Lawton Trust

Joseph Lawton and his wife Elizabeth (known as Andy) were extremely devoted and long-term members of Red Clay Creek Presbyterian Church.  As part of their end-of-life planning, they generously funded a trust which received the residual principal of their estate; Joe and Andy’s gift demonstrates their true concern for people less fortunate than themselves.

The trust was established in March 1995, stipulating that income from the trust is to be used solely for the benefit of needy people to alleviate suffering, with priority given to emergency cases in the Wilmington and New Castle County areas.  The RCCPC Lawton Trust Commission receives and distributes income from the trust. 

Organizations applying for funding from the Lawton Trust Commission must provide services for needy individuals, with priority given to organizations serving  Wilmington and New Castle County, but not excluding other areas. This decision will be at the discretion of the Lawton Trust Commission. The intent of the grant is to fund services that directly impact needy individuals. 

All applications must be submitted using the application below. This provides a standardized way for the Commission to compare various applicants. All applicants should submit a scanned copy of their proposal to the church office via email. Please email to .

Applications must be submitted to the Lawton Trust Commission either before March 1st or September 1st of each year. .

Cumulatively since 1995, the Lawton Trust Commission has granted approximately $1,671,950 to over 55 different agencies and emergency causes. 

Lawton Trust Application