Chetwode Foundation

The Chetwode Foundation, established in 1973 by Nottinghamshire businessman John Chetwode Samworth, is a private charitable trust dedicated to supporting severely disadvantaged and underprivileged young people in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire. Rooted in values of community stewardship, opportunity creation, and targeted intervention, it aims to enhance life chances for youth facing barriers to development and social inclusion, fostering positive local change through strategic, measurable grants. Governed by family-connected trustees, it prioritizes direct impact via annual criteria reviews and sustained investment income for long-term sustainability.

It funds projects improving outcomes for vulnerable youth, including homelessness services, disability and supported accommodation, anti-bullying initiatives, access to family essentials, and pathways in science, technology, and engineering. Recent grants include £10,000 to Framework for homeless support, £8,000 to Reach Learning for disabled housing, and £6,000+ to Kidscape and Engineering Development Trust, often covering core project costs or equipment with required outcome monitoring.

Eligible applicants are UK-registered charities and community groups based exclusively in Nottingham or Nottinghamshire, favoring small to medium-sized local organizations demonstrating clear, measurable benefits for disadvantaged youth; no strict income thresholds apply. Applications are invite-only via email or post (max two A4 pages including project summary, budget, outcomes, reports, and funding sources), with no public deadlines or meeting schedules.

Grants typically range £6,000–£10,000. Exclusions encompass individuals, national/international projects, unrestricted/core funding, capital builds, or emergency aid unless tightly aligned. Distinctive for its hyper-local focus, rigorous impact scoring, and deep grantee relationships, it stands out as a reliable steward for grassroots youth interventions in this region.