Thomas Howell's Trust

Charity Number: 1004185

Annual Expenditure: £0.2M

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £244,000 (approximately, based on £2.2 million over 9 years for North Wales grants)
  • Success Rate: Not published
  • Decision Time: Approximately 6-8 weeks (decisions communicated within 10 days of panel meeting)
  • Grant Range: No minimum or maximum stated
  • Geographic Focus: North Wales (Anglesey, Conwy, Denbighshire, Flintshire, Gwynedd, Wrexham) and South Wales (Howell's School, Llandaff)

Contact Details

Thomas Howell's Education Fund for North Wales:

  • Email: thefnw@thedrapers.co.uk (for North Wales grants)
  • General Contact: charities@thedrapers.co.uk
  • Phone: 020 7588 5001
  • Website: www.thedrapers.co.uk
  • Address: The Worshipful Company of Drapers, Drapers' Hall, Throgmorton Avenue, London, EC2N 2DQ

Overview

Thomas Howell's Trust (Charity No. 1004185) was established from the bequest of Thomas Howell (c. 1480-1537), a Welsh merchant and philanthropist who served as Warden of the Drapers' Company in 1527. When he died, he left 12,000 ducats to provide marriage portions for Welsh maidens, which evolved into the establishment of two girls' schools in Wales in 1853: Howell's School in Llandaff, Cardiff and Howell's School in Denbigh. Since the closure of the Denbigh school in 2013, the Trust distributes its net income to support Howell's School, Llandaff for maintenance and operations, while also providing broader educational support through the Thomas Howell's Education Fund for North Wales. Over the past nine years, the North Wales fund has awarded grants totalling £2.2 million to support educational initiatives for young people under 25, particularly in areas of high deprivation. The Trust is managed by the Worshipful Company of Drapers, one of London's historic Livery Companies.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Thomas Howell's Education Fund for North Wales

  • Amount: No minimum or maximum limit stated (though larger grants subject to greater scrutiny)
  • Eligibility: Young people under 25 living or studying in Anglesey, Conwy, Denbighshire, Flintshire, Gwynedd, or Wrexham
  • Application Method: Rolling basis with three annual deadlines (applications must be submitted at least 4 weeks before panel meetings in November, March, and June)
  • Grant Duration: Most grants are one-off awards; multi-year grants normally limited to maximum of three years

Support to Howell's School, Llandaff

  • Ongoing income support for school maintenance and facilities
  • Annual leaving prizes from the Drapers' Charitable Fund
  • Student hardship fund grants

Priority Areas

The Fund supports educational initiatives that:

  • Fill Gaps in Provision: Projects addressing educational needs not eligible for Local Education Authority or other public body funding
  • Small Capital Projects: Enhance education or enrich learning experiences for pupils and students
  • Literacy and Numeracy: Reading book schemes and numeracy improvement programs at primary level
  • Outdoor and Environmental Education: Projects utilizing North Wales countryside to build leadership, personal qualities, and environmental awareness
  • Student Inclusiveness: Initiatives increasing access across primary, secondary, further, and higher education, particularly in high deprivation areas
  • Financial Hardship Relief: Block grants to Further and Higher Education institutions for students facing financial difficulties
  • School Governance: Initiatives to improve school governance
  • Excellence Recognition: Prizes rewarding achievement or excellence
  • Broadening Horizons: Initiatives expanding perspectives for young people within their local communities

What They Don't Fund

  • Applicants who have received a grant within the last 12 months
  • One-off projects with limited durability or lasting impact
  • Educational or extracurricular residential or day trips for school pupils
  • PCs, laptops, or similar technology equipment
  • Curriculum schemes supporting teaching of specific subjects or aspects of learning
  • Activities typically funded by public money
  • Individual applicants (grants go to institutions and organizations only, except block grants for student hardship)
  • Private sector education (except particularly deserving cases)
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Governance and Leadership

The Thomas Howell's Education Fund for North Wales is administered by the Worshipful Company of Drapers through a Grant Making Panel that includes people from North Wales with relevant expertise and experience. The panel meets three times annually to review applications. Philip currently chairs the grant-making panel. David previously served as Chairman of the fund. No trustees of Thomas Howell's Trust receive remuneration, payments, or benefits from the charity.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

Application Requirements:

  • Use only the official application form provided on the Drapers' website
  • Complete all sections in font size of at least 10 points
  • Do not change font color, style, or use text highlighting
  • Limit completed application to maximum of three sides of A4
  • Include all essential information within the form itself (no hyperlinks)
  • Attach supplier quotes where required in section 4C
  • Schools must exclude VAT from budget figures
  • Applications from schools must be endorsed and countersigned by the Headteacher
  • Submit as single-sided PDF document by email to thefnw@thedrapers.co.uk

Submission Deadlines:

Applications must be received at least four weeks before the panel meeting dates in November, March, and June. You can apply at any time of year, but applications will normally be considered at the next meeting following submission.

Decision Timeline

  • Applications reviewed at panel meetings held three times annually (November, March, June)
  • Decisions communicated by email within 10 days of meeting date
  • Notifications sent to the email address provided on application form
  • Larger grant requests may take longer due to greater scrutiny

Success Rates

Success rates are not publicly published. However, common reasons for unsuccessful applications include:

  • Requesting items not normally funded
  • Poor project planning
  • Insufficient budgetary information

Reapplication Policy

Applicants who have received a grant within the last 12 months are not eligible to reapply. This suggests a minimum 12-month waiting period between grants.

Application Success Factors

Critical Success Factors

Detailed Budget Planning: “Insufficient budgetary information” is explicitly cited as a common reason for unsuccessful applications. Provide comprehensive budget details showing exactly how funds will be spent.

Project Durability: The fund rejects “one-off projects that are likely to have limited durability or lasting impact.” Demonstrate how your project will have lasting educational value beyond initial implementation.

Alignment with Fund Priorities: Ensure your project clearly addresses gaps in educational provision not covered by public funding. The fund exists to supplement, not replace, public education funding.

Focus on Disadvantaged Groups: The fund “aims to increase student inclusiveness across primary, secondary, further and higher education, particularly in areas of high deprivation.” Projects serving disadvantaged populations or high-deprivation areas are strongly aligned with the fund's mission.

Concise Communication: Applications must be limited to three sides of A4. Be clear and concise while including all essential information.

Geographic Relevance: For North Wales grants, clearly demonstrate how the project benefits young people under 25 living or studying in the six eligible districts.

Language and Approach

The fund uses terminology emphasizing:

  • “Enriching learning experiences”
  • “Filling gaps in educational provision”
  • “Student inclusiveness”
  • “Areas of high deprivation”
  • “Broadening horizons”
  • “Building leadership and personal qualities”

Frame your application using this language to demonstrate alignment with the fund's values.

What to Avoid

  • Do not request funding for items on the exclusions list (laptops, trips, curriculum materials)
  • Do not submit vague or poorly planned proposals
  • Do not apply if you've received funding within the past 12 months
  • Do not include hyperlinks or submit applications in formats other than PDF
  • Do not exceed the three-page limit or use unconventional formatting

Example Funded Organization

Wild Elements, an outdoor education organization in North Wales, lists Thomas Howell's Education Fund among their funders, suggesting the fund supports outdoor learning initiatives that align with its priority of “projects that make the most of the outstanding North Wales countryside, build leadership and personal qualities and raise environmental awareness.”

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  1. Budget Detail is Critical: The fund explicitly states that “insufficient budgetary information” is a common reason for rejection. Invest time in creating a comprehensive, well-justified budget with supplier quotes attached.
  1. Demonstrate Long-Term Impact: Show how your project will create lasting educational benefits, not just one-off activities. The fund wants to see durability and sustained impact.
  1. Fill Gaps, Don't Duplicate: Position your project as addressing needs that public funding doesn't cover. The fund exists to supplement statutory provision, not replace it.
  1. Target Disadvantaged Communities: Projects serving students in high deprivation areas or addressing inclusiveness barriers are particularly well-aligned with the fund's mission.
  1. Plan Ahead for Deadlines: With only three annual meetings and a four-week submission requirement, plan your application timeline carefully. Missing a deadline could mean waiting 3-4 months for the next review cycle.
  1. Follow Format Rules Precisely: The fund is specific about formatting requirements (font size, page limits, PDF format, no hyperlinks). Non-compliance could result in rejection without review.
  1. Think Beyond Technology: The fund explicitly excludes laptops and PCs. Focus on non-technology solutions or capital improvements to educational facilities and experiences.

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