William Adlington Cadbury Charitable Trust

Charity Number: 213629

Annual Expenditure: £1.0M

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: Approximately £1,000,000 (based on historical data)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed (international programme heavily oversubscribed)
  • Decision Time: 6 weeks for initial response; 6 months for large grants
  • Grant Range: £250 - £50,000 (typical large grants £5,000-£25,000)
  • Geographic Focus: West Midlands (primary), UK-wide (Quaker/penal affairs), West Africa

Contact Details

  • Website: www.wa-cadbury.org.uk
  • Email: info@wa-cadbury.org.uk
  • Phone: 0121 472 1464 (Tuesdays only, 10am-2pm)
  • Application Method: Online application form (preferred) or postal for small grants

Overview

Founded in 1923 by William Adlington Cadbury, this Birmingham-based trust ranks in the top 300 UK grant-making trusts. The charity was established to further William Cadbury's charitable interests, rooted in his Quaker values and commitment to social welfare. The trust has been led by successive generations of the Cadbury family, with current chair Sophy Blandy (William's great-granddaughter) leading nine trustees. The trust focuses on three main geographical areas: Birmingham and the West Midlands for community-based welfare projects, UK-wide support for Quaker initiatives and restorative justice programmes, and international development concentrated in West Africa. The Quaker ethos continues to underpin the trust's commitment to social welfare, with particular emphasis on penal reform and sustainable poverty reduction.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Small Grants Programme

  • Amount: £250 - £2,000
  • Frequency: Awarded monthly
  • Application: Rolling basis via online form or post

Large Grants Programme

  • Amount: £5,000 - £25,000 (average), occasionally up to £50,000
  • Frequency: Awarded twice yearly (May and November meetings)
  • Volume: Approximately 20 grants averaging £25,000 and 10 grants averaging £5,000 per meeting
  • Application: Online form with fixed deadlines (typically October for November meeting)

Priority Areas

Birmingham and West Midlands Programme

  • Community action and community-based schemes (may be centered on places of worship)
  • Vulnerable groups: elderly, children and young people, disabled people, asylum seekers and minorities
  • Priority: Schemes helping people of working age develop new skills to re-enter the jobs market
  • Advice, mediation and counselling services
  • Education and training programmes
  • Environment and conservation, including projects addressing climate change impact
  • Preservation of buildings of historic importance and local interest
  • Medical and healthcare, including hospices
  • Self-help groups and some medical research
  • The arts

Quaker Programme (UK-wide)

  • Projects with clear Quaker connections
  • Support for work of the Religious Society of Friends

Penal Affairs Programme (UK-wide)

  • Restorative justice initiatives
  • Prison-based projects
  • Work with ex-offenders aimed at reducing re-offending

International Development

  • Geographic focus: Concentrated on West Africa
  • Sustainable poverty reduction in rural and urban communities
  • Schemes helping children access education
  • Areas including agriculture, beekeeping, potable water, household energy
  • Note: This programme is heavily oversubscribed and focused on established organizational partners; ad hoc appeals unlikely to succeed

What They Don't Fund

  • Individuals (for research, expeditions, educational purposes, or medical treatment)
  • Projects concerned with travel, adventure, sports, or recreation
  • Organisations based outside the UK
  • International projects outside established partnerships (Asia, Eastern Europe, South America previously funded but now oversubscribed and closed to new applications)
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Governance and Leadership

Current Leadership

  • Chair: Sophy J. Blandy (great-granddaughter of founder)
  • Family succession: William Cadbury → son John (1905-1985) → grandson Brandon (1915-2011) → granddaughter Sarah Stafford → current chair Sophy Blandy

Trustees: Nine trustees including Rupert A. Cadbury, Katherine M. van Hagen Cadbury, C. Margaret Salmon, John C. Penny, Adrian D. M. Thomas, Janine E. Cobain, and Victoria E. Mohan

Guiding Principles: "Trustees are guided by William Cadbury's concern for welfare of Birmingham inhabitants, his interest in the Society of Friends, and his belief in the continuing need for Penal Reform."

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

Online Application (preferred)

  • Use the online application form at wa-cadbury.org.uk
  • Desktop browsers recommended (Edge, Explorer, Firefox, Chrome, Safari)
  • Works on iPad and larger devices; not usable on smartphones
  • Cannot handle attachments, photographs, or documents outside the form

Postal Application (small grants only)

  • Available as alternative to online submission
  • No email applications accepted

Required Information

  • Must be registered UK charity, Community Interest Company, or unregistered group in West Midlands with constitution, elected committee, and bank account
  • No need to send annual reports/accounts (trustees refer to Charity Commission online records)
  • Community Interest Companies: provide recent accounts via email
  • If previously supported: briefly describe outcome of most recent project

Decision Timeline

Initial Response: Trust normally responds within 6 weeks of submission

Small Grants: Considered monthly

Large Grants:

  • Trustees meet twice yearly (May and November)
  • Shortlisted applicants notified in the month prior to meeting
  • May be asked for additional information if shortlisted
  • Application deadlines announced on website

Post-Award:

  • Successful applicants must provide receipt upon payment
  • Large grant recipients must provide project outcome report

Success Rates

Not publicly disclosed. The trust notes that the international development programme is “heavily oversubscribed,” suggesting competitive selection. Approximately 60 grants awarded per year across both meetings (40 large grants + monthly small grants).

Reapplication Policy

  • Grants normally awarded on a one-off basis
  • Repeat applications not usually considered within two years of an award
  • No stated restrictions for unsuccessful applicants to reapply

Application Success Factors

Key Guidance from the Funder

Application Quality: “Applications should be brief, concise and to the point”

Format Requirements:

  • Do not use block capitals
  • Use proper upper and lower case for readability
  • Ensure all information is in the online form (no attachments accepted)

Programme Matching: “Select an appropriate grant programme and programme sector” - carefully match your project to their categories to improve success chances

Staff Quality: Applicants must demonstrate “rigorous selection, training and monitoring of front line staff (particularly in the absence of formal qualifications) as well as to the overall need for the service provided”

Project Examples

Historical beneficiaries (2011/12) included:

  • Concern Universal (£90,000) - international development
  • Youth Hostel Association - Wilderhope Manor (£50,000)
  • Birmingham Royal Ballet Trust (£24,000)
  • Ideal for All and The Patients Association (£15,000 each)
  • Age Concern and Royal Birmingham Society of Artists (£10,000 each)
  • Britain Yearly Meeting (£5,000) - Quaker connection
  • Birmingham Settlement (£3,000)

Success Factors

  1. Geographic alignment: West Midlands location significantly improves prospects
  2. Quaker connections: UK-wide organisations can apply if clear Quaker link exists
  3. Community-based approach: Schemes centered on local problems and community members
  4. Skills development: Projects helping working-age people develop employment skills are “particularly” interesting to trustees
  5. Established track record: International programme only supports long-standing partners
  6. Clear outcomes: Ability to demonstrate need and report on project outcomes

Common Challenges

  • International programme heavily oversubscribed to established partners
  • Must be UK-based organisation (geographic exclusion strict)
  • Cannot submit supporting documents outside application form
  • Two-year wait before reapplication after successful grant

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Choose the right programme: Carefully match your project to one of their four programmes (West Midlands, Quaker, Penal Affairs, International) - proper categorisation improves success chances
  • Emphasise employability: Projects helping working-age people develop job market skills are explicitly prioritised by trustees
  • Be concise: Trust specifically requests brief, concise, to-the-point applications in proper case (not capitals)
  • Demonstrate staff quality: Show rigorous staff selection, training, and monitoring processes, especially if staff lack formal qualifications
  • West Midlands organisations have advantage: Geographic proximity to Birmingham and the six-county West Midlands region is the trust's primary focus
  • International applicants need relationships: International programme only considers established partners; new applicants unlikely to succeed
  • Plan timing carefully: Large grant decisions only twice yearly (May/November); apply by October deadline for November consideration
  • Both core and project funding available: Trust supports both operational costs and specific projects

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References