Rhododendron Trust
Grants Policy
In 2018-19 grants totalled £58,000.
£27,500 went to charities which work in the developing world, £21,000 to UK welfare, and £9,500 to cultural and wildlife charities. Grants of £1000 or £500 are made both to Charities who have reported well on spending of previous grants, and to Charities who have made new appeals during the current year. Grants are decided once a year, generally in February or March, following a Trustees' meeting in January.
The Trust does not support
•individuals for example on gap-year projects with another charity
•local branches of National societies
•restoration work on individual churches and other buildings (we work
through larger bodies which do this)
•medical or academic research
•missionary Charities.
Developing world charities
The Trust prefers to support Charities which benefit people affected by more than just poverty, for example people disadvantaged by disability, age, gender or ethnic status, or by the poor medical, welfare or educational infrastructure in their country. Thus Charities which provide medical aid in countries with very few doctors (such as Merlin or The Impact Foundation) or which benefit street children or prevent child labour or child soldiers (such as ChildHope and Children in Crisis), or which provide education (such as Book Aid ), or legal protection (such as Womankind Worldwide). We are interested in welfare projects which also help sustain the environment.
UK Charities
In the UK we attempt to support those disadvantaged by disability or mental illness (such as those suffering from epilepsy or autism). We also regularly support Charities which work with prisoners and ex-offenders, or those addicted to drugs, and the homeless. We fund charities which support carers and which help the elderly or disadvantaged children. We do not support Charities which help those suffering from cancer or from unusual physical illnesses, nor do we fund medical research or the Hospice movement.
Arts and Nature
Our arts funding tends not to vary very much as we tend here to work through large organisations such as the National Churches Trust and Fauna and Flora International. However we are open to proposals for small theatre and music projects, and to proposals for the protection of cultural and natural heritage. We are interested in projects which help sustain the environment.