The trustees are primarily concerned to assist work in the voluntary sector, and to make small scale grants which will enable worthwhile experiment or provide crucial help to raise a project to viability.
Support will be directed to specific projects rather than to general appeals.
Recurrent organisational costs, or personal expenses such as telephone bills, will not be supported.
Retrospective grants, for projects completed or books already published, will not be made.
Grants of more than £1,500 are exceptional.
Applicants will be required to supply full costing for projects submitted and in considering financial assistance the trustees will take account of funding which is, or may be, available from other sources.
The Trust may appoint expert assessors to advise on individual projects.
Grantees are required to enter into formal agreement with the trustees and projects will be monitored in order to evaluate their effectiveness in fulfilling the objectives of the Trust.
In assessing projects, the trustees will also take account of other relevant agencies and will seek coordination and cooperation rather than competition.
The Trust cannot give assistance to projects which serve only divisive or party political purposes.
Applications must be submitted by 1st March or 1st September each year for consideration in those months.