The Summerfield Charitable Trust

Charity Number: 802493

Annual Expenditure: £2.5M
Geographic Focus: Gloucestershire

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £2,451,909 (2024)
  • Grant Range: £500 - £20,000+ (historically)
  • Decision Time: Quarterly meetings (usually January, April, July, October)
  • Geographic Focus: Gloucestershire only
  • Application Method: Two-stage online process
  • Founded: 1989
  • Total Distributed: Over £20 million since founding

Contact Details

  • Website: www.summerfield.org.uk
  • Email: admin@summerfield.org.uk
  • Phone: 01285 721211
  • Address: PO Box 287, Cirencester, Gloucestershire GL7 9FB
  • Charity Number: 802493

Overview

The Summerfield Charitable Trust has been operating since 1989, demonstrating a legacy of targeted generosity across Gloucestershire with over £20 million distributed in grants. The Trust underwent a significant strategic transformation in 2024, moving from traditional grant-making to a pioneering investment strategy in partnership with Gloucestershire VCS Alliance. This new approach focuses on investing capital into innovative, game-changing projects that enable charities to make lasting differences to lives in Gloucestershire, rather than continuing to distribute diminishing sums. The Trust's board of five trustees meets quarterly and operates with no paid staff, ensuring all resources go directly to charitable purposes. Recent major grants include £2 million for children and family services through the Summerfield Community Chest project.

Funding Priorities

Strategic Approach

The Trust is now working with Gloucestershire VCS Alliance to co-produce investment proposals across six core strategic themes. This represents a significant shift from traditional grant-making to a more strategic, transformational approach that places Gloucestershire residents at the heart of decision-making.

Six Strategic Themes

  1. A Connected Society - Building more strongly connected communities and minimizing loneliness
  2. Ageing Well - Supporting older people to have good quality of life through locally-based support
  3. Arts and Culture - Developing ways of increasing participation in creativity, arts and culture
  4. Children and Families - Building support for local families with children under the age of 5
  5. Action for Nature and Climate - Encouraging individual and collective behaviours that reduce carbon use
  6. VCSE Infrastructure - Developing the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector's capacity

Traditional Grant Programs (Historical)

Prior to the strategic shift, the Trust supported 70-90 local organizations annually with grants ranging from £500 to over £20,000. Historical funding areas included:

  • Arts, natural heritage and environment
  • Community projects
  • Education, recreation and sport
  • Vulnerable and disadvantaged populations

What They Don't Fund

  • Churches: The Trust does not accept direct appeals from churches. Instead, they award an annual grant to the Gloucestershire Historic Churches Trust (GHCT) to support church-related projects
  • Projects outside Gloucestershire: Organizations must either be based in Gloucestershire or engaged in a project of specific benefit to county residents
  • Organizations not benefiting Gloucestershire residents
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Governance and Leadership

The Trust has five trustees who meet quarterly and receive no remuneration for their service.

David Owen serves as Chairman of the Board of Trustees. He joined the board in October 2015 and has led the Trust through its recent strategic transformation. Under his leadership, the Trust announced the partnership with Gloucestershire VCS Alliance and major grants including £2 million for children and family services initiatives.

The Trust operates without employees receiving benefits over £60,000, maintaining a lean operational structure that maximizes resources available for charitable purposes.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

IMPORTANT NOTE: The Trust is currently undergoing a strategic transformation. While traditional applications may still be accepted, the Trust is working in partnership with Gloucestershire VCS Alliance to co-produce investment proposals across six strategic themes. Prospective applicants should contact the Trust or check their website for current application procedures.

Traditional Two-Stage Process (check if still active):

  • Stage 1: Online application form available at summerfield.grantapps.net
  • Stage 2: Invited applicants proceed to second stage (details available from Trust)

The Trust strongly advises applicants to review their “What We Fund” and “Grants Paid” pages before applying to ensure projects are eligible and meet funding criteria.

Decision Timeline

  • Trustee Meetings: Quarterly, usually in January, April, July, and October
  • Important: Check deadline dates for quarterly meetings and allow plenty of time to prepare and submit applications
  • Project Timing Preference: The Trustees prefer to support projects that will take place or start within six months of a grant being paid

Application Requirements

  • Charities must be based in Gloucestershire OR engaged in a project of specific benefit to Gloucestershire residents
  • Applicants must be clear about timescales and confident they align with quarterly meeting timing
  • Organizations must be registered charities or charitable projects

Success Rates

Specific success rate data is not publicly available. Historically, the Trust supported 70-90 organizations annually with grants ranging from £500 to over £20,000, suggesting a selective but accessible funding approach.

Reapplication Policy

No specific reapplication policy information is publicly available. Contact the Trust directly for guidance.

Application Success Factors

Trust-Specific Guidance:

  1. Demonstrate Gloucestershire Impact: The Trust has a clear geographic focus. Applications must demonstrate specific benefit to Gloucestershire residents. Projects based outside the county need to show direct and substantial impact on county residents.
  1. Align with Strategic Themes: Given the Trust's 2024 strategic shift, applicants should carefully consider how their work aligns with one or more of the six core themes (Connected Society, Ageing Well, Arts and Culture, Children and Families, Action for Nature and Climate, or VCSE Infrastructure).
  1. Show Innovation and Lasting Impact: The Trust has explicitly stated interest in “innovative, game-changing projects that enable charities to make a lasting difference.” Applications should articulate how the project creates sustainable, transformational change rather than short-term fixes.
  1. Timing is Critical: Be clear about project timescales. The Trust prefers projects that will start or take place within six months of grant payment. Ensure your timeline aligns with quarterly meeting schedules.
  1. Review Past Grants: The Trust's website includes “Grants Paid” reports. Reviewing these provides insight into project types, grant sizes, and organizations the Trust has supported, helping applicants understand what success looks like.
  1. Demonstrate Appropriate Scale: The Trust has historically funded both small grants (£500) and larger grants (£20,000+), showing they're interested in projects “both large and small, that are imaginative and to which they can make a significant contribution.”
  1. Engage with Partnership Approach: With the Gloucestershire VCS Alliance partnership, consider how your organization might engage with the co-production process for investment proposals rather than solely traditional grant applications.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Strategic Transformation in Progress: The Trust is shifting from traditional grant-making to strategic investments via partnership with Gloucestershire VCS Alliance - confirm current application procedures before applying
  • Geographic Restriction is Absolute: Only Gloucestershire-based charities or projects with specific benefit to Gloucestershire residents are eligible
  • Six-Month Project Start Window: Trustees prefer projects starting within six months of grant payment - plan timing carefully around quarterly meetings
  • Innovation Over Incremental: The Trust now seeks “game-changing projects” that create lasting differences, not routine operational support
  • Churches Apply Via GHCT: Direct church appeals are not accepted; church projects should apply through Gloucestershire Historic Churches Trust
  • Review Historical Grants: The Trust's transparency about past grants provides valuable intelligence about funding patterns and preferences
  • Quarterly Decision Cycle: With meetings typically in January, April, July, and October, factor in lead time when planning project launches

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