Frequently Asked Questions

Please apply using the form on our website. In order to save on administration costs, we do not accept other methods of application. The use of a standardized form also helps us to make an assessment that is as fair as possible for all applicants. Please make the best attempt you can with it. You might wish to add information that is not addressed elsewhere either in the ‘project’ panel, or the ‘feedback’ panel at the end of the form. Occasionally applicants find that they need to switch internet browsers in order to access the form (e.g. Google Chrome/Safari). If we need more information, we will approach you directly.

• Please ensure that you have a charity number that is valid for one of the nations of the United Kingdom; either England, Wales, Northern Ireland, or Scotland.
• The information you provide helps to tell us about your charity, and about the objectives that your organization shares with ours. This assists us in making the best use of the funds we have available by prioritizing the charities that we believe will further our objectives, and are likely to provide the greatest impact. This is particularly so when we receive applications from two or more charities operating in a similar field. In each case, the trustees’ decisions are final. In one example a great amount of benefit may be brought to a few lives, in another a small amount of benefit may be brought to many lives, in a third it might be possible to achieve a great amount of benefit to many lives. Unfortunately, our available income does not allow us to support all charities who meet these criteria, however excellent they may be.
• On the application form, you will be asked about your charity details, and the project that you are applying for.
• With regards to your organisation, you will be asked:
  • a) When it was established
  • b) What your overall income and expenditure has been for the last three years, and for a PDF of your most recent accounts.  
  • c) To add information that would explain unusually high reserves.
  • d) If you have previously applied to the Ashworth Trust (whether or not you were successful), and, if successful, the value of grant that you received. If you are a new employee, please check the accounts of your charity to confirm whether your charity has received a grant from Ashworth during the previous three years, in which case we will not usually be able to support you again within that period. 
  • e) To confirm the number of paid employees, volunteers (approximately), and management.

• With regards to your project, you will be asked:
  • a) To give a summary of your project’s objectives. Please explain this as clearly and concisely as you can, with reference to the objectives of the Ashworth Trust, and to the difference that the award of a grant would make. 
  • b) For details about project costs, including staff costs, admin costs, publicity costs, (if any) and materials costs. 
  • c) About the skills that your staff bring to the project and also about impact measurement. 
  • d) Whether your clients include children or vulnerable adults, and what safeguarding measures are in place, either within the UK or abroad.

• If you feel that it is important to enter information that is not covered by our questions, please enter it in the ‘project proposal’ box or the ‘feedback’ box. If we need more information, we will contact you.

• The final shortlist is considered by the board of trustees twice per year, in May/June and in October/November.
• The closing dates for the applications to be reviewed and shortlisted are the end of February for the spring meeting, and the end of August for the autumn meeting. 
• For applications that have been successful, those received between September and February inclusive, will be confirmed by the end of June. For applications received between March and August inclusive, you will hear by the end of November. You will also be asked to confirm bank details by a secure method. (Please don’t email them to us)
• We currently receive too many applications for us to be able to justify the administration costs involved in responding to those that have been unsuccessful, but wish to thank everybody for their participation, and send our good wishes for the success of your charity.

1. Unfortunately, as a small charity, we do not have the human resources or funds to enter into a discussion about either of these things. We try to keep our administration costs to a minimum in order to support as many grants as we can. If you have met all of our criteria then the most likely reason is that there were simply too many excellent causes to be able to support all the charities that applied.
2. You are more likely to receive funding if we can see clearly 
   1. What difference our grant will make. 
   2. How it corresponds with our own objectives. 
   3. Whether we can see how your funds are currently being utilised in the furtherance of your own objectives (from your accounts).
   4. A project rather than core costs (in most cases).
   5. Whether our funds can be utilised sooner rather than later for the benefit of humanity (ie where there is not a big funding discrepancy, such as a target of £100,000 and funds raised of £10,000). 
3. The trustees reserve the right to use their own judgment on a case by case basis. Sadly, we do not have sufficient income to make grants to all charities that meet the above criteria, but we extend our heartfelt admiration to all those who are working to build a more peaceful, just, and sustainable world. 

Unfortunately, not; you need to be a UK-registered charity.