Cranfield Trust is to expand its support for leaders of small charities following a three-year grant of £450,000 from the Garfield Weston Foundation.

The funding has been awarded to help the Trust develop its range of development support for current, new and emerging leaders in the small charity and not for profit sector.

The aim is to deliver more than 8,000 free learning and support opportunities for charity leaders within the next three years.

A focus will be on mentoring, peer support, workshops, webinars involving leaders and networking support.

The funding comes as the Trust, which provides pro bono management support for charities, looks to support charities' leadership capacity, succession planning, resilience and wellbeing of staff.

“This funding will allow us to build a more connected, accessible and flexible leadership development offer for leaders, combining practical support, peer learning and expert mentoring, delivered by our network of skilled volunteers,” said Cranfield Trust chief executive Dan Francis.

“Supporting these leaders, who hold communities together, is not an optional extra. It is part of the essential infrastructure of society.”

Garfield Weston Foundation deputy chair Sophie Weston added: “We believe in supporting a diverse range of charities across the UK.

“From local community initiatives to large national projects, the common thread is that all our grantees make a real positive difference, improving lives and strengthening communities throughout the country”.

The Autumn 2026 issue of Charity Times also highlights evidence of challenges facing charities around succession planning.

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