Souter Charitable Trust grants: what they fund and how to apply

Funder Last checked 11 July 2026

The Souter Charitable Trust gives grants to UK registered charities that relieve human suffering in the UK and overseas, with a particular interest in Christian projects. Typical awards are one-off grants of £1,000 to £3,000. You apply online and trustees meet monthly. It does not fund capital works or individuals.

What the Trust funds

The Souter Charitable Trust supports projects “engaged in the relief of human suffering in all aspects in the UK and overseas”. It was set up by Sir Brian Souter, the Stagecoach co-founder, and his wife Lady Elizabeth Souter in 1992, and registered with OSCR as a Scottish charity (SC029998) in March 2000; both are committed Christians. Projects with a Christian emphasis and ethos, and those that promote spiritual welfare, are of particular interest, but the Trust funds a broad range of work and does not fund only faith-based projects. Past grants have ranged from anti-malaria work to school meals overseas.

Some things are specifically excluded. The Trust does not fund capital building or renovation works, and it does not normally fund the personal health or educational needs of individuals.

How much you can apply for

There is no set minimum or maximum grant. In practice, a typical award is a one-off grant of between £1,000 and £3,000. All grants are made at the trustees’ discretion and their decision is final. The Trust is well resourced: in the year to 30 June 2025 it reported income of about £12.2m and expenditure of about £10.1m, and since 2006 it says it has awarded more than 20,000 grants totalling over £130m.

Who can apply

Grants are restricted to UK registered charities. The Trust cannot make direct grants to overseas organisations, because it is unable to carry out the due diligence current legislation requires. Individuals cannot apply. Small grants may be given for gap-year or short-term projects, provided the project lasts at least one calendar year.

Deadlines and rounds

Trustees meet roughly once a month, so there is a recurring deadline rather than a single annual round. Re-checked on 11 July 2026, applications still had to arrive by close of business on Thursday 13 August 2026 to be considered at the meeting on Wednesday 19 August 2026. Because dates move, always confirm the current deadline on the Trust’s “How to apply” page before you submit. Re-application is allowed only after one full calendar year has passed.

How to apply

Apply through the Trust’s online application form, which is linked from its “How to apply” page. Keep the application short — around two sides of A4 is enough. Give a brief outline of the project’s aims and what the funding is for, include a budget, and attach a copy of your latest accounts. All applications, successful or not, are acknowledged in due course.

Tips

  • Be concise. The Trust asks for short applications, so lead with the project’s aim and the specific cost you need covered.
  • Check the deadline yourself before applying — the cut-off recurs monthly and the date on the official page is the one that counts.
  • If your work has a Christian ethos or a spiritual-welfare element, say so plainly, as this is a stated interest of the founders.
  • Do not apply for capital works or individual needs; these are excluded and will not be funded.

Official source and last updated

Last updated: July 2026. Source: the Souter Charitable Trust’s official “How to apply” page and the OSCR Scottish Charity Register entry for SC029998. Souter Charitable Trust — How to apply.

Recent grants

Recent grants are shown below where available, drawn from published 360Giving data.

Similar funders

  • The Robertson Trust — major Scottish grant-maker.
  • The Gannochy Trust — Perth-based funder.
  • Drummond Trust — Scottish Christian grant-maker.

Check if your charity is eligible for funders like this — CharityIQ’s free Grant Finder matches your charity to real, published UK funders and cites the source for each. → /grant-finder/

Frequently asked questions

It funds UK registered charities working to relieve human suffering in the UK and overseas. Sir Brian and Lady Elizabeth Souter are committed Christians, so projects with a Christian emphasis and ethos are of particular interest, though funding is not limited to faith-based work. Capital building projects and the needs of individuals are excluded.

There is no set minimum or maximum. In practice a typical grant is a one-off award of between £1,000 and £3,000. Awards are made entirely at the trustees' discretion and their decision is final. Re-application is allowed, but only after one full calendar year has passed.

Apply through the Trust's online application form, linked from its "How to apply" page. Keep it short: outline the project's aims and what the money is for, and include a budget and your latest accounts. Applications must arrive by the published deadline to be considered at the next monthly trustees' meeting.

Yes. The founders are committed Christians and are particularly interested in projects that also promote spiritual welfare. That said, the Trust supports a wide range of work relieving human suffering, so a Christian ethos is a strong interest rather than a strict requirement. The organisation applying must be a UK registered charity.

Only UK registered charities can apply; individuals and non-charities cannot. The Trust does not make direct grants to overseas organisations, as it cannot carry out the required due diligence. It also does not fund capital building or renovation works, or the personal health or educational needs of individuals.