GUIDELINES FOR APPLYING FOR A GRANT
If you are considering applying for a grant from Trinity House Maritime Charity, these guidelines will help you to establish your eligibility and aim to help you ensure that your application meets our charitable objectives, enabling you to have the greatest chance of success.
Our Charitable Objectives
The Trinity House Maritime Charity (THMC) is one of the UK’s largest-endowed maritime charities, committed to the education, safety, support and welfare of mariners and their dependants. We welcome applications from charities and organisations whose work aligns with our charitable objectives and who can demonstrate support of seafarers in the areas below:
a. Support, maintenance and provision of Alms Houses and Annuities;
b. Advancing the education and training of officers, cadets and seamen (inc. grants and bursaries);
c. Advancing the education of the public, including assisting schools and other institutions providing education;
d. Advancing public safety and the safety of shipping;
e. Relieving the need of mariners and former mariners of all ranks, and their families;
f. Publishing and disseminating information in any form relating to navigation, shipping and seamanship.
Our Application Process
If you have not applied to us before, please contact Head of Charitable Giving Vikki Muir either on 0207 481 6903 or victoria.muir@trinityhouse.co.uk for an informal chat to introduce yourself, your organisation and your proposal.
If we feel that this fits within our charitable objectives, Vikki will arrange to visit you either in person or virtually via Zoom, prior to you submitting an application. This allows us to have a greater understanding of your organisation by seeing in person what you do, discuss what you are hoping to accomplish, how it aligns with our charitable objectives and the impact that you hope to achieve. It also enables us to build a relationship with you and answer any questions that you may have prior to submitting an application. All applications, whether or not you have applied to us before, must be submitted on the latest version of the application form. Individual proposals will not be accepted. The form is available on request.
The Decision Process
All grants are initially considered by our Management Committee. Depending on the level of funding requested, a decision can often be made at this level and you will be notified of the outcome as soon as possible after this. All larger requests, after initial consideration and approval by the Management Committee, will go to the THMC Board for final approval and award. We will keep you informed of timescales if this is the case. Trinity House Maritime Charity aligns its grant making with the MCG Funding Principles which can be found here.
We would not normally look to fund a service or project in its entirety but will consider a contribution. The Trustees are willing to consider major grants for projects or organisations that align closely with our charitable objectives but do not support capital build projects. As part of the application, we would expect you to outline how the remaining funding would be found, either from external funders or from your reserves. We will also consider the sustainability of the activity applied for, taking into consideration the financial position of the applicant charity.
Application Dates
We will next be considering grants at our April 2025 Committee. The deadline for applications is 19 March 2025.
Following a review of our support to waterborne and sail training organisations, applications from those working in this area will be considered annually at the April Committee and should apply before the March Deadline.
Regional Grant Committees
THMC also has Regional Grants Committees who cover six regions throughout the country. They award small grants to local charities and organisations who meet our charitable objectives. Applications are considered by each Committee individually. Please contact Vikki in the first instance who can put you in contact with the correct region. Some of the organisations that they have supported can be found here.
Organisations who are delivering waterborne activities, would be expected to outline the same information as those applying to the main Committee in regards to qualifications and a clear pathway to a maritime career.
Please contact Vikki Muir to discuss your application.
Vikki can also be contacted by telephone at 0207 481 6903.