At a glance:
Gilly's provides development grants of up to £5,000 to small North Yorkshire charities that are working to improve the lives of disadvantaged children, young people and adults. We are particularly interested in funding opportunities that help charities strengthen, develop or grow their work.
We're a small trust so we've chosen to focus our support on a particular group of charities where we believe our funding and ongoing support can make the greatest difference.
If most or all of the statements below describe your organisation, there's a good chance we could be a great match.
✅ You are based in North Yorkshire, or primarily deliver services within North Yorkshire.
✅ You are a UK registered charity (or have exempt or excepted charitable status). Please note that Community Interest Companies (CICs) are not eligible to apply.
✅ Your organisation is powered entirely by volunteers, or by volunteers alongside a small number of paid staff.
✅ You support children, young people, families or adults whose quality of life is affected by disability, ill-health or challenging circumstances.
✅ You are looking to strengthen, develop or grow what you do. We're particularly interested in hearing from organisations that are looking to:
purchase equipment
improve systems and technology
fit out or adapt premises
increase capacity
develop new activities or services
build longer-term sustainability
take the next step in their journey
✅ You are committed to learning, improving and developing your organisation over time.
✅ You value supportive funding relationships and are open to staying in touch beyond the grant period.
While we recognise that all charities need funding to continue their valuable work, our grants are designed to help organisations take an important next step, respond to an opportunity, or strengthen their ability to support their communities.
If you're unsure whether your organisation is a good fit, please get in touch for a chat and we can decide together.
We aim to keep our application process as simple, transparent and proportionate as possible for everyone involved.
Applications are submitted through our online form. If you have accessibility needs or find online forms difficult to complete, please get in touch at info@gillianstevensontrustuk.org and we'll be happy to find an alternative approach that works for you.
Before applying, take a few minutes to read through the "Could Gilly's be a good fit?" section.
We've tried to be as clear as possible about the types of charities and opportunities we're looking to support. Taking the time to check whether we're a good fit can save everyone time and effort.
You can find the current status of our grant programme in the banner at the top of this page.
Click the button below the banner to join our contact list and we'll let you know when the next grant round opens.
Once the message with the dates is on the banner, simply email info@gillianstevensontrustuk.org and we'll send you a link to the application form - you won't be able to submit it until the opening date but it can be completed and ready to go!
Once you've submitted your application, we'll be in touch within around a week to confirm we've received it and explain what happens next.
Every application is reviewed personally by our trustees.
Ahead of the final grants panel meeting, each trustee creates their own shortlist of applications they believe best fit Gilly's funding priorities.
You'll be contacted shortly afterwards to let you know the outcome.
We'll let you know by email and provide more detailed feedback as soon as possible afterwards.
We'll invite you to arrange a short call (around 20 minutes) by telephone or video. This is simply an opportunity to get to know each other a little better and discuss your application in more detail.
All shortlisted applications are discussed at the final grants panel meeting, which usually takes place at the end of October.
We'll contact you shortly afterwards with the outcome.
We'll initially send a brief email confirming the decision, followed by more detailed feedback over the following weeks.
We'll send you a formal grant offer and any associated paperwork. From there, we'll begin working with you and supporting you throughout your grant period.
We know that applying for funding takes time, particularly for small charities where staff and volunteers are often juggling many different responsibilities.
We appreciate every application we receive and the opportunity it gives us to learn about the incredible work taking place across North Yorkshire. While we're unable to fund every organisation we'd like to support, we aim to ensure that every application receives careful consideration and thoughtful feedback.
The application form is designed to help us understand:
What your organisation does and why it matters
What is happening in your world at the moment
The next step you are working towards
How a grant from Gilly's could help you get there
We aren't just interested in the work your charity delivers. We also want to get a feel for the people behind the organisation, what motivates you, and how you think about the future.
The best applications are often the simplest.
Imagine we are sitting down together over a cup of tea and talking about your organisation. Tell us about your work, your ambitions, your challenges and your plans in your own words.
We're not looking for corporate language, polished funding jargon or the "perfect" answer. There are no word limits to worry about, so focus on helping us understand your organisation rather than trying to impress us.
As a small trust, we are looking to support small charities that are at an important point in their development.
This might include:
Developing a new service or activity
Reaching new groups of people
Building referral pathways
Moving premises
Strengthening your organisation
Responding to growing demand
Taking the next step on your journey
✅ Do we understand what this organisation does and why it matters?
✅ Is there a clear opportunity, challenge or next step that the charity is working towards?
✅ Can we see how a grant from Gilly's could help the organisation move forward?
✅ Do we have a sense of the people behind the charity and what is important to them?
We open for applications once a year, usually in the autumn. Once dates are confirmed, we announce this on our website and social media and you can also use the button at the top of the page to add your details to our email notification list.
Does the application form have to be completed in one sitting?
No! Once you have started the form you will be able to save your progress and return as many times as you need to edit and add information until you click on 'submit'. If you prefer to gather all the information before starting to complete the form, the questions we ask are listed in the drop-down section below.
Can we contact you if we have a question before submitting our application?
Of course! The best way to get in touch with us is by email (info@gillianstevensontrustuk.org) and we will do our best to answer any queries you have.
What happens to my data after I submit the form?
Our Privacy Policy explains how we use your data.
If our application is unsuccessful, can we apply again next year?
Absolutely, you are welcome to submit another application during the next funding round.
PLEASE NOTE, THIS IS NOT THE ACTUAL APPLICATION FORM. THIS INFORMATION IS PROVIDED TO HELP YOU PREPARE YOUR SUBMISSION. PLEASE EMAIL info@gillianstevensontrustuk.org TO REQUEST A LINK TO THE ONLINE FORM.
* Indicates a required response
First, tell us a bit about yourselves
Who are you and what do you do?
Q Imagine we've just met over a cup of tea. Tell us briefly about your organisation, who you support and why what you do matters.*
A quick snapshot
Name of your organisation*
Charity registration number (or exemption/exception status)*
Most recent annual income*
Number of trustees*
Number of paid staff positions (Include whether full or part time)*
Number of regular volunteers*
Which area(s) of North Yorkshire do you operate in?*
Website/social media links*
About you
Name of main contact*
Position*
Email*
Telephone
Correspondence Address*
Where you are at and what's next
We're interested in understanding the context behind your funding request, what's happening in your world at the moment and where you hope your journey will take you.
Q What is taking up most of your attention right now? This might be increasing demand, a challenge you're trying to tackle, day-to-day pressures or something else entirely.*
Q What opportunity, change or development is your organisation currently working towards? For example, reaching more people, developing a new service, strengthening referral pathways, moving premises, recruiting key volunteers or trustees, improving your organisation functionality.*
Q If everything went to plan over the next 12-24 months, what would you hope to have achieved as an organisation?*
How could Gilly's help?
Every charity uses funding differently. We'd love to understand how a grant would support your work.
Q What size grant are you applying for?*
Q How would you use a grant from Gilly's? Please tell us how you plan to use the funding, whether it would cover all the related costs and when you expect it would be spent.*
Q How would the funding help? We aren't looking for detailed targets or outcome measures. We'd simply like to understand what difference this funding would make to your organisation and the people you support. Feel free to include case stories if this would help.*
Support beyond funding
We know that funding is only one part of the picture so we're always interested in understanding what other types of support small charities find useful. This helps us consider how we might add value beyond grant funding, whether through sharing information, making connections or developing practical resources.
Q Is there anything in particular on your "wish list" that would make a real difference to your organisation?This could be a skill, resource, connection, piece of knowledge or practical support that you wish was easier to access. *
Q What is the biggest challenge that your organisation is currently facing? *
Q What do you wish more funders knew about organisations like yours?*