FUNDING & DEVELOPMENT
What We Fund
We have recently reviewed our grant making processes, criteria and eligibility.
These changes remain in the context of our overall charitable objective of working with local organisations to support young people and helping them thrive.
The aspiration of the changes is to provide a clearer focus on the type of work we are looking to support, and to reduce the number of unsuccessful applications, which we know collectively costs the sector time, money and energy.
A full update of changes will be across our website later in December.
The most immediate change is the introduction of a two stage application process with immediate effect, for the March 2026 funding round.
The first stage expression of interest form is available now and should be submitted to grants@francis-scott.org.uk by 5pm on Friday 19th December 2025 for consideration at the March 2026 meeting.
Whilst we prefer to fund organisations that are registered charities, we
will consider offering grants to organisations who are pursuing
charitable objectives and make a demonstrable contribution to their
community, providing their aims and constitution are clearly
not-for-profit. Additional checks and questions will be asked of
organisations applying for funds who are not registered charities.
Applications from national organisations will only be considered where the beneficiaries and project workers are based within our beneficial area.
Please note that Trustees prefer to fund small to medium-sized organisations and it is therefore unlikely they will support applications from charities with a turnover in excess of £1m. We would encourage you to seek guidance from the staff if you are unsure.
Exclusions
Please contact the team for clarification if you are unsure whether your project fits within our guidelines. In general, we do not consider applications:
- from individuals
- from statutory organisations or for the provision of work for which there is a statutory duty
- from national charities without a local base/project
- from charities with substantial unrestricted reserves
- from medical/health establishments
- from schools/educational establishments
- for projects principally benefiting people outside Cumbria/North Lancashire
- for retrospective funding
- for expeditions or overseas travel
- for the promotion of religion
- for animal welfare
- for capital funding except in exceptional circumstances (please be in contact for guidance)
Whether your application is successful or not, we advise that you wait for a year before applying to the Trust again.
Complaints Procedure
In any one year the Trust receives three times more applications for funding than it can afford to support. The Trustees go to considerable lengths to ensure that every request for funding that is within our stated funding guidelines receives a full and fair hearing. Any applicants or grant holders who feel that they have a grievance against the Trust should write to the Chair of Trustees (marked Private and Confidential) who will respond following a period of consultation.
Chair of Trustees
The Francis C Scott Charitable Trust
Stricklandgate House, 92 Stricklandgate
Kendal, Cumbria, LA9 4PU