The Thomas Wall Trust

Charity Number: 206121

Annual Expenditure: £0.2M

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £157,562 (year ended July 2024)
  • Success Rate: 6% for charities (22 awards from 369 applications), 28% for individuals (76 awards from 275 applications)
  • Decision Time: Applications reviewed twice yearly (July and November meetings); 8 weeks processing for individual grants
  • Grant Range: £1 - £5,000
  • Geographic Focus: UK-wide
  • Annual Income: £202,656

Contact Details

Website: www.thomaswalltrust.org.uk

Email: information@thomaswalltrust.org.uk

Phone: 020 7236 5629

Grants Officer: Clarinda Chan

Overview

The Thomas Wall Trust was established in 1920 from the bequest of Thomas Wall II for the “encouragement and assistance of educational work and social service.” The Trust continues this legacy by providing grants to individuals pursuing vocational education and to registered charities running innovative projects in education and social services. In the year ended July 31, 2024, the Trust distributed £157,562 in grants: £51,688 to 22 registered charities and £105,874 to 76 individuals. The Trust operates with total income of £202,656 and is administered through a contract with the Skinners' Company, though it remains legally separate. The Trust's objects were formalized in a High Court Scheme dated December 15, 1936, giving trustees discretion in grant-making decisions. The Trust focuses particularly on communication skills development, viewing these as “critical capabilities for people who want to improve their employment prospects, self-confidence, resilience, and life chances.”

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Grants for Registered Charities: £1 - £5,000

  • For specific projects (not general organizational costs) that improve communication skills for disadvantaged adults
  • Supports NEET (Not in Education, Employment, or Training) people into employment
  • Grants available for up to 3 years with annual reviews
  • Pro-rata staffing and operational costs considered if appropriate
  • Application method: Two-stage process with Expression of Interest followed by invitation to full application
  • Deadlines: End of May for July meeting; end of September for November meeting

Grants for Individuals: Up to £1,500

  • For accredited vocational training courses up to qualification level 3
  • Covers course fees, childcare, travel, mobility costs, and accessible study materials
  • Application method: Rolling basis with 8-week processing time
  • Applicants must have been unemployed for at least 6 months within the last 2 years

Priority Areas

Target Beneficiaries: The Trust welcomes proposals targeting people experiencing multiple deprivation or facing major hurdles to employment, especially:

  • Women
  • People with physical, mental, or learning disabilities
  • Refugees and asylum seekers

Project Characteristics Prioritized:

  • Match-funded projects
  • Self-sustainable projects aiming to become less reliant on grants
  • Projects based on already proven successful models
  • Projects operating in partnership with other local organizations
  • Projects where beneficiaries gain at least one accredited vocational qualification during delivery or within two months of completion

Communication Skills Focus: The Trust recognizes that communication is underpinned by key features and skills including empathy, listening, emotional intelligence, confidence, and clarity.

What They Don't Fund

  • General organizational costs (though pro-rata staffing may be considered)
  • Organizations not registered as UK charities with the Charity Commission
  • Charities registered for less than 3 years
  • Organizations with annual turnover below £25,000 or above £500,000
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Governance and Leadership

Trustees

Ms. Julia Tyler, Chair (BA Hons, PgDip Ed)

Jani Levänen, Deputy Chair

Theodora Nickson, Trustee (FCCT, NPQH, MA, BEd Hons)

Stuart Woltkamp-Moon, Trustee

Professor Jo-Anne Baird, Trustee

Professor Lorna Unwin, Trustee

Dr. Amrita Sen Mukherjee, Trustee

Dr. Ashmita Randhawa, Trustee

Alice Clarke, Trustee

The Trust has 8 trustees who meet four times per year: three meetings for grant allocation and one annual strategy review. Meetings typically last about two hours. No trustees receive remuneration, payments, or benefits from the charity. The Trust seeks trustees who share a commitment to social mobility and understand the challenges and barriers that can lead to lack of educational opportunity.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

For Registered Charities (Two-Stage Process):

Stage One: Complete an Expression of Interest form online with basic contact details and project description.

Stage Two (by invitation only): Submit:

  • Detailed application form
  • Project Plan using the Trust's template (including budget details)
  • Latest audited financial accounts
  • Relevant policies (e.g., safeguarding, equality and diversity)

For Individuals: Complete an online application form. A professional referee is required (support worker, tutor, probation officer, employment adviser, or line manager).

Decision Timeline

For Charities:

  • Trustees meet twice annually (July and November)
  • Submit by end of May for July meeting
  • Submit by end of September for November meeting
  • Only successful applicants contacted; unsuccessful applicants notified by email unless high application volume

For Individuals:

  • Rolling basis
  • 8-week processing time per application

Success Rates

Year ended July 31, 2024:

  • Charities: 22 grants awarded from 369 applications = 6% success rate
  • Individuals: 76 grants awarded from 275 applications = 28% success rate

The highly competitive nature of the charity grants program (only 6% success rate) means applications must be exceptionally well-aligned with priorities.

Reapplication Policy

Applicants must wait two years from the date of submission before reapplying.

Successful grantees: The Trust will support annual repeat funding for up to three years, subject to satisfactory annual reviews of progress and impact.

Application Success Factors

Mandatory Requirements:

  • Beneficiaries must gain at least one accredited vocational qualification during delivery or within two months of project completion
  • Delivery must be based on an already proven successful model
  • The project must operate in partnership with other local organizations
  • Applicants must be UK charities registered for at least 3 years with annual turnover of £25,000-£500,000

Competitive Advantages:

  • Match funding: Priority given to match-funded projects
  • Self-sustainability: Projects demonstrating a path to becoming less grant-reliant
  • Multiple deprivation focus: Targeting people experiencing multiple barriers to employment
  • Communication skills framework: Demonstrating how the project develops empathy, listening, emotional intelligence, confidence, and clarity

Evidence of Impact: The Trust expects successful outcomes to be evidenced. Impact reports should be emailed to the Grants Officer. The Trust welcomes “good news stories” demonstrating grant impact and encourages grantees to share outcomes.

What the Trust Values: With only 22 grants awarded from 369 applications, the Trust exercises careful discretion. Projects must show clear alignment with communication skills development for employment, serve demonstrably disadvantaged groups, and include accredited qualifications as outcomes.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Extremely competitive: With a 6% success rate for charities, applications must be perfectly aligned with priorities and exceptionally well-evidenced
  • Accreditation is mandatory: Beneficiaries must gain accredited vocational qualifications—this is non-negotiable
  • Strengthen with match funding: Priority explicitly given to match-funded projects; secure co-funding before applying
  • Proven models only: The Trust requires delivery based on already proven successful models—pilot projects unlikely to succeed
  • Partnership requirement: Projects must operate in partnership with other local organizations
  • Two-year wait on rejection: Plan carefully before submitting as unsuccessful applicants cannot reapply for two years
  • Communication skills must be explicit: Clearly articulate how your project develops specific communication capabilities (empathy, listening, emotional intelligence, confidence, clarity) linked to employment outcomes

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