BFI Trust
At a glance
Key takeaways
- BFI Trust's giving goes to the British Film Institute, so it works more like a single-recipient trust than an open grant round.
- Its objects do cover film education, cinema access and moving-image heritage, so a small group whose work clearly fits one of those purposes can make a case, and its trustees say they remain open to other opportunities that meet those objectives.
- No typical grant size or range is stated, so it is not clear what a realistic request would be, and a modest, carefully tailored enquiry is the safest starting point.
- No way to apply was found in the annual report or register entry, so any first contact would have to be an unsolicited enquiry.
- Organisations whose work sits outside film, moving images and their heritage are unlikely to find a match here.
Overview
BFI Trust is a charity registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales (charity number 1140833).
BFI Trust is a charity registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales that exists to support the work of the British Film Institute. It made grants to the BFI totalling £1,766,500 in its most recent annual report, to support its charitable activities. Its objects span film and moving-image arts, film education, public access to cinema, and the care of collections reflecting UK moving-image history and heritage. The relationship between the Trust and the BFI is primarily focused on grant funding.
What they fund
Profile based on the charity's Charity Commission register entry and annual report (year to 31 March 2025) only: no website or other web source for the charity was found. Every statement is checked against them. Sources read on 30 October 2026.
Priority Areas
The trust’s objects span the development of film, television and moving-image arts across the UK, using those media as a record of contemporary life, and education about them and their impact on society. They also cover public access to and appreciation of British and world cinema, and the care and development of collections reflecting UK moving-image history and heritage. Its grant-making strategy supports the work of a film institute, enabling it to carry out its charitable objectives. The trustees remain open to other opportunities that meet those objectives. Reported charitable activity has included support for digital and organisational transformation. Its approach therefore combines institutional grant support with broad arts, education, access and heritage purposes.
Themes
- Film and moving-image arts
- Film education
- Cinema access
- Moving-image heritage
Geographic Focus
Priority: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
How to apply
No way to apply was found in the charity's annual report, its register entry or other pages about it.
Where they fund
Where it says it funds
- United Kingdom
Similar funders
Funders supporting work similar to BFI Trust.
Five years of accounts
| Financial year | Income | Expenditure | Grants paid | Accounts document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| year to 31 March 2021 | £1,865,545 | £2,236,037 | £2,200,000 | Accounts for year to 31 March 2021 |
| year to 31 March 2022 | £1,848,576 | £1,906,692 | £1,835,000 | Accounts for year to 31 March 2022 |
| year to 31 March 2023 | £1,930,955 | £10,019,620 | £9,984,000 | Accounts for year to 31 March 2023 |
| year to 31 March 2024 | £2,134,194 | £1,701,676 | £1,633,500 | Accounts for year to 31 March 2024 |
| year to 31 March 2025 | £1,990,670 | £1,848,152 | £1,766,500 | Accounts for year to 31 March 2025 |
Income vs grants paid
IncomeGrants paid
Total value each financial year
In 2 of the 5 years shown, grants paid exceeded income.
- Grants paid, year to 31 March 2021; year to 31 March 2022; year to 31 March 2023; year to 31 March 2024: grants to institutions, as reported on the charity register (Part B).
- Grants paid, year to 31 March 2025: grants awarded in the year, as reported in the accounts.
Figures from the charity’s filed accounts and its register entry. The document icon links to the charity’s entry on the Charity Commission register, where its filed accounts can be found.
Sources
Registers and filings
- Annual report (year to 31 March 2025)
This profile rests on the charity’s filed accounts and register entry only, so check with the funder directly before applying.
Sources last checked on 30 October 2026.
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At a glance
Applying to BFI Trust?
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Contact
- Charity Commission register entryContact details as held by the Charity Commission
Applying to BFI Trust?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- Charity Commission register entryContact details as held by the Charity Commission