Core Funding
Core Funding overview
The St Monica Trust is pleased to launch a new thematic fund offering core funding for organisations that support older people to live their best lives.
Expressions of Interest are open until midday on Friday 27 June 2025.
As part of the St Monica Trust 10-year strategy, we continue to focus on our three guiding principles of enabling connection, contribution and choice for older people.
One of our key strategic aims is to align our charitable giving more closely with our purpose. To support this, we regularly review our grant-making priorities based on what we’ve learned and the evolving needs of the sector. Research and ongoing engagement consistently highlight that core funding is the most urgent requirement for many charities.
This fund reflects our commitment to building communities where older people flourish, supported by a strong and resilient infrastructure. We will prioritise organisations whose core purpose is to support older people and who share our values.
What do we want to fund?
Eligible core costs may include:
- Management and administration
- HR and payroll
- General office expenses
- Accountancy and audit
- Communications and outreach
- Monitoring, evaluation, and learning
- Governance and compliance
- Capacity-building to enable partnerships, collaboration, networking, research etc.
When reviewing applications, we will prioritise those that clearly demonstrate:
- A primary focus on supporting older people
- A clear explanation of how core funding will strengthen the organisation’s resilience, development, and long-term sustainability
- Evidence that core funding will foster innovation and/or expand impact
- A detailed breakdown of specific core costs to be covered
Who can apply?
The St Monica Trust can only accept applications from organisations that:
- Have been constituted for over 12 months and can provide financial records
- Are non-profit and working for social good, with a charitable purpose, a management committee of at least three unrelated people, a governing document, and a bank account in the name of the organisation with at least two signatories
- Have a current safeguarding policy
- Support older people living independently in the community
Please note: We do not award grants to statutory organisations or for the direct replacement of statutory funding.
Eligibility criteria
To be eligible, projects must:
- Be delivered in Bristol, Bath and North East Somerset, South Gloucestershire or North Somerset
- Clearly demonstrate how their work benefits older people
How much funding is available?
- Grants of up to £20,000 are available for one year, with the potential for a further two years of funding depending on reporting. Please only apply for specific core costs.
Monitoring and impact requirements
We will gather outcome data using a refined approach, working with funded organisations to assign outcomes and indicators, allowing us to identify common themes. Key outcomes will focus on Connection, Contribution, and Choice.
We will also ask grant recipients to reflect on how the funding has:
- Enhanced organisational stability
- Influenced long-term planning
- Expanded impact or enabled new activities
- Strengthened sustainability and resilience
- Supported innovation
We want to learn from our grant making to better understand the issues that underpin our purpose and to share findings that improve services and inform future approaches.
How to apply
1. Submit an Expression of Interest
Submit an Expression of Interest using the form available on our website or request one via charitableimpact@stmonicatrust.org.uk or 0117 949 4003. Please ensure you have read all the guidance above before completing your Expression of Interest.
Closing date: Midday, Friday 27 June 2025
Notification of decision: Week commencing 07 July 2025
2. Next steps
If your Expression of Interest aligns with our strategy, you will be invited to submit a full proposal.
Deadline for full applications (invitation only): Friday 22 August 2025
Decisions communicated and funds awarded: September 2025