Blagrave Trust

The Blagrave Trust is an independent endowed foundation established in 1978 under the wills of Herbert and Peter Blagrave, restructured as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation in 2016. Its mission centers on empowering young people aged 14-25 facing significant disadvantage and injustice—such as poverty, care experience, mental health issues, criminal exploitation, and exclusion—as forces for change in a fair society. Core values prioritize lived experience, youth-led initiatives, civil society accountability, and relational collaboration, with a distinctive power-shifting approach: young trustees hold full decision-making authority, grants are almost entirely unrestricted multi-year core funding, and strategy evolves from youth input.

The Trust funds interconnected challenges at key transition points through four strands: regional investments in youth organizations in Berkshire, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Sussex, and Wiltshire; direct support for England-wide youth changemakers with lived experience; strategic initiatives advancing youth-informed policy and sector collaboration; and special funds like the Listening Fund, Challenge and Change Fund (£10,000 fixed), and Roots & Routes Fund (up to £20,000). It backs agile charities, collectives, and social enterprises where youth hold meaningful leadership (ideally 55% under 30), targeting structural barriers, social justice, and systems change over services.

Eligible applicants are UK-registered charities, community groups, or social enterprises based in England (regional focus specified), typically with £10,000–£5 million turnover and deep youth governance; unsolicited applications are not accepted. Grants range £10,000–£50,000 annually (capped at 20% of turnover regionally), favoring unrestricted operating support. Apply via online forms during open rounds—next: Roots & Routes (2 June 2025), Challenge and Change (14 September 2025), regional until 1 September 2025—with quarterly trustee meetings (January, April, June, September, November) and decisions in 2-3 months. Exclusions: non-youth (14-25) work, non-England entities, restricted/project funding; standout for open learning, funder collaborations, and youth as decision-makers.