The Toyota (gb) Charitable Trust

Charity Number: 327808

Annual Expenditure: £0.1M

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Quick Stats

  • Registered Charity Number: 327808
  • Annual Income: £226,240 (2024)
  • Annual Expenditure: £161,754 (2024)
  • Grant Range: Up to £2,000 (Community Fund)
  • Total Distributed Since 2011: Over £1,250,000
  • Geographic Focus: England and Wales, Northern Ireland, Scotland
  • Application Method: Via retail centres, staff, or directly (for local Epsom projects)

Contact Details

Address: Great Burgh, Burgh Heath, Epsom, Surrey, KT18 5UX

Phone: 01737 363633

Email: csr@tgb.toyota.co.uk (for fund enquiries)

Website: Applications through Toyota UK retail centres or via toyota.co.uk

Overview

The Toyota (GB) Charitable Trust was registered in May 1988 (charity number 327808) and operates the Toyota Fund for a Better Tomorrow on behalf of Toyota (GB) Plc and Toyota Financial Services. Since establishing the Toyota Community Fund in 2011, the trust has distributed over £1,250,000 to local charities, schools, and community projects across the UK. The trust's mission focuses on improving people's lives, opportunities, and local environments through small, targeted grants. In recent years, the fund has supported 74 projects annually, allocating over £122,000 per year. The trust operates with four trustees and maintains strong governance procedures including financial controls, risk management, and safeguarding policies. The trust's geographic reach extends throughout England, Wales, Northern Ireland, and Scotland, though it has particular focus on projects local to Toyota's Epsom headquarters.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Toyota Community Fund: Up to £2,000 per grant (rolling applications)

  • Small grants designed to help local charities, schools and community projects
  • Applications via retail centres, Toyota staff members, or directly for Epsom-local projects
  • All applications reviewed by Toyota GB for consideration

Funding Distribution by Category (based on recent grants):

  • Civic initiatives: 38%
  • Health and medical services: 28%
  • Environmental initiatives: 16%
  • Education, arts, culture, mobility and road safety: 16%

Priority Areas

The trust actively funds projects in:

  • Road Safety: Projects promoting safe driving and reducing road accidents, particularly around schools and in local communities
  • Health and Medical Support: Services supporting people with medical conditions, illnesses, cancer care, and hospice services
  • Children and Young People: Respite services, schools, youth development, and children's hospices
  • Community Wellbeing: Local environmental improvements, accessibility projects, community gardens, and civic initiatives
  • Special Needs and Disabilities: Projects supporting disabled children and adults with nature play activities and accessibility improvements

What They Don't Fund

Based on their stated priorities and funded projects, the trust focuses on UK-based projects with local community impact. While specific exclusions are not publicly documented, the trust operates through retail centres and staff connections, suggesting preference for projects with local Toyota connections.

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Governance and Leadership

Trustees

The trust operates with four trustees:

  • Nicholas Hall - Trustee
  • Andrew Cullis - Trustee (Director, Sustainability and ESG, Hydrogen and Electrification at Toyota GB, appointed January 2025)
  • Richard Balshaw - Trustee (Director, Strategy, Business Transformation and People at Toyota GB, appointed January 2024)
  • Darren Paul Morris - Trustee

The trust has no employees with total benefits over £60k and maintains strong governance policies including financial controls, risk management, safeguarding procedures, and conflict of interest policies.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

The Toyota Community Fund accepts applications through three channels:

  1. Via Toyota Retail Centres: Applications can be put forward by retail centres on behalf of projects in their local community
  2. Via Toyota/Lexus Staff Members: Individual employees can nominate local charities and community projects
  3. Direct Application: Projects local to Toyota GB's Head Office in Epsom, Surrey can apply directly

Application Process:

  • Submit application through one of the three channels above
  • All applications are reviewed by Toyota GB for consideration
  • Contact: csr@tgb.toyota.co.uk for enquiries

Note: This is not an open, public application portal. The trust operates through its retail network and staff connections, meaning successful applications typically have a connection to Toyota's business locations or employees.

Decision Timeline

Specific decision timelines are not publicly documented. The fund operates on a rolling basis, reviewing applications as they are received through the various channels.

Success Rates

Success rate data is not publicly available. The trust supported 74 projects in one recent financial year, allocating over £122,000, but total application numbers are not disclosed.

Reapplication Policy

No specific reapplication policy is documented publicly.

Application Success Factors

Based on analysis of funded projects, successful applications typically demonstrate:

Strong Local Connection:

  • The Vale Primary School in Epsom received a £2,000 grant for road safety signage, being "local to Toyota GB's head office in Epsom, Surrey"
  • Projects near retail centres or manufacturing facilities appear to have stronger success rates

Clear Community Impact:

  • ELHAP received £2,000 to “fund a playworker for nature play activities for disabled children” - specific, measurable impact
  • Alrewas Cricket Club secured £2,000 “which contributed to the purchase of a second hand ride on cylinder mower” - practical, tangible outcomes

Alignment with Funding Priorities:

  • Alzheimer's Society received £1,500 to “support their Dementia Connect Support Line” - medical/health priority
  • Vale Road Safety Project secured £2,000 to “promote road safety around a local school” - road safety priority

Practical, Tangible Projects:

Recent grants funded specific items: kitchen areas, wildlife garden plants and equipment, accessibility paths, weather-proof paths, intensive care unit expansion, and safety signage. The trust favours projects with clear, deliverable outcomes over general running costs.

Small-Scale, Achievable Goals:

With grants up to £2,000, successful projects demonstrate how this amount will make a meaningful difference rather than being a small contribution to a much larger need.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Leverage Toyota connections: The strongest path to funding is through Toyota retail centres or staff members who can champion your project
  • Focus on local impact: Projects in Epsom, Surrey or near Toyota retail centres appear to have preferential access
  • Align with stated priorities: Road safety (especially around schools) and health/medical services receive significant funding (38% and 28% respectively)
  • Be specific and practical: Successful grants fund tangible items (equipment, paths, signage) rather than general operational costs
  • Keep it small and achievable: With £2,000 maximum grants, demonstrate how this amount creates meaningful impact on its own
  • Contact retail centres first: Rather than applying directly, approach your local Toyota or Lexus retail centre to discuss potential sponsorship
  • Emphasize community benefit: Projects that improve "people's lives, opportunities and their local environment" align with the trust's stated mission

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