The William Price Charitable Trust

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £236,429 (2024)
• Success Rate: Not publicly available
• Decision Time: Variable - Assistance grants processed immediately; individual grants by March; major grants by November
• Grant Range: £50 - £1,750 (individuals); larger amounts for schools/organizations
• Geographic Focus: Old Parish of Fareham, Hampshire (three specific ecclesiastical parishes)

Contact Details

Clerk: Mr C Newcombe

Address: 8 Earl Godwin Close, Fareham, Hants, PO16 0DW

Email: ClerkWPT1721@gmail.com

Phone: 01329 829602

Website: www.pricestrust.org.uk

Charity Number: 307319

Overview

The William Price Charitable Trust was established from the 1721 will of William Price, a timber merchant of Fareham, who founded a blue coat school. Reformed in 1989 as a grant-making educational trust after the school site was sold in 1994, the trust now operates with an endowment providing approximately £221,000 in annual income (2024 figures). The charity exclusively supports the education and development of young people under 25 residing in the old Parish of Fareham—specifically the ecclesiastical parishes of St. Peter and St. Paul, Holy Trinity with St. Columba, and St. John the Evangelist. Governed by 19 trustees including parish incumbents, council nominees, and co-opted members with local knowledge, the trust prioritizes projects that enrich quality of life, widen horizons, encourage arts participation, and develop citizenship.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Assistance Grants (up to £350)

• For urgent financial hardship cases
• Processed year-round by Chairman and Clerk with delegated authority
• Recent year: 15 grants totaling £6,050
• Rolling basis application

Individual Grants (£350 - £1,750)

• For university/college/apprenticeship fees, travel, equipment, books, clothing, tools
• 11 grants awarded in recent year totaling £14,700
• Applications due March 1st annually for the coming academic year
• Requires valid offer from accredited UK institution and UK bank account

Major Grants for Schools and Organizations

• For educational benefits not normally provided by local authorities
• Examples include IT equipment, school grounds improvements, play areas, outdoor education gardens
• Recent beneficiaries: Fareham College Theatre, Dance Studio and Gym
• Applications due September 8th annually; approved at November trustee meeting

School Bursaries

• Emergency one-off assistance with private school fees for families experiencing financial difficulty
• Applied for by schools on behalf of families

Priority Areas

The trust gives priority to projects that:

• Enrich quality of life and widen horizons
• Encourage participation and appreciation of the arts
• Develop good citizenship and encourage help in the community and local environment
• Support subjects receiving inadequate educational emphasis
• Facilitate educational travel and experiences (e.g., “Battlefields of Europe” school trip, drama project to Beijing)
• Promote outdoor education and environmental learning
• Provide IT and technology resources for education

What They Don't Fund

• Individuals over 25 years of age
• Individuals or organizations outside the three specific Fareham town parishes (not the larger Borough of Fareham)
• Non-educational purposes
• Activities already funded by local education authorities (for organizational grants)

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Governance and Leadership

Trustee Structure

The trust operates with 19 trustees comprising:

• 3 incumbents of Fareham town parishes
• 3 nominated by parish councils
• 4 nominated by appointing bodies (Bishop of Portsmouth, Fareham Borough Council, Hampshire County Council)
• Up to 9 co-opted members, ideally with local knowledge or teaching experience

Governance Framework

Governed by the 1993 Charity Commission Scheme, which appoints the William Price Trust Company as trustee. Day-to-day management is delegated to the Company Director (Chairman) and Company Secretary (Clerk), with the Clerk serving as the only employee.

Committee Structure

Three committees advise on:

• Policy Committee: Strategic direction
• Finance Committee: Assisted by professional financial adviser
• Grants Committee: Reviews all grant applications

Finance and Grants Committees report every six months to a General Meeting of the Trust Company where final grant approvals are made.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

For Individuals:

• Applications ideally submitted through schools or colleges, though direct individual requests accepted (particularly from further education students)
• Three application forms available for download from website:
• Main Grants Application Form (£350-£1,750)
• Assistance Grant Application (under £350 for hardship)
• Churches Application Form for Grant
• Submit completed forms to the Clerk via post or email

For Schools and Organizations:

• Use Main Grants Application Form or Churches Application Form
• Applications can be submitted by educational institutions serving the benefit area

Submission Address:

Mr C Newcombe, Clerk

8 Earl Godwin Close, Fareham, Hants, PO16 0DW

Email: clerkwpt1721@gmail.com

Decision Timeline

Assistance Grants (under £350):

• Processed at any time by Chairman and Clerk with delegated authority
• For urgent financial needs
• Fast turnaround for hardship cases

Individual Grants (£350-£1,750):

• Deadline: March 1st annually (for coming academic year)
• Review by Grants Committee
• Approval at trustee General Meeting
• Estimated timeline: 2-4 months from submission to decision

Major Grants for Schools/Organizations:

• Deadline: September 8th annually
• Scrutiny by Grants Committee
• Approval at trustee General Meeting in November
• Payments made after November approval
• Estimated timeline: 2-3 months from September deadline to November decision

Trustees meet every six months in General Meetings where final grant decisions are approved.

Success Rates

Success rates are not publicly available. However, financial data indicates:

• Recent year: 15 assistance grants approved (£6,050 total)
• Recent year: 11 individual grants approved (£14,700 total)
• Total grant expenditure: Approximately £236,429 annually

Reapplication Policy

No specific reapplication policy is documented. Applicants should contact the Clerk directly to discuss unsuccessful applications and potential reapplication opportunities.

Application Success Factors

Based on the trust's documented priorities and approach:

For Individual Applicants:

• Demonstrate financial need clearly - the trust explicitly requires applicants to show financial necessity
• Be under 25 and verify residency - confirm you live within the three specific Fareham ecclesiastical parishes (not just the Borough)
• Apply through your school or college when possible - applications submitted through educational institutions are preferred
• Link to educational advancement - show how funding will support education, training, or skill development
• Have all documentation ready - valid university/college offer and UK bank account required for grants over £350
• Consider the trust's priorities - proposals that widen horizons, involve arts participation, develop citizenship, or encourage community service align with stated priorities

For Schools and Organizations:

• Focus on what's not funded by authorities - grants specifically support “educational benefits not normally provided by the local authority”
• Align with priority areas - successful applications have included IT equipment, outdoor education spaces, school grounds improvements, and arts facilities
• Serve the benefit area - schools must be situated in or significantly serve the old Parish of Fareham
• Provide comprehensive project details - explain how the grant will enrich quality of life and widen horizons for young people
• Meet the September deadline - major organizational grants are considered annually with strict deadlines

General Success Factors:

• Submit complete applications with all required documentation
• Apply well before deadlines to allow for any clarifications
• Contact the Clerk if uncertain about eligibility - better to inquire than submit an ineligible application
• Be specific about educational outcomes and benefits to young people under 25

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Geographic restriction is absolute - only residents of three specific Fareham ecclesiastical parishes (Holy Trinity with St. Columba, St. John the Evangelist, St. Peter and St. Paul) are eligible; verify residency carefully before applying
• Age limit is strictly enforced - all individual beneficiaries must be under 25 years of age
• Three distinct grant streams - choose the appropriate application type (assistance grants for urgent needs under £350, individual grants £350-£1,750, or major grants for organizations)
• Financial need must be demonstrated - the trust explicitly requires applicants to show financial necessity, not just educational merit
• Applications through schools are preferred - work with your educational institution to submit applications when possible, particularly for individual grants
• Timing matters significantly - assistance grants processed year-round, but individual and major grants have strict annual deadlines (March 1st and September 8th respectively)
• Committee-based decision making - applications undergo Grants Committee review before trustee approval at biannual General Meetings, so expect multi-stage process

References

• The William Price Charitable Trust Official Website - Home
• The William Price Charitable Trust - How to Apply
• The William Price Charitable Trust - Who Can Apply
• The William Price Charitable Trust - Structure and Governance
• Charity Commission Register - The William Price Charitable Trust (307319)
• Charity Commission - Full Print Details
• Giving is Great - Charity Factsheet 307319

Accessed: December 27, 2025