McLay Dementia Trust

The McLay Dementia Trust, founded in late 2016 by trustees inspired by lived experiences of dementia care—including a daughter's caregiving for her mother and insights from care homes and Healthwatch—aims to enhance quality of life for people with dementia and their carers across the UK. Rooted in empathy and pragmatism, it champions small, innovative projects overlooked by major funders, prioritizing local pilots with national scalability, robust evaluation to prove 'what works,' and practical interventions in home or residential settings.

It exclusively funds dementia-focused initiatives, such as free MedicAlert IDs with protocols like the Herbert Protocol for safety and independence, wearable technologies, evidence-led trials of care models, and frontline improvements at organizations like Rowans Hospice. Beneficiaries are people living with dementia and carers; supported activities blend direct support with replicable innovations demonstrating tangible impact through monitoring and shared learnings.

Eligible applicants are UK-registered charities and small not-for-profits (no strict income limits, but preference for grassroots groups), operating UK-wide with projects showing broader applicability. Typical grants range from £5,000 to £20,000 for project/seed funding (no core costs or capital); applications via email with proposals, bank statements, governing documents, and safeguarding policies. Rolling decisions until the final deadline of 30 June 2025, after which the Trust closes permanently.

Distinctive for its niche seed-funding of untested ideas, stringent evaluation demands, and exclusion of mainstream research or unevaluated projects, it catalyses real-world advancements in dementia care before ceasing operations.