William Wates Memorial Trust

The William Wates Memorial Trust, established in 1998 by the Wates family in memory of William Wates—who died tragically during his 1996 gap year—champions disadvantaged young people aged 5–19 in London and the South East of England. Inspired by William's commitment to supporting the less fortunate, the Trust's mission is to help these youth fulfill their potential and avoid crime and violence through sport, arts, and education. Governed by family trustees with personal engagement—including site visits and ongoing relationships—its values emphasize long-term transformational impact, robust governance (safeguarding, conflicts, risk), and backing community organizations for sustained change beyond grants.

It funds preventative projects addressing root causes like poverty, exclusion, and disengagement, prioritizing sports programmes (e.g., cycling, running for at-risk or homeless youth), creative arts initiatives (e.g., performance in deprived areas), mentoring, literacy, and educational engagement. Beneficiaries are vulnerable young people at risk of offending or social exclusion; grantees are typically small- to medium-sized UK-registered charities with local roots, proven youth track records, and no more than 60% turnover from public contracts.

Grants range from £10,000–£40,000 annually (averaging £15,000–£30,000), often multi-year up to £100,000 total, favoring project costs (core costs if justified) over capital, unrestricted, short-term, or emergency funding. Applications via online form during biannual rounds—currently closed (post-February 2025 deadline), with next dates announced summer 2026 on wwmt.rideleloop.org. Distinctive for its hands-on, relationship-driven model, strategic shift to fewer larger grants, and mission-led focus on enduring life-trajectory changes.