Oglesby Charitable Trust
About This Funder
The Oglesby Charitable Trust, an independent family foundation established in 2001 by Manchester-based philanthropists Michael Oglesby CBE DL and Jean Oglesby CBE, drives its mission of "Creating Thriving Communities" by strengthening the cultural, environmental, and social fabric of Northern England, particularly Greater Manchester and the North West. Rooted in the founders' Bruntwood business legacy but operating distinctly, the Trust embodies values of collaboration, community empowerment, co-design with beneficiaries, trustee hands-on involvement, risk-taking on innovative early-stage ideas, and long-term sustainable impact beyond mere funding. Since inception, it has awarded over £35 million to more than 300 charities, disbursing around £3 million annually.
Funding centers on four themes: arts (cultural institutions, theatres, music education); environment (climate mitigation, green improvements via Green Grants up to £10,000 for recent grantees); health (wellbeing, services tackling inequalities, e.g., hospices like St Ann's); and social inequality (root-cause interventions for disadvantaged communities, youth zones, family support). Grants support diverse beneficiaries—grassroots charities to universities like Manchester and Salford—via core/unrestricted, project, capital, exploratory/pilot, and multi-year awards, including automatic Wellbeing Grants for new approvals through 2025.
Eligible entities are UK-registered charities or academic institutions with deep community roots, no income thresholds, and significant local impact in the North West (some national scope). Strictly invitation-only—no unsolicited applications accepted; trustees proactively identify partners through networks, prioritizing those evidencing lived-experience insights, co-production, and hard-to-fund ambitions.
Distinctive for its flexible, relationship-driven philanthropy eschewing standard processes, the Trust avoids non-local or unaligned work, favoring holistic, ambitious organizations catalyzing broader investment and community flourishing.
Eligibility Checklist
Funding Details
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Frequently Asked Questions
How much funding does Oglesby Charitable Trust provide?
Oglesby Charitable Trust typically provides grants ranging from £5,000 - £500,000.
Where does Oglesby Charitable Trust fund charities?
Oglesby Charitable Trust funds charities operating in UK.
How do I apply for funding from Oglesby Charitable Trust?
With Fundermatcher, you describe your charity once and see your compatibility score with Oglesby Charitable Trust. If you're a good fit, you can start drafting your application immediately using our AI co-pilot — paste each question and word limit, and the co-pilot writes a tailored first draft using your charity's real data and Oglesby Charitable Trust's priorities. You review and edit every answer before submitting.
Will funders know my application was drafted with AI?
No. The co-pilot uses your charity's real name, numbers, and impact data — not generic filler or templates. Every draft reads like it was written by someone who knows your charity inside-out, because it's built on your actual profile. You edit and refine every word before it goes anywhere, so the final application sounds like you — because it is.
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