GrantRadar

The Oak Trust

Oak Trust grants

The Oak Trust, a small family charity founded by the Reverend Christopher Courtauld in 1963, makes grants of £250 to £4,000 to UK registered charities based in East Anglia. It supports people who are disadvantaged (in the widest sense), personal development through adventure, and medical and environmental charities, with preference for small charities with turnover below £1 million. Trustees meet twice a year; the next deadline after the 1 October 2026 autumn deadline is the spring deadline of 1 April 2027.

Apply on the funder’s site
You could get
£250 – £4,000
Deadline
165 days left
1 April
Effort
Moderate
full application with documents

Who can apply

  • Registered UK charities only; the online form first asks whether the charity is based in East Anglia (Cambridgeshire, Norfolk, Suffolk or Essex)
  • Preference is given to small charities with annual turnover below £1 million, and charities that work only locally are preferred if they work in East Anglia
  • The charity may work locally, nationally or internationally

What it funds

There are no specific criteria. Trustees consider, among other things:

  • People who are disadvantaged (in the widest sense)
  • Personal development through adventure
  • The environment
  • Whether the charity can bring life-changing benefits to its clients
  • Whether a small grant (say £500) will really make a difference
  • How challenging the money is to raise
  • The number of people assisted per £ spent
  • The viability of the charity and where the rest of the money will come from
  • How much it spends on fundraising and administration
  • Whether it works locally, nationally or internationally

Medical and environmental charities are also supported, as are UK charities working overseas where needs from deprivation, natural disaster or conflict are beyond what the national government can provide.

What it will not fund

  • Individuals
  • Organisations that are not registered UK charities

How to apply

  1. Complete the four-step online application form (the Trust only accepts applications through this form): confirm you are based in East Anglia and your county; organisation details (charity number, aims, beneficiaries, area of work); financial information from last year's accounts, current budget, beneficiary numbers, why the grant is needed and how it will be spent, and amount already raised; and up to four other donors, the grant amount requested and two referees
  2. Submit by the next deadline - spring deadline 1 April, autumn deadline 1 October; applications are considered at the next trustee meeting after submission (April/May or October)
  3. You receive an acknowledgement and notification of the outcome by email within 10 days of the review meeting

Have ready

  • Contact details (name, address, phone and email) for two referees

Figures from the previous year's accounts are entered on the form.

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