GrantRadar

The Ernest Kleinwort Charitable Trust

The Ernest Kleinwort Charitable Trust Grants

Grants from a Sussex family trust for registered charities, mainly for work with young people, older people, disabled people, community welfare, homelessness and the environment in Sussex. It also funds UK and international wildlife conservation projects that directly address threats to endangered flora or fauna. Small grants of up to £10,000 can be requested at any time; medium grants of £10,001-£20,000 open in four windows a year. Large grants (over £20,000) are only for charities with a long relationship with the Trust.

Apply on the funder’s site
You could get
Up to £20,000
no fixed round
Deadline
Rolling
apply any time
Effort
Moderate
full application with documents

Who can apply

  • Organisations registered with the Charity Commission for England & Wales or the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator, with one year of filed accounts
  • For the Sussex strands, the charity must serve beneficiaries in Sussex (East Sussex, West Sussex and Brighton & Hove); the wildlife and environmental conservation strand is open to UK and international projects
  • Charities with multiple branch offices in Sussex should phone or email for advice before applying
  • One application per charity in any 12 months
  • Large grants (over £20,000) are restricted to charities the trustees have known closely for several years, and the form is password protected

What it funds

For charities serving beneficiaries in Sussex, projects that engage the wider community and actively reduce barriers to participation, in these areas:

  • Youth clubs: spaces and opportunities for young people to relax, have fun, learn new activities and connect with others (scouts, guides and cadets that are registered charities are welcome where they operate in an area of high deprivation and the funding helps those otherwise unable to afford to take part)
  • Youth counselling and bereavement: emotional support and professional counselling for young people in need or who have been bereaved
  • Education and employability: support for young people to overcome barriers to education, training and employment
  • Young carers: emotional and practical support
  • Elderly loneliness and isolation: support for older people at risk of social isolation
  • Dementia: support for people with dementia, their families and carers
  • Disability: support to help those with physical, learning or complex disabilities overcome barriers to social and other activities, for a broad range of disabilities rather than specific conditions
  • Community projects: broad, long-term support to help people move out of poverty (beyond provision of a food bank), prioritising the areas of highest deprivation in Sussex, including Brighton & Hove, Bognor Regis, Littlehampton, Crawley, Adur, Hastings, Bexhill, Eastbourne and Newhaven
  • Homelessness: immediate and rehabilitative support, including day hubs and night shelters, food, clothing and laundry services, and support workers
  • Hospices: a small number of Sussex hospices with a long-standing relationship with EKCT
  • Environmental: Sussex-based projects that encourage interest and activity in environmental work, educate young people on its importance, or directly protect flora or fauna in Sussex
  • Not restricted to Sussex: UK and international wildlife and environmental conservation projects that are scalable and directly address threats to endangered flora or fauna
  • Not restricted to…

What it will not fund

  • Support for people and families with specific medical conditions or health issues
  • Support for people overcoming addiction
  • Support for carers other than young carers
  • Support for those overcoming abuse
  • Support for those leaving prison
  • Charities providing volunteer and other support for other charities
  • Individuals, or charities applying on behalf of individuals
  • Large national charities with substantial fundraising potential, legacy income or endowment income
  • Organisations registered with the Charity Commission or OSCR for less than a year
  • Charities wholly or very significantly funded by local authority, parish council or statutory funding
  • Pre-school groups
  • Out of school play schemes, including pre-school and holiday schemes
  • Charities not funded by any other charity
  • Local authorities
  • Campaigning organisations
  • Charities whose main aim is to raise funds for other charities, with substantial cash reserves
  • Animal rescue or animal welfare organisations
  • International food security, farming or agriculture projects
  • Arts or community engagement projects
  • Medical research
  • Community Interest Companies (CICs)
  • Other regional Wildlife Trusts
  • Churches and places of worship outside Cuckfield and Haywards Heath (and opportunities even there are extremely limited)

How to apply

  1. Read the Grants page to check your work falls within the funded areas
  2. Take the eligibility questionnaire on the website
  3. Download and complete the Budget Template Form and the Other Funders Form
  4. Apply online using the form for your grant size: Small Grant (up to £10,000) at any time; Medium Grant (£10,001-£20,000) only during 4 Jan-4 Feb, 18 Apr-12 May, 10 Jul-13 Aug or 9 Oct-12 Nov

the current medium grant window runs 9 Oct to 12 Nov 2026.

applications by post or email are not accepted.

Large Grants (over £20,001) open 4 Jan-4 Mar and 10 Jul-10 Sep, but only for existing funding partners; contact EKCT first if you have not applied for a large grant before.

Have ready

  • EKCT Budget Template Form
  • EKCT Other Funders Form

one full year's filed (audited) accounts must be available.

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