The Toy Trust

Charity Number: 1001634

Annual Expenditure: £0.2M

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £243,502 (2024)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed (high competition - applications often close early due to demand)
  • Decision Time: Quarterly review meetings (applications reviewed 4 times per year)
  • Grant Range: Up to £5,000 (larger grants possible for exceptional projects)
  • Geographic Focus: UK-based charities (can work internationally, but must have UK registration)

Contact Details

Website: www.toytrust.co.uk

Email: admin@btha.co.uk

Phone: 020 7701 7271

Charity Number: 1001634

Overview

The Toy Trust, established in 1991 by the British Toy & Hobby Association (BTHA), is the UK toy industry's official charity. Since its founding, the Trust has raised over £7.2 million for disadvantaged and disabled children. In 2024, the Trust distributed £243,502 across 76 different UK-based children's charities. The organization operates through a volunteer committee that meets quarterly to review grant applications and allocate funds to projects addressing children's needs locally, nationally, and internationally. The Trust raises money predominantly from the toy industry, its suppliers, and friends, making it unique in its sector-specific approach to children's charity work. Recent strategic focus has included supporting children's hospices and mental health initiatives.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Small Grants Programme: Up to £5,000 (most common)

  • Quarterly application deadlines aligned with committee meetings
  • Applications reviewed at meetings in March, July, September, and December
  • Rolling basis within quarterly cycles

Special Projects: Above £5,000 (exceptional cases)

  • Available for compelling projects requiring larger or longer-term commitments
  • Subject to committee discretion and available funds

Hospice Support Initiative: In 2024, the Trust donated £93,000 to 10 UK children's hospices as part of its “Give the Gift of Play” mission, demonstrating capacity for strategic, larger-scale funding initiatives.

Priority Areas

The Toy Trust funds projects that:

  • Support disadvantaged and disabled children under 13 years old
  • Provide equipment and services (not salaries or research)
  • Alleviate children's suffering and hardship
  • Supply emergency assistance during crises
  • Purchase essential equipment for children's care
  • Establish new programs benefiting children
  • Support children and their families through difficult experiences
  • Encourage achievement through adversity

Geographic scope: UK-based registered charities working in the UK and/or overseas

What They Don't Fund

  • Individual cases (except with compelling reasons)
  • Research projects
  • Books or publishing (except in special circumstances)
  • Salaries, wages, or staff costs
  • Charities with administration and overhead costs exceeding 30% of income
  • Charities with unrestricted net assets exceeding £200,000 or more than one year's income
  • Charities with annual income over £1 million
  • Organizations that have been operating for less than one year
  • Faith-specific projects (funding must benefit children regardless of religion)
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Governance and Leadership

The Toy Trust is governed by 5 trustees who receive no remuneration, payments, or benefits from the charity. The charity is administered by the British Toy & Hobby Association (BTHA) and operates with approximately 15 volunteers who contribute to its fundraising and grant-making activities.

The Trust's committee comprises representatives from across the toy industry, including manufacturers, retailers, licensors, and suppliers. This committee convenes quarterly to review applications and make funding decisions.

The organization operates with transparency, publishing annual accounts through the Charity Commission showing total income of £267,758 and total expenditure of £308,417 for the year ending December 31, 2024.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

Current Status: Applications are periodically closed due to high demand. The Trust reserves the right to close application windows earlier than scheduled deadlines when overwhelmed with enquiries.

When Open: Applications are submitted online through the Toy Trust website (www.toytrust.co.uk/apply-now/)

Application Requirements:

  • Completed online application form
  • Current charity accounts (must be submitted by deadline)
  • Evidence of UK/Ireland charity registration
  • Financial information demonstrating compliance with criteria
  • Project details explaining intended use of funds
  • Demonstration of effective fundraising efforts

Application Deadlines (when applications are open):

  • Mid-February for March committee meeting
  • Mid-June for July committee meeting
  • Mid-August for September committee meeting
  • Mid-November for December committee meeting

Important: Applications are only considered complete when all supporting documentation has been received by the deadline.

Decision Timeline

The Trust meets 4 times per year to review applications. Decisions are made during quarterly committee meetings held in March, July, September, and December.

Timeframe: Applications submitted by the deadline are reviewed at the next scheduled committee meeting. The Trust reserves the right to defer applications to future meetings if volume is unusually high.

Notification: Applicants are notified of decisions following committee meetings. Specific notification timelines are not publicly stated.

Success Rates

In 2024, the Trust supported 76 different charities with grants totaling £243,502. Specific success rate percentages (applications received vs. grants awarded) are not publicly disclosed.

Competition Level: Very high. The Trust frequently experiences overwhelming demand, leading to early closure of application windows before scheduled deadlines. This indicates that many more applications are received than can be funded.

Reapplication Policy

Successful applicants: Cannot reapply for funding for 2 years following a grant award.

Unsuccessful applicants: The reapplication policy for declined applications is not explicitly stated in publicly available information.

Application Success Factors

Financial Health is Critical

The Trust has strict financial criteria that automatically disqualify applicants:

  • Administration and overhead costs (including wages and salaries) must be less than 30% of income
  • Unrestricted net assets must not exceed £200,000
  • Annual income must be under £1 million
  • Charity must demonstrate effective fundraising efforts

Demonstrate Self-Help

The Trust explicitly favors applicants that have carried out some form of effective fundraising by themselves. Applications should show the organization's own efforts to raise funds, not just reliance on grants.

Show Real Benefit

Applications must demonstrate “real benefit for relieving hardship and suffering to beneficiaries.” Be specific about how equipment or services will directly impact children under 13.

Equipment and Services, Not Salaries

The Trust funds tangible items and services—equipment purchases, program costs, activity materials—but does not fund salaries, wages, or research projects. Ensure requests clearly fall into fundable categories.

Equal Access

Projects must demonstrate equal benefit for boys and girls regardless of religious beliefs, gender, or disability. Applications should show inclusive approaches to serving children.

Small Charity Focus

With a £1 million income cap and preference for grants under £5,000, the Trust clearly targets smaller organizations. Larger charities are unlikely to be prioritized.

Complete Applications Matter

The Trust explicitly states that applications are only considered complete when all supporting documentation has been received. Incomplete applications risk being delayed or rejected.

Apply Early

Given the Trust's pattern of closing applications early due to high demand, submitting applications well before deadlines increases the chance of review. Waiting until deadline day risks missing a closed window.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Target small, specific equipment or service needs under £5,000 – this is the Trust's sweet spot and most likely to be funded
  • Ensure your financial ratios meet requirements before applying – 30% overhead cap and £200,000 asset limit are hard cutoffs
  • Demonstrate your own fundraising efforts – the Trust wants to support organizations that help themselves, not fund those relying solely on grants
  • Focus on children under 13 – this age limit is strict; older children's programs are ineligible
  • Watch for application windows carefully – with high demand causing early closures, monitor the website regularly and apply immediately when windows open
  • Keep it simple and tangible – requests for specific equipment (play equipment, sensory items, mobility aids) aligned with children's immediate needs are most successful
  • Plan around the 2-year reapplication ban – if successful, you won't be able to return for two years, so consider timing carefully

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