The 1989 Willan Charitable Trust

The Willan Trust funds charities across the North East, and it’ll give core grants to organisations working in communities with high levels of deprivation. Core means the money isn’t tied to a project, so you can put it towards your website or digital systems alongside your other running costs. If your work is rooted in a deprived community, lead with that.

• What they fund: Projects and core costs for organisations meeting the needs of communities experiencing high levels of deprivation.
• Typical grants: £1,000 to £10,000. Core grants can reach £20,000 (£10,000 a year for two years) where there’s a clear link to high deprivation.
• Who can apply: Registered, exempt or excepted charities in Tyne & Wear, Northumberland, County Durham and Tees Valley, ideally with an income under £1.5m. CICs can only apply through a charity partner.
• The angle: Ask for core funding and evidence the deprivation in the community you serve. That’s what unlocks the larger, two-year grants.
• Worth knowing: If you hold more than six months’ running costs in reserve, you’re unlikely to be funded. Applications go through Community Foundation North East, and the panel only meets four times a year, so miss a deadline and you’ll wait three months.

Timetable for applications

• Deadline for the December 2026 panel: 15 November 2026
• Deadline for the March 2027 panel: 15 February 2027
• Panels after that: June and September, with deadlines on the 15th of the month before