Charity of William Williams

The Charity of William Williams is a long-established grant-making trust based in Dorset, England, with origins tracing back to a historical bequest and formal registration with the Charity Commission since at least 1969. Rooted in a legacy of community support, its core mission focuses on relieving poverty, advancing education, and promoting health for disadvantaged individuals and groups, including the poor, sick, elderly, people with disabilities, and young people. Guided by values of local impact, prudent stewardship of a substantial £8-9 million endowment, and maximising community benefit, it blends direct grants to individuals—such as educational bursaries or hardship relief—with funding for Dorset-based charities delivering frontline services in these areas.

It prioritises interventions like crisis support, training access, welfare needs, and health initiatives that address unaffordable essentials, taking a generalist approach within poverty relief, education, and health without favouring specific programmes. Beneficiaries are drawn exclusively from Dorset communities, supporting both grassroots efforts and larger organisations tackling local disadvantage.

Eligible applicants are UK-registered charities operating solely in Dorset; individuals may also receive support via referrals, but there are no income thresholds or size restrictions. The charity does not accept unsolicited applications—funding arises from trustee assessments of local needs through established networks or invitations, with decisions made on a rolling basis at meetings throughout the year and no fixed deadlines.

Distinctive for its place-based legacy, hybrid grantmaking to people and organisations, and transparent governance, it excludes national or non-Dorset projects, non-charitable objectives, or anything outside its core themes. Recent annual expenditure reached £731,890, sustaining long-term local relief without published typical grant ranges.