Lord Austin Trust
Could Lord Austin Trust be a fit? Check free — then find open funders like them if not.
- Typical grants
- £1,000 – £10,000
- Applications
- Not accepted
- Decisions
- As needed
Works for Registered charities, CIOs, CICs and community groups.
Check fit free · no card
register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.ukAbout Lord Austin Trust
The Lord Austin Trust is an independent grant-making charity established to provide financial assistance to hospitals and local organisations in Birmingham and the surrounding West Midlands. Its mission advances health and saves lives, alongside support for arts, culture, heritage, science, and vulnerable groups. Guided by values of local responsiveness and transparency, the Trust takes a trustee-led, discretionary approach, prioritising direct-service projects that deliver tangible benefits without rigid programmatic constraints. This hyper-local, relationship-driven model makes it a selective partner for charities addressing health and community needs in the region.
What Lord Austin Trust funds
The Trust funds health-related initiatives, welfare projects, and community services, with an emphasis on hospitals and small to medium local charities providing frontline support. Beneficiaries include children, young people, the elderly, people with disabilities, and the wider public. Grants support practical, impactful activities such as direct-service projects rather than broad research or national efforts. The Trust's geographic focus is Birmingham and the surrounding West Midlands, including areas such as Dudley, Sandwell, Solihull, and Walsall.
Who can apply
Eligible applicants are UK-registered charities and community groups operating exclusively within the specified West Midlands locales. The Trust shows a preference for smaller organisations delivering local services, though no strict income thresholds apply. Beneficiary groups prioritised include children, young people, the elderly, people with disabilities, and the general public. There is no religious restriction. Unsolicited applications are not accepted; funding is by invitation only.
What Lord Austin Trust doesn't fund
The Trust does not fund broad research, national-level initiatives, core costs, capital projects, or unrestricted funding. It also does not accept unsolicited applications, and funding is restricted to project-specific uses within its geographic focus.
How they like to fund
Funding is invite-only, with no formal application process. The Trust makes discretionary, project-specific grants, and does not routinely support core costs or unrestricted funding. Its approach is trustee-led and relationship-driven, focusing on hyper-local impact in Birmingham and the West Midlands.
How much does Lord Austin Trust give?
Typical published range. What your charity could realistically get — and whether you would clear their rules on income, location and legal structure — is the free fit check.
When to apply, and how long their decisions take.
Income, location, legal structure and exactly who they fund — matched to your charity.
Good to know
How to apply to Lord Austin Trust
Lord Austin Trust does not accept unsolicited applications. Funding is by invitation.
- A fit check still tells you whether your work aligns with their published remit.
- If you cannot apply directly, shortlist open funders with a similar focus instead of writing into a closed door.
- Decisions are typically as needed.
What you can do here
- 1Check fit. See if your project aligns with Lord Austin Trust.
- 2Find open funders. Shortlist similar funders you can approach.
- 3Save the notes. Keep the fit check if you are later invited to apply.
See if Lord Austin Trust could be a fit — then find open funders like them.
Frequently asked questions
How much funding does Lord Austin Trust provide?
Lord Austin Trust typically provides grants of £1,000 - £10,000.
Where does Lord Austin Trust fund charities?
Lord Austin Trust funds charities operating in the UK.
Does Lord Austin Trust accept unsolicited applications?
Lord Austin Trust does not accept unsolicited applications.
How do I apply for funding from Lord Austin Trust?
Lord Austin Trust does not accept unsolicited applications. Funding is by invitation. A fit check still tells you whether your work aligns with their published remit.
Similar funders
Other UK funders with overlapping focus — not a claim they fund the same charities.
Browse related grants
Spotted something that needs correcting? Tell us.
Could Lord Austin Trust be a fit?
Check free — then find open funders like them.