Ann Docwra Fund
Ann Docwra Fund
Ann Docwra was a 17th-century Cambridge Quaker who provided significant resources to Quakers in Cambridge. She bequeathed the meeting house in Jesus Lane on a 1,000 year lease for Quakers to use. She also left a farm in Fulbourn to provide an income to alleviate the poverty of poor Quakers. This was finally sold in 2021, and the funds invested provide a substantial amount in annual income to be applied to the prevention and relief of poverty among Quakers and others in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.
The fund is administered by the trustees of the Cambridgeshire Area Quaker Meeting charity. The Cambridgeshire Area Quaker Meeting is the collective of the local Quaker meetings in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, you can find more details here.
We recommend that, if you are uncertain about any aspect of your application, you contact your local Quaker Meeting, Locations | Quakers in Cambridgeshire (cambridgeshire-quakers.org.uk) or the Ann Docwra group, ann.docwra.fund@cambridgeshire-quakers.org.uk advising where you live in Cambridgeshire, and we can discuss the application with you before submission.
We have two classes of grant to disburse:
For Large grants for Charities and non-profit Organisations, please apply here.
There are now two grant options for organisations – please indicate on the application form which you are applying for.
Intermediate – The Ann Docwra fund is able to make contributions – up to max £2,500 – to initiate, or augment existing, reserved hardship funds managed by charitable organisations covering Cambridgeshire and Peterborough. We suggest these funds are used for smaller items required rapidly. Grant applications are considered at a quarterly meeting (next on 20th April). Please apply by 20th March 2026. If we receive an excessive number of applications compared with the available funding, the application process may close until after the meeting.
Large – A limited fund is available for applications for a sum of £5,000 per annum for up to 3 years, or a single grant of £10,000 (no repeat grants to be made), for initiatives specifically to prevent poverty. We are particularly interested in innovative schemes to support people or communities to avoid future poverty. These grants are considered by trustees twice a year in March and September. The closing date for consideration in March 2026 is 6th February 2026.
For Small grants for Individuals please apply here. Our maximum single grant is £750. We do not accept unsupported applications from individuals. Individual applications need to come via Quaker Pastoral or Role-holder Friends, or via organisations such as welfare agencies, supporting charities etc. We have an allocated budget of £4,000 per month maximum, and grants are considered at a monthly meeting, normally on 3rd Mondays. Once applications for consideration exceed £5,000, they will be closed until after the meeting. Applicants will be advised once the outcome is known. We expect the grant process to take no more than 8 weeks. Special arrangements apply for Quakers via their meeting Pastoral Friend. A grant should normally be spent within a maximum of six months after the award.