Michael Cornish Charitable Trust

The Trust funds a range of causes including youth, disability and mental health. Specific areas include support for children and young people who are care leavers, victims of abuse, or living with chronic health conditions such as Crohn’s disease, colitis, spina bifida, skin conditions or cancer. It also supports people with physical disabilities, learning disabilities and complex health needs through family support, respite care, therapeutic activities, and mental health initiatives like counselling and peer support groups. Amateur sporting initiatives for disabled youth, community development addressing poverty and isolation, and health advancement for families in crisis are also within scope. Geographically, the Trust focuses on Lincolnshire, particularly rural and isolated communities, favouring grassroots, person-centred services.

The Trust accepts applications from registered charities, charitable incorporated organisations, community interest companies, community groups and social enterprises. It prioritises organisations working with children and young people facing barriers, people with disabilities, and families in crisis. Applicants should be rooted in Lincolnshire or Jersey, with a strong preference for Lincolnshire-based grassroots groups serving local communities. The Trust looks for evidence of tangible impact and a person-centred, trauma-informed approach. Faith-based organisations are not restricted, though there is no explicit religious requirement.

The Trust does not fund large capital projects, retrospective expenditure, statutory duties, or grants for redistribution. It focuses instead on revenue, small capital items and core activities that strengthen whole-family systems. Applications for purely capital or one-off events are unlikely to be supported.

The Trust favours funding through capacity building, core costs and revenue support to deliver sustainable change. It offers both one-off and potentially ongoing support, leaning toward strengthening the underlying organisation rather than project-specific costs. Unsolicited applications are welcome, and the Trust operates largely by invitation but accepts direct approaches from eligible organisations.