Eric Wright Charitable Trust

The Trust supports a range of charitable activities including community development, mental health support, physical health initiatives, education and skills development, and projects addressing poverty and hardship. It funds both project delivery and core costs, allowing organisations to cover essential running expenses. Geographically, the Trust focuses on the North West of England, specifically Lancashire, Greater Manchester, Merseyside, and the Lancaster district, with targeted programmes for areas like Bolton, Burnley, Pendle, Rossendale, Wyre, and Fylde.

Registered charities, community groups, faith groups, and social enterprises based in North West England are eligible to apply. The Trust prioritises organisations that are rooted in their local communities and benefit local people. It does not fund individuals. Grant programmes are tailored to the size of the organisation, with different streams for smaller and larger groups. The Trust also expects applicants to have a charitable-type dissolution clause and to have completed monitoring of any previous grants.

The Trust does not fund capital works, except in exceptional circumstances. It also excludes events, transport, feasibility studies, emergency appeals, activities of a political or exclusively religious nature, and projects that duplicate statutory provision. It will not support fundraising on behalf of another organisation, projects already taken place, or applications from organisations that have not completed monitoring of a previous grant.

The Trust offers one-year grants that must be spent within twelve months. It awards a maximum of one grant per financial year per organisation. Funding can cover project delivery or core costs. The Trust accepts unsolicited applications on a rolling basis, and tailors its programmes to the income level of the applicant organisation.