The Three Oaks Trust

Quick Stats

• Registered Charity Number: 297079
• Annual Giving: £339,095 (year ended September 2022)
• Total Income: £571,293 (year ended September 2024)
• Charitable Expenditure: £497,264 (year ended September 2024)
• Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
• Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed
• Grant Range: Not publicly disclosed (grants made to both individuals and organizations)
• Geographic Focus: UK and overseas

Contact Details

Address: 65 Worthing Road, Horsham, West Sussex RH12 1TD

Website: www.thethreeoakstrust.co.uk

Email: contact@thethreeoakstrust.co.uk (preferred contact method)

Phone: 01403 258961

Note: The trust prefers email contact over written correspondence. Postal address details are available on request.

Overview

The Three Oaks Trust was established in 1987 through a Deed of Trust dated 11th June 1987, originating from a single settlement from an individual donor. The charity's principal aim is to further the well-being of individuals and families who may, for whatever reason, be in distress. With total income of £571,293 and charitable expenditure of £497,264 for the year ending 30 September 2024, the trust is primarily funded by investment income (£1,682,199 in investment gains in 2024). The charity operates as a grant-making trust with 9 trustees, none of whom receive remuneration or payments. Approximately two-thirds of donations by value are directed to charities and institutions that promote the welfare of individuals and families. The trust is notable for its dual focus: supporting both organizational partners and individual beneficiaries through professional referral systems.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Three Oaks Trust operates two distinct grant streams:

1. Block Grants for Organizations

• Grants made to charitable organizations that promote the welfare of individuals and families
• Application guidelines and forms available for download from the Grant Seekers section of their website
• Important limitation: The trustees have stated they “intend to continue supporting the organizations that they have supported in the past and are not planning to fund any new projects in the near future”
• This suggests the organizational grant stream is effectively closed to new applicants

2. Individual and Family Grants

• Grants provided to individuals and families in distress
• Applications must be submitted by professional workers on behalf of beneficiaries
• Individuals cannot apply directly
• Application forms for professional workers available on the website

Priority Areas

The trust supports individuals and organizations working with:

• People with mental health issues
• Individuals with learning difficulties
• People with physical handicaps
• Low-income families
• Single parents
• The long-term sick
• Individuals and families experiencing health, psychological, and emotional difficulties

Geographic Scope: UK and overseas, though UK-based beneficiaries appear to be the primary focus.

What They Don't Fund

Specific exclusions are not detailed on publicly available materials. However, based on their stated priorities, the trust focuses exclusively on welfare and well-being of individuals and families in distress, suggesting they do not fund:

• Projects unrelated to individual welfare and family support
• Capital projects or building programs (not mentioned in their priorities)
• Research or policy work (focus appears operational/direct support)
• Arts, culture, or environmental projects
• Projects that do not align with their health, welfare, and social support focus

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Governance and Leadership

Trustees: The charity is governed by 9 trustees (as of the most recent Charity Commission filing).

Governance Structure:

• Constituted by a Deed of Trust dated 11th June 1987
• No trustees receive remuneration, payments, or benefits from the charity
• The charity has no employees
• No trading subsidiaries

Key Information:

• Specific names of trustees are not readily available in public search results but can be accessed through the full Charity Commission register
• The trust originates from a single settlement from an individual donor, suggesting a private family trust structure
• All decision-making appears to rest with the trustee board

How to Apply to The Three Oaks Trust

How to Apply

For Individual and Family Grants:

1. Submission: Applications should be submitted via the contact details provided

For Organizational Block Grants:

1. Application Materials: Guidelines and application forms available for download from the website
2. Important Caveat: The trustees have stated they “intend to continue supporting the organizations that they have supported in the past and are not planning to fund any new projects in the near future”
3. Interpretation: This statement suggests the trust is effectively closed to new organizational applicants, focusing on maintaining existing funding relationships

Contact Preference: The trust prefers email contact (contact@thethreeoakstrust.co.uk) over written correspondence.

Decision Timeline

Decision timelines are not publicly disclosed. Applicants should contact the trust directly for information on expected processing times.

Success Rates

Success rates and application statistics are not publicly available. The trust does not publish:

• Number of applications received
• Number of grants awarded
• Percentage success rates
• Average time from application to decision

Reapplication Policy

Information about reapplication policies for unsuccessful applicants is not publicly available. Professional workers submitting applications on behalf of individuals should contact the trust directly to inquire about reapplication procedures and any waiting periods that may apply.

Application Success Factors

Given the limited publicly available information about The Three Oaks Trust's grant-making decisions, the following factors appear important based on their stated priorities and operational structure:

For Individual and Family Grants:

1. Professional Worker Relationship: The requirement for professional referral is absolute. Applications must come from established professional workers (social workers, healthcare professionals, support workers) who can articulate the need and vouch for the beneficiary.

1. Demonstrated Distress: The trust's core mission is to support “individuals and families who may for whatever reason be in distress.” Applications should clearly demonstrate the nature and impact of the distress being experienced.

1. Alignment with Priority Areas: Applications for individuals with mental health issues, learning difficulties, physical handicaps, or families experiencing low income, single parenthood, or long-term sickness are most likely to align with trust priorities.

1. UK Connection: While the trust supports beneficiaries overseas, UK-based individuals and families appear to be the primary focus.

For Organizational Applications:

1. Existing Relationships Matter Most: The trust has explicitly stated it intends to continue supporting organizations it has supported in the past and is “not planning to fund any new projects in the near future.”

1. Welfare and Family Support Focus: Organizations working directly with individuals and families in distress, particularly in the health, psychological, and emotional difficulty space, align with trust priorities.

1. Limited New Opportunities: New organizational applicants should be aware that the trust operates primarily through established relationships rather than open competitive grant-making.

General Considerations:

• The trust operates from investment income, providing financial stability but potentially limiting growth in grant-making
• With 9 trustees and no staff, decisions are made at trustee level, suggesting a personalized rather than bureaucratic approach
• The trust's origins as a single donor settlement may influence trustee priorities and decision-making culture

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

1. Individual Grants Only Route for Most: If you're a professional worker supporting individuals and families in distress, the individual grant route remains open. Organizations seeking block grants face significant barriers as the trust focuses on existing relationships.

1. Professional Referral is Mandatory: Individual beneficiaries cannot apply directly. Applications must come from professional workers (social workers, healthcare professionals, support workers) acting on behalf of the individual or family.

1. Focus on Distress and Welfare: The trust has a clear, narrow focus on individuals and families experiencing distress due to mental health issues, learning difficulties, physical handicaps, financial hardship, or long-term sickness. Applications outside this scope are unlikely to succeed.

1. Closed to New Organizational Applicants: The trust's statement that it is “not planning to fund any new projects in the near future” should be taken seriously. New organizations should not invest significant time in applications unless they have an existing relationship with the trust.

1. Limited Public Information: The trust does not publish grant amounts, decision timelines, success rates, or case studies. Professional workers should contact the trust directly with specific questions about potential grant levels and processes.

1. Email Contact Preferred: The trust prefers email communication over written correspondence. Use contact@thethreeoakstrust.co.uk for inquiries and applications.

1. Long-Term Funding Relationships: The trust appears to value ongoing relationships with organizational partners rather than one-off grants, suggesting patience and relationship-building are important for those rare opportunities when the trust may consider new organizational applicants.

Similar Funders

These funders have a similar focus and geographic reach:

• The Elaine And Angus Lloyd Charitable Trust
• Cecil And Hilda Lewis Charitable Trust
• The Bassil Shippam And Alsford Trust
• Ewell Parochial Trusts (relief In Need)
• E F And M G Hall Charitable Trust
• The Englefield Charitable Trust
• The Consuelo And Anthony Brooke Charitable Trust
• Mr And Mrs J A Pye's Charitable Settlement
• The Shanly Foundation
• The Tantum Trust

References

All information compiled from the following sources:

• The Three Oaks Trust Official Website: www.thethreeoakstrust.co.uk (Grant Seekers page and Contact page) -
• UK Charity Commission Register: Register of Charities entry for The Three Oaks Trust, Charity Number 297079, available at https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/en/charity-search/-/charity-details/297079 -
• Financial Information: Charity Commission data for financial year ending 30 September 2024 showing total income of £571,293, charitable expenditure of £497,264, and investment gains of £1,682,199
• Historical Financial Data: Charity Commission data for financial year ending 30 September 2022 showing donations of £339,095, with approximately two-thirds going to charities and institutions promoting welfare of individuals and families
• Funds for NGOs Directory: Three Oaks Trust profile at https://www.fundsforngos.org/disability-2/oaks-trust/ noting the trust's statement about not planning to fund new projects -
• Charity Choice Directory: The Three Oaks Trust profile at https://www.charitychoice.co.uk/the-three-oaks-trust-142240 -
• MindOut LGBTQ Mental Health Service: Acknowledgment of Three Oaks Trust at https://mindout.org.uk/home/three-oaks-trust/ (evidence of organizational grant-making) -

Note: Due to SSL certificate issues with the trust's website during this research, some information could not be directly accessed from downloadable guidelines and application forms. Professional workers seeking to apply should contact the trust directly to request current application materials and guidance.