, and wildlife protection.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Main Grant Programme (Discretionary amounts)

  • No fixed minimum or maximum grant amounts
  • Grants range from small community projects to significant capital contributions
  • Notable example: £200,000 donation to the Beacon of Light project (2016/17)

Sir Tom Cowie Excellence Award (Sunderland University)

  • Provides up to £12,500 per student
  • Over £300,000 distributed to Sunderland students since 2012
  • Two bursaries awarded annually to committed students

School Visits Programme

  • Supports educational visits linking children with countryside and environment
  • 14 schools currently engaged in the programme
  • Includes farm visits, beach trips, and yacht experiences with Ocean Youth Club North

Priority Areas

Primary Focus:

  • Projects providing opportunities for young people
  • Improving quality of life in less affluent communities
  • Disadvantaged and disabled young people improving skills and exploring talents

Secondary Focus:

  • Connecting urban populations with countryside and natural environment
  • Conservation and maintenance of historic and important buildings
  • Wildlife conservation, particularly threatened species

Geographic Priorities (in order):

  1. City of Sunderland (Sir Tom's birthplace)
  2. Derwentside area, County Durham (where he lived)
  3. Teesdale and Weardale valleys (landscapes he loved)

What They Don't Fund

  • Individual applicants
  • Projects outside City of Sunderland and County Durham
  • Projects within the Borough of Darlington
  • National or international charities seeking partial funding for large projects
  • Community Interest Companies (CICs)
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Governance and Leadership

Trustees

David Gray - Chairman

  • Also trustee of the Devonport Charitable Trust and The Oddballs Foundation
  • Co-trustee of The Sir Tom Cowie Family Trust 2006
  • Founded the “Coats for Kids” initiative in 2018 after discovering children in Sunderland schools lacked suitable outdoor clothing

Lady Diana Cowie

  • Widow of Sir Tom Cowie
  • Co-trustee of The Sir Tom Cowie Family Trust 2006
  • Active representative at Trust events and partnerships

Peter Blackett

  • Trustee
  • Co-trustee of The Sir Tom Cowie Family Trust 2006

No trustees receive remuneration, payments, or benefits from the charity.

Founder's Legacy

Sir Tom Cowie OBE was knighted in 1992 and received an OBE in 1982. He dedicated his later years to philanthropy, stating his belief that his grammar school education was “a once in a lifetime opportunity... to move forward and develop his business acumen.” Lady Cowie has noted: “Sir Tom always maintained that his grammar school education was a once in a lifetime opportunity for him to move forward and develop his business acumen that led to the business he established in Sunderland.”

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

  1. Pre-Application: Contact the administrator at ecg@graysllp.co.uk to discuss project eligibility before applying (strongly recommended)
  2. Review Guidelines: Read the Application Guidelines on the website
  3. Submit Online: Complete the online grant application form

Application Requirements

Provide information about:

  • Charitable aims, objectives, and current financial position
  • The project: why it is needed, who will benefit, and in what way
  • Target user demographics and projected outcomes
  • Project budget with itemised costs, funding already secured, and how the balance will be raised
  • Legacy value (for one-off projects) or existing outcomes (for continuation projects)

Do NOT submit:

  • Supporting books, brochures, or DVDs
  • Annual reports or full accounts
  • Excessive supplementary materials

Decision Timeline

  • All correspondence is acknowledged
  • Decision within 12 weeks of acknowledgement
  • If your application passes the first round, they may contact you for further information
  • Applicants who do not hear within 12 weeks should assume they have been unsuccessful

Application Success Factors

Demonstrate Clear Alignment:

  • Projects must clearly benefit the City of Sunderland or County Durham
  • Prioritise applications focusing on disadvantaged young people
  • Show tangible, measurable outcomes

What the Trust Looks For:

  • Smaller charities offering direct services to communities
  • Clear demonstration of target demographics
  • Projected beneficiary numbers and outcomes
  • Legacy value for one-off projects or proven track record for continuation funding

Practical Presentation:

  • Keep applications concise and focused
  • Do not overwhelm with excessive documentation at initial stage
  • Contact administrator before applying if uncertain about eligibility

Examples of Recently Funded Projects:

  • Beacon of Light (£200,000) - community sports and education hub
  • St Mark's Community Association - hall purchase
  • Monkwearmouth Academy - performing arts facility refurbishment
  • Coats for Kids - outdoor clothing for primary school children
  • Sunderland University Excellence Awards - student bursaries
  • Broom House Farm School Visits - educational countryside trips
  • Willow Burn Hospice - ongoing support
  • Ocean Youth Club North yacht experiences for children

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  1. Geographic eligibility is strict - Projects must benefit Sunderland or County Durham (excluding Darlington). Applications outside these areas will be considered but are less likely to succeed.
  1. Contact before applying - The Trust explicitly recommends contacting the administrator to discuss eligibility before submitting, to avoid wasted effort.
  1. Focus on young people - Priority goes to projects providing opportunities for disadvantaged young people to improve skills and explore talents.
  1. Be a smaller charity - The Trust specifically supports “smaller charities offering direct community services” rather than national organisations seeking partial funding.
  1. Community Interest Companies are ineligible - CICs cannot apply regardless of their work.
  1. Keep documentation minimal initially - Submit only essential information; do not include annual reports, accounts, or promotional materials at application stage.
  1. Allow 12 weeks for decisions - No response within this timeframe indicates an unsuccessful application.

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References

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