The Eric Wright Charitable Trust has opened its next round of funding for charities supporting young people across Lancashire, Greater Manchester and South Cumbria.
This programme provides £10,000–£20,000 per year for up to three years, offering meaningful, flexible funding to organisations helping young people build skills, improve wellbeing and move toward brighter futures.
If your charity works with young people in the North West, this is a funding round worth serious consideration.
What Is the Eric Wright Charitable Trust Open Funding Programme?
The Eric Wright Charitable Trust focuses on improving outcomes for young people. Their funding is designed to support organisations that:
- Empower young people to realise their potential
- Promote mental wellbeing and resilience
- Support education, training and skills development
- Help disadvantaged young people move into employment
- Support young carers and young adults facing complex challenges
The Trust prioritises work that enables young people to make informed life choices, gain confidence, and become active, responsible members of their communities.
What Type of Work Does the Trust Support?
The Trust is particularly interested in organisations supporting:
- Young people leaving school with no qualifications
- Those experiencing persistent absence
- Young people in care or leaving care
- Young and young adult carers (under 25)
- Young people facing mental health challenges
- Those at risk of unemployment or long-term disengagement
Funding may be unrestricted if your organisation’s sole focus is young people. If not, the grant will usually be restricted to a specific programme focused on young people.
This flexibility makes the fund especially valuable for charities looking to strengthen core capacity and deliver long-term impact.
How Much Funding Is Available?
The Trust typically awards:
- £10,000 per year for 3 years for charities with a turnover of £150k – £300k and
- £20,000 per year for 3 years for charities with a turnover of over £300k – £2.5m.
Multi-year funding can provide stability and breathing space — allowing organisations to plan ahead, retain staff and deepen impact rather than constantly chasing short-term project grants.
Who Is Eligible?
To apply, organisations must:
- Be a UK-registered charity
- Have a registered address in Lancashire, Greater Manchester or South Cumbria
- Have been established for at least two years
- Have a turnover between £150,000 and £2.5 million
- Demonstrate strong governance and safeguarding practices
The Trust is looking for organisations that are financially stable, well-governed and clearly focused on delivering meaningful outcomes for young people.
Application Timeline
The next round opens:
- Applications open: 21 January 2026
- Stage 1 deadline: 13 February 2026 (12 noon)
- Full application invitations: Mid-March 2026
- Final decisions: Early April 2026
The process begins with a Stage 1 application, with selected organisations invited to submit a full proposal. All dates are subject to change.
What Makes a Strong Application?
The Trust is interested in organisations that can clearly demonstrate:
- Strong outcomes for young people
- Clear evidence of need
- Measurable impact
- Financial sustainability
- Robust safeguarding and governance
Be specific about the difference your work makes. Show how young people’s lives improve as a result of your intervention — whether through increased qualifications, improved mental health, better employment prospects or stronger life skills.
If applying for core funding, explain why unrestricted support is critical to sustaining and scaling your impact.
Is This Grant Right for Your Organisation?
This funding is particularly well suited to:
- Youth charities delivering structured programmes
- Organisations supporting care leavers or NEET young people
- Charities focused on mental health and resilience
- Youth employment and training initiatives
- Community-based organisations with strong track records
Find out more or starting applying directly on the funders website below
