Baltic Exchange Charitable Foundation

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £340,000 (approximately)
• Geographic Focus: England, Wales, and Scotland
• Primary Focus: Maritime industry welfare
• Founded: 2018 (merger of three predecessor charities)
• Grant Types: Individual support grants, organizational grants, interest-free loans

Contact Details

Email: anthony.carroll@becf.co.uk / enquiries@becf.co.uk

Phone: 020 7283 6090

Address: PO Box 6311, Newbury, RG14 9RF

Website: https://balticexchangecharitablefoundation.com/

Overview

The Baltic Exchange Charitable Foundation (BECF) was established in 2018 through the merger of three historic maritime charities: The Baltic Charitable Fund (incorporating the Bonno Krull Fund), The Baltic Exchange Charitable Society, and the London Shipowners and Shipbrokers Benevolent Society. With annual expenditure of approximately £337,000 (2024), the foundation provides relief to individuals connected to the maritime industry and supports maritime welfare organizations. Operating as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO), BECF maintains a dual focus: providing ongoing financial support to individuals in the maritime community experiencing hardship, and making institutional grants to organizations delivering seafarer welfare services globally.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Individual Support Grants

• Quarterly recurring grants reviewed annually
• Emergency and one-off special grants awarded as needed
• Interest-free loans secured on beneficiaries' properties
• Grants have covered: physiotherapy, chiropractic treatment, hospital transport, house removals, funerals, and contributions toward care home fees

Organizational Grants

The foundation makes institutional grants to maritime welfare organizations. Recent examples include:

• £10,000 to Sailors' Society Wellness Helpline (2023)
• £5,000 to support RNLI crew member medical treatment (2023)
• Funding for three minibuses for Mission to Seafarers in Colombo, Singapore, and South Tees
• Long-term funding commitment to Stella Maris for Ukrainian seafarer support
• Funding for Sailors' Society MyWellness “Sea Ready” e-learning module

Priority Areas

The foundation's objects “for the most part, limit giving to maritime or services derived applications,” focusing on:

• Seafarer welfare and wellbeing programs
• Medical and healthcare support for maritime professionals
• Education and training for seafarers
• Pastoral care and mental health support
• Emergency assistance for maritime workers and their families
• Support for maritime professionals affected by conflict (e.g., Ukrainian seafarers)

Eligible Beneficiaries

• Life members of the former Baltic Exchange Charitable Society and their spouses, civil partners, widows, widowers, issue, or other dependants
• Current or former employees of the Baltic Exchange
• Persons engaged (or formerly engaged) in maritime activities and their families
• Must demonstrate need due to financial hardship, age, physical or mental illness, or disability

What They Don't Fund

Information not publicly specified, but the foundation's objects clearly limit giving primarily to maritime-related causes and beneficiaries with connections to the maritime industry.

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Governance and Leadership

Board of Trustees (10 trustees plus ex-officio positions):

• William Michael Robson - Chair (appointed 18 June 2018)
• Lord Jeffrey Mountevans - Trustee (appointed 22 October 2024)
• Simon Trowell - Trustee (appointed 24 July 2025)
• Kirsty Anne Marsh - Trustee (appointed 11 October 2023)
• Denis Andreas Petropoulos - Trustee (appointed 22 September 2020)
• Robert Thomas Reed - Trustee (appointed 12 September 2019)
• Mark Anthony Read - Trustee (appointed 01 August 2018)
• Lambros Cleanthis Varnavides - Trustee (appointed 18 June 2018)
• Mark Robert Jackson - Trustee (appointed 18 June 2018)
• Colm Joseph Nolan - Trustee (appointed 18 June 2018)

Ex-officio trustees: The Baltic Exchange Council appoints one trustee, and the Chief Financial Officer of the Baltic Exchange automatically serves as a trustee.

The trustees are generally drawn from the maritime world and serve on a volunteer basis without remuneration. All grants are awarded after full consultation among the trustees.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

The foundation states that “applications are encouraged and invited,” but does not maintain detailed public application guidelines or an online application portal.

For Individual Grants: Those claiming assistance are required to provide full details of income and expenditure. Financial need must be established before any help can be offered, as trustees are mindful of the “need” qualification in the charity's objects.

For Organizational Grants: The application process is not formally documented on their website. Prospective applicants should contact the foundation directly via email at enquiries@becf.co.uk or anthony.carroll@becf.co.uk.

Decision Timeline

Individual grants based on recipients' financial circumstances are reviewed at quarterly intervals. Emergency or one-off special grants are awarded as deemed necessary by the trustees.

Specific decision timelines for organizational grants are not publicly documented.

Application Success Factors

Based on the foundation's documented approach and recent grant awards, successful applications appear to share the following characteristics:

For Individual Applicants:

• Clear demonstration of financial need with full documentation of income and expenditure
• Connection to the maritime industry (current or former employment, or engagement in maritime activities)
• Ongoing contact and robust review processes with the foundation

For Organizational Applicants:

• Direct service delivery to seafarers and maritime professionals
• Programs addressing welfare, wellbeing, medical care, or pastoral support
• Projects with clear maritime focus
• Demonstrable impact on seafarer welfare (the foundation has funded initiatives ranging from helplines to minibuses to e-learning platforms)

Strategic Priorities: Recent grants suggest the foundation is responsive to emerging needs, such as supporting Ukrainian seafarers affected by conflict and funding mental health and wellness resources.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Maritime focus is essential: The foundation's objects explicitly limit giving primarily to maritime-related applications
• Both individuals and organizations are supported: BECF provides both welfare grants to individuals in need and institutional grants to maritime charities
• Relationship-based grantmaking: Without formal public application guidelines, building a relationship with the foundation through initial contact is important
• Long-term commitment: The foundation has shown willingness to provide sustained support (e.g., long-term funding for Ukrainian seafarer support, ongoing funding for minibuses)
• Responsive to emerging needs: Recent grants demonstrate flexibility in addressing current crises (Ukrainian conflict) and modern challenges (mental health, e-learning)
• Contact directly: Given limited online application infrastructure, direct contact via email or phone is the recommended approach
• Demonstrate clear maritime connection: Applications must show clear links to maritime activities, seafarers, or the shipping industry

Similar Funders

These funders have a similar focus and geographic reach:

• The Whirlwind Charitable Trust
• The Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity
• The Sir John Fisher Foundation
• THE ROBERT MCALPINE FOUNDATION
• Hedley Foundation Limited
• THE FISHMONGERS' COMPANY'S FISHERIES CHARITABLE TRUST
• The Honourable Company of Master Mariners and Howard Leopold Davis Charity
• THE CORPORATION OF TRINITY HOUSE OF DEPTFORD STROND
• The Mary Kinross Charitable Trust
• Stock Exchange Clerks Fund

References

• Baltic Exchange Charitable Foundation official website: https://balticexchangecharitablefoundation.com/
• UK Charity Commission Register, Charity No. 1178830: https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-search/-/charity-details/5122572/full-print
• Baltic Exchange Charitable Foundation News Archive: https://balticexchangecharitablefoundation.com/news/
• Charity Commission Trustees Register: https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-search/-/charity-details/5122572/trustees
• TradeWinds News, “Maritime charity commits long-term funding to support Ukrainian seafarers” (2024)
• Giving is Great Charity Factsheet: https://givingisgreat.org/charity-factsheet/?regNo=1178830