GrantRadar

The Nisbet Trust

The Nisbet Trust Grants

Grants for registered charities, exempt charities and established CICs working in the Greater Bristol area, focused on disadvantaged children and young people, preventing homelessness, community cohesion and the arts. Small grants are up to £10,000, medium grants £10,001 to £30,000, and capital grants can be larger; small and medium grants can cover project, capital or core costs for up to three years. A short expression of interest comes first, and about 80% of eligible full applications succeed. The next full application deadline is 11 December 2026.

Apply on the funder’s site
You could get
£10,001 – £30,000
Deadline
54 days left
11 December
Effort
Moderate
full application with documents

Who can apply

  • Registered charities, exempt charities and community interest companies delivering benefit to communities in the Greater Bristol area
  • The Trust's map covers Bristol and nearby postcodes including Pill (BS20), Bradley Stoke (BS34), Emersons Green (BS16/BS30) and Keynsham (BS31)
  • CICs must also have been established for at least three years, have an annual income of at least £50,000, and generate at least 25% of their income from trading
  • National charities and organisations based outside Greater Bristol are less likely to be supported

What it funds

Work in the Trust's four areas of focus:

  • Children and young people: organisations and projects which support disadvantaged children and young people, helping them gain essential skills for life and work
  • Prevention of homelessness, including advice and guidance to people at risk of losing their homes
  • Community cohesion: projects which support equality, diversity and social inclusion for high-need groups from all communities in the city
  • The arts: arts venues and activities for disadvantaged children and young people
  • Small grants (up to £10,000) and medium grants (£10,001 to £30,000) for project, capital or core costs, for up to three years
  • Capital grants, which can be larger than £30,000

What it will not fund

  • Medical research
  • Medical charities and support groups
  • Hospices
  • Grants for individuals
  • Animal welfare charities
  • Sponsorship
  • National charities and organisations based outside the Greater Bristol area (less likely to be supported)
  • CICs whose business model relies substantially on grant funding (unlikely to be successful)
  • Reapplying within 12 months of the deadline of your previous application

How to apply

  1. Check the eligibility criteria and exclusions
  2. Submit the online Expression of Interest (basic organisation details, amount requested, brief project outline) as early as possible and at least 7 days before the full application deadline
  3. If the EOI is suitable, the Trust invites you to a full application and sends the link to its online form (it may suggest a different amount)
  4. Submit the full application by 5pm on the deadline: 11 December 2026, 12 March 2027, 11 June 2027 or 17 September 2027 (EOIs by 4 December, 5 March, 4 June and 10 September)
  5. Trustees decide at their quarterly meeting (end of January, April, July and October)

the EOI is not an assessment stage. Contact the Trust if you have had no response within two weeks of the published outcome date.

small and medium grantees report in no more than two pages; reporting for capital grants is agreed with the grant.

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