Beatrice Laing Trust

Overview

The Beatrice Laing Trust was established in 1952 by Sir John Laing for:

• the advancement of the evangelical Christian faith, at home and abroad
• the relief of poverty

Please note that they only fund overseas projects through charities registered in the United Kingdom.

Eligibility

The Trusts Laing Family Trusts only make grants to charities registered in the UK or to churches with exempt status. 

Funding Priorities

The Trustees' priority areas of giving are:

• To support new church building, extension or redevelopment projects, with a particular emphasis on churches using their physical resources to communicate Christian faith and respond to needs in their local community
• To support organisations offering practical services to those who are disadvantaged and vulnerable, with a particular emphasis on Christian organisations seeking to express their faith through practical action to help:
  • the homeless
  • the elderly
  • ex-offenders
  • former Servicemen and women
• To support organisations providing practical services to people with physical, mental and learning difficulties, predominately through:
  • special schools seeking to make provision for those with increasingly complex needs
  • support in the transition from childhood to adulthood and in accessing training and/or meaningful employment opportunities
• To support small-scale overseas development projects aimed at building the capacity of local partners to provide long-term solutions to problems in the developing world, principally through Christian organisations working in the Anglophone countries of Sub-Saharan Africa and parts of Asia to:
  • improve educational opportunities
  • build sustainable livelihoods

Funding Level & Notes

The level of funding available varies. Grants typically range between £2,000 and £10,000, but the trustees have the capacity to make a number of larger grants each year.

Applicants are advised to set out the total project cost and allow the Trustees to find their own level within this; they will rarely fund a project in full. Grants awarded may be for specific items within the budget or a general contribution towards the overall cost.

Project funding may be offered on a one-off basis or phased, often on a tapering basis, over a three-year period. 

While the Trusts do not make grants towards core operational costs, the Trustees do recognise that securing funding for such costs can be a particular challenge. Applicants should, therefore, include a reasonable level of management costs to cover overheads in their project budget.

The Trust's latest annual report and accounts provide examples of recent grants. (Please note that the link will open a new window on the Charity Commission of England & Wales website)

*Please see the Beatrice Laing Trust funding page for guidance on the funding which is available for church building projects.