the Radcliffe Trust (also known - and listed with the Charity Commission for England and Wales - as Dr Radcliffe’s Trust) is one of the UK’s oldest charitable trusts, having been founded in 1714 on the death of eminent physician, Dr John Radcliffe. The Trust makes grants to support classical music performance and training, especially for chamber music, composition and music education. Its particular interests within music education are:
o Music for children and adults with special needs.
o Projects at secondary and higher levels, including academic research, and
o Youth orchestras.
The Trust also supports the development of the skills, knowledge and experience that underpin the UK’s traditional cultural heritage and craft sectors. This includes support for:
o Craft and conservation training.
o Practical projects, and
o Strategic projects which demonstrate clear benefits to individuals and to the sector.
The Trust is committed to flexible, open and inclusive grant-giving and will also consider other projects, should they fall broadly within its remit. It aims to promote standards of excellence through all of its support.
Grants are generally for revenue and between £2,500 and £7,500 with the occasional lower and higher award. Where in the past the Trust has made multi-year awards, now it only provides one-off grants.
During the year ended 31 March 2023 the Trust awarded 94 grants totalling £485,650 (2022: 84 grants totalling £389,577; 2021: 98 grants totalling £488,998).
A list of all grants awarded during the year can be viewed on pages 26 and 27 of the Trust’s Annual Report.
Funding is not available for:
o Capital projects.
o General appeals or endowment funds.
o Individuals.
o Operating or core cost, or
o Retrospective grants.
Further information, guidance and an online application form is available on the Trust’s website.
The annual deadlines for applications to both the Heritage and Crafts and the Music Grants programmes are:
o 31st January, and
o 31st July.
The next application deadline is therefore Wednesday 31st July 2024.