Registered Charity Number: 242328
Online applications for the October 2023 Sheldon Trust Trustee meeting are now CLOSED.
The next scheduled meeting of the Trustees will take place in October 2023
The Trustees require all applicants to submit their application online.
If you had started but not completed an application for the October 2023 meeting, the information you entered will have been saved and you will be able to complete the form for the next meeting in April 2024.
Applications for the April 2024 meeting will open in mid-January 2024
Applications for Holiday Funding
The Trustees are now accepting applications for the year April 2023 to March 2024.
Click here to apply.
Aims and Objectives
The main purpose of the Sheldon Trust is to relieve poverty and distress in society, especially in deprived areas, by providing grants to registered charities working with disadvantaged people in the following four areas:
- Community Projects (within the geographical areas defined below):
These would be primarily community-based organisations, run by local volunteers, perhaps with some paid staff. They would be addressing identified local needs of a community nature. - Special Needs Groups (within the geographical areas defined below):
These would be addressing groups with special needs, i.e. with age, health or learning issues which put them at a disadvantage within society. - Youth Development (nationally):
These would support programmes which address the needs of 16-25 year olds, especially those not in education, employment or training. While individuals will not be supported directly, the Trustees will encourage applications from programmes which encourage individual young people to expand their experiences and challenge their capacities. - Holidays for the disadvantaged (West Midlands or Greater London):
Applications for this category require a separate application form, which can be accessed at the link below. Applications will be considered throughout the year but please allow up to 8 weeks between submission and notification of the result. The average value of these grants is £1,000.
Please note that each application will undergo due diligence checks. Supporting documents such as a signed copy of the most recent accounts and a budget for the proposed project, must be submitted with the application. If you have received a holiday grant in the past but have not submitted end of project reports, we will not consider your repeat application.
Defined Geographical Areas
The Sheldon Trust’s defined geographical area of giving for categories 1 and 2 is the West Midlands with particular emphasis on the following areas: Birmingham City, Coventry City, Dudley, Sandwell, Solihull, Wolverhampton and the County of Warwickshire.
Category 3 is open to charities based anywhere in the UK.
National charities are generally not considered. However, National charities wishing to apply under categories 1, 2 and 3 may only do so where they have a branch in one or more of the defined areas which is responsible for its own financial management and fundraising and can provide separate accounts.
What type of grants does Sheldon make?
The Trustees fund projects, salaries, equipment, furnishings, refurbishments and running costs. The Trustees do not consider appeals in respect of the cost of purchasing buildings or vehicles.
Where appropriate, the Trustees are prepared to consider multi-year grants, up to three years.
The Trustees may put aside a portion of their income for grants for special projects of which they have personal knowledge or an organisation which they have supported in the past.
How much does Sheldon give?
In the financial year ending 5 April 2022 the Trustees authorised 33 grants of the total value of £303,275. Some of these were multi year grants. The Trustees are willing to consider applications for funding of up to £15,000, when warranted. Multi-year commitments, up to three years, can also be considered.
Exclusions
The Trustees do not consider applications from charities with an annual income of over £1M and/or free unrestricted reserves to the value of more than twelve months of their annual expenditure.
Applications
When and how to apply for funding
Each year the Trustees meet in April and October to consider around 15 to 25 applications at any one time, depending on the amount of funding available for grant making. Applications and supporting documentation must be submitted by the deadline given below.
What to include with the application
A copy of the organisation’s most recent signed accounts; a budget for the project for the current financial year; and, if the application envisages a salary, a job description. These documents can be uploaded at the end of the online application form. Applications will not be considered until all the relevant documentation has been received.
The Sheldon Trust does not accept draft accounts. Please do not send any other information as it will be discarded.
Grant Offers
All applicants will be informed of the funding decision within 7 days of the Trustees meeting. Successful applicants will receive confirmation of the grant offer and any related conditions. Please do not contact the office before this time. The grant acceptance letter must be signed by a senior staff member of the applying organisation, preferably the Director/Chief Executive or Assistant Director, and returned to the Trust Administrator before funding will be released.
Reporting on the Grant
To help monitoring and evaluation of grant-making activities, recipients will be sent a short form to be completed and returned to the Trust at the end of the project. This form will normally be sent one year from the date of payment of the grant unless requested sooner. Further applications will not be considered until this form has been returned.
Re-applying to the Sheldon Trust
Unsuccessful applicants under categories 1, 2 and 3 can re-apply after two years.
Successful applicants under categories 1, 2 and 3 will not be considered for a period of two years following receipt of a grant (or final payment of repeat funding).
Applications under categories 1 to 3
The Trustees require all applicants to submit their application online.
If you had started but not completed an application for the next scheduled meeting, the information you entered will have been saved and you will be able to complete the form when applications open again.
If you have any queries please contact the Trust Administrator.
Applications under category 4 – Holiday Funding
The Trustees consider applications for holiday funding for disadvantaged people living in the West Midlands area or Greater London. If you wish to apply under this category please complete and submit the online application form together with the supporting documents (i.e. a signed copy of your most recent accounts and a budget for the proposed project) by following the link below. Applications will be considered throughout the year but please allow up to 8 weeks between submission and notification of the result.
Click here for the Holiday Funding application form
Trustees are now accepting applications for the year April 2023 to March 2024.
If any problems are experienced, prospective applicants should please contact the Trust Administrator.