Leonard and Dorothy Elmhirst started their inspirational project at Dartington Hall, Devon in 1925. It was called the Dartington Hall Trust and its charitable objectives were focussed on rural regeneration, education and creative endeavour.
The Elmgrant Trust was established in the November of 1936 by Leonard and Dorothy Elmhirst and Dorothy’s daughter Beatrice. This new charitable trust was intended to further the objectives of the Dartington Hall Trust by making grants to individuals and organisations whose aims and activities supplemented and supported those of the Dartington Hall Trust.
Family members have always been the major part of the running of the charity which has existed at Dartington Hall since that day; awarding grants for general charitable purposes but in particular the encouragement of local life through education, the arts and the social sciences.
In 2018/2019 108 grants were awarded totalling £79,356.