The Duchy of Lancaster

When a person dies within the County Palatine without leaving a will, the Duchy receives their estate as ‘Bona Vacantia’ in cases when other legal ownership cannot be established.

The balance of the monies from ’Bona Vacantia’, after various costs have been met, will be shared between charitable trusts including the Duchy of Lancaster Benevolent Fund.  This was established in 1993 to benefit local charities within the County Palatine.  Today the three Lord-Lieutenants of Merseyside, Greater Manchester and Lancashire receive an allocation annually from the Fund to support charities and other benevolent organisations within their County.

Grant applications are made online and can be submitted at anytime during the year, however the Grants Committee sits quarterly and the deadlines for the next two quarterly grants committees are as follows:

• • 1st July 2026 – for the Grants Committee sitting on 28th July 2026.
  • 1st October 2026 – for the Grants Committee sitting on 28th October 2026.

Advice for Online Applications

Please complete all sections of the online form.  The online application will ask you the following questions:

• Aim and objectives of the organisation. (max 80 words)
  Summarise the purpose of your organisation, together with details of your geographic sphere of influence.
• What is the need you have identified? (max 100 words) 
  Why are you making this application?
• What are the actions you intend to take to address the need?  (max 100 words)
  Include how you will identify any beneficiaries attending events.
• Provide below a detailed costing of the resources required to deliver the actions planned item by item for the amount for which you are applying.  Please attach any quotations obtained.
  Please do not simply apply for the maximum grant of £5,000. Add each cost separately for each specific resource you are requesting to fund. On the online form:
  – click on Grant items (add one entry per item you are applying for funding for)
  – click on “Add Entry”  add the first item and click “Done”, a further box will then appear with “Add Entry” to enable you to add each successive item.
  – The online form will automatically calculate the total for which you are applying.
  – Quotations must be from external providers, not a list which you have prepared yourself.
• What will be the impact of the actions you intend to take?  (max 100 words)
• How will you measure the impact?  (max 50 words)
  Please explain how the grant will provide value for money.
• Two letters of reference must be uploaded.
  Please do not simply provide details of referees. Letters of reference must be independent of the organisations (including Trustees) and where possible should be Merseyside residents. The referees cannot be service providers who would benefit from receipt of the grant. The letter of reference should include the referee’s name, occupation, address, telephone number and email address and their relationship to your organisation. The referee should be in a position to confirm that they are aware of your organisation, that the grant will be spent for the purposes described and within the stated time.
• Accounts and bank statements.
  Provide your most recent audited accounts if applicable, if you are not required to have audited accounts, please provide your unaudited accounts. Provide  your most recent three months’ bank statements.  Redacted bank statements will not be accepted. 

The maximum grant will be £5,000.  The requested amount must be specific to what is needed and not an inflated figure in the hope of receiving the maximum grant.

Restrictions

• Salaries and Running Costs
  The Grants Committee will only in exceptional circumstances consider an application for salaries and running costs.
• Community Interest Company (CIC).
  Applications from a CIC will only be considered if the CIC is not-for-profit. 

Funding is not normally provided for:

• Individuals
• Recurrent funding for the same project within last 3 years
• Political causes
• Ongoing running costs
• General appeals
• Contributing a small amount to a bigger fundraising ask
• Animal welfare

 
To recap- please do explain how you will identify the beneficiaries, please do include quotations, please do include unredacted bank statements, please do include your most recent accounts, please do include two letters of reference.  Without these items your application will not be considered. 

If you have any difficulties please contact the Clerk of the Lieutenancy via email (Helen.Tanzey@merseysidelieutenancy.uk).