Resource of the Week: 360giving (and AB Charitable Trust)

Do you volunteer or work for an org that’s looking for funding?

A lot of people sell directories of grant-making bodies – but do you know some of the excellent free resources out there?

For example, 360giving is an excellent website – that not only helps you to find grant-making bodies but also helps explain what grants they have made in a given area.

Here’s an example of how AB Charitable Trust has invested in Leeds over the last 10 years, who they have funded, and for how much.

Grant funders share this intelligence to help people get an overview of their investment portfolio and to help guide new applications. It might also be worth speaking to other orgs who have successfully applied, to learn from their experiences. Most orgs are pretty open about their grants, once they’ve received them.   

With this in mind (and with thanks to Cllr David Jenkins for sharing this) AB Charitable are currently open to applications….

The A B Charitable Trust (often referred to a ‘ABCT’), places its focus on promoting and defending human dignity and human rights. It supports unpopular causes reaching the most vulnerable and marginalised in society, particularly UK charities working in the areas of:

• Criminal justice and penal reform.
• Human rights, particularly where this involves access to justice, and
• Migrants, refugees and people seeking asylum.

The Trust favours applications from UK registered charities that can demonstrate the following:

• Are well run, make best use of resources and follow best practice in all aspects of their work.
• Deliver effective work and can demonstrate the difference it makes.
• Engage the talents of people who have experienced the problems the organisation exists to address.
• Listen to the people they seek to support about their needs, and amend their work accordingly.
• Share knowledge where possible (eg with colleagues in the sector, or to influence attitudes to an issue or to influence policy).
• Work well with others in the geographical or policy area (are happy to combine knowledge and resources where helpful and avoid duplication), and
• Would make best use of a grant (for example, where the grant would make a demonstrable positive difference).

UK registered charities with an annual income of between £150,000 and £1.5 million may apply for a revenue grant. During the year ended 30th April 2022 the Trust awarded grants totalling £4,739,700, categorised as follows:

• Access to Justice (Human Rights): 51 grants totalling £1,400,250 (average grant: £27,455)
• Criminal Justice system: 59 grants totalling £1,082,500 (average grant: £18,345), and
• Migrants, refugees and people seeking asylum: 87 grants totalling £2,236,950 (average grant: £25,712).

Grant awards ranged from £6,000 to £215,000. However, the vast majority of grants made were for between £10,000 and £25,000.

A list of all grants awarded during the year can be viewed on pages 32-39 of the Trust’s Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 30th April 2022.

Funding is not available for:

o Academic research.
o Capital projects.
o Individuals.
o National charities (or local charities linked to a national network), or
o Projects that promote religion.

Further information, guidance and an online application form is available on the Trust’s website.

The next deadlines are:

1. Sunday 30th April 2023 for a decision in July 2023, and
2. Sunday 30th July 2023 for a decision in October 2023.

Contact details for the Trust are:

Ms Sara Harrity MBE.
The A B Charitable Trust (ABCT)
c/o Woodsford 3rd Floor
8 Bloomsbury Street
London
WC1B 3SR
Tel: 020 7243 9486
Email: [email protected]