Grantham Yorke Trust

The Grantham Yorke Trust, established under a Charity Commission Scheme in 1975 and updated in 2019, is a longstanding UK charitable trust dedicated to promoting the education, physical and social development, rehabilitation, and recreational pursuits of young people under 25 in need, primarily within the former West Midlands Metropolitan County. Rooted in values of equity, opportunity, and youth empowerment, it addresses educational disadvantage and social exclusion by providing practical financial and developmental support to broaden life chances, especially at key transitions like leaving school or entering employment. Its distinctive approach emphasizes direct interventions in socio-economic deprivation areas, fostering skills, confidence, and social capital through flexible, needs-based grant-making.

The Trust funds projects and core activities supporting disadvantaged youth, including educational costs (books, tools, equipment), mentoring, vocational training, social inclusion, mental health initiatives, recreational pursuits, rehabilitation, and emergency aid. It backs a spectrum of interventions—from personal growth and integration activities to multi-year programmes—delivered by charities aiding vulnerable young people at risk of exclusion.

Eligible applicants are UK-registered charities and community groups operating exclusively in Birmingham, Coventry, Dudley, Sandwell, Solihull, Walsall, or Wolverhampton, with no income thresholds or religious restrictions; small grassroots groups and larger regional organisations are equally welcome. Typical grants range from £1,000 to £10,000, with potential for larger or multi-year awards. Applications start with a phone enquiry to discuss eligibility, followed by a postal form with accounts and reports; no fixed deadlines exist, but submissions are reviewed at quarterly trustee meetings (March, June, September, December), with decisions in up to 3 months and Chairman's discretion for emergencies.

Unlike broader funders, it exclusively targets youth under 25 in this region, avoiding non-youth causes, out-of-area work, or trustee-benefiting projects, while prioritizing practical equity over large-scale capital builds.