Gower Street

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: Approximately £1,511,528 (based on accounts for year ending October 31, 2024)
• Success Rate: Not publicly available (unsolicited applications not accepted)
• Decision Time: 2 months (trustees meet bi-monthly)
• Grant Range: £150 - £420,000
• Geographic Focus: UK (climate work) and Ghana (education)
• Spend Down: Dispersing all funds by 2030

Contact Details

• Website: https://www.gowerstreet.org/
• Email: admin@gowerstreet.org
• Programme Contacts: sally@gowerstreet.org or tessa@gowerstreet.org
• Address: Finchley Park, Laddingford, Kent ME18 6BG
• Phone: +44 (number not publicly listed)

Overview

Gower Street (formerly The Marple Charitable Trust) is a small family foundation established in 2007 by Nick and Sophie Marple. Originally focused on education work in the UK and Ghana, the trust pivoted in 2018 to direct the majority of its funds toward addressing the climate crisis. In recognition of the urgency of climate action, the trustees decided to spend down the entire fund by 2030. The trust is beyond the halfway point of this journey, with the vast majority of funding allocations already made. The trust has made 216 grants totalling approximately £7 million since December 2018. Gower Street focuses on supporting small organisations working on transformational systems change, providing multi-year core funding rather than restricted grants.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programmes

Climate Fund

• Focus on small organisations with annual income below £500,000
• Typically provides 10-30% of annual income for UK organisations
• Up to 80% of annual income for Ghana-based organisations
• Multi-year core (unrestricted) funding preferred

Ghana Education Fund

• Three work strands: Life in a Changing Landscape, Complementary Climate Education, and Energy Transition
• Focus on improving school education outcomes
• Support for girls' education initiatives

Priority Areas

Climate Emergency:

• Energy Transition: Organisations addressing the shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy
• Social Movements: Mobilising citizens from all walks of life as a force for change
• Land Use: Supporting sustainable land management and nature-friendly farming
• Climate Media: Organisations like On Road media working on climate communications
• Climate Advocacy: Groups such as Breathe, Uplift, Green New Deal, Teach the Future, and Nature Friendly Farming Network

Ghana Education:

• Girls' education programmes
• System change work in education
• Climate education initiatives

What They Don't Fund

• Large organisations (generally those with income above £500,000)
• Restricted/project-specific funding (preference for core funding)
• Work outside climate emergency and Ghana education
• New partnerships (fund is in spend-down phase with limited capacity)

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Governance and Leadership

Founders/Trustees:

• Sophie Marple: Co-founder with background in strategic philanthropy. Sophie emphasises seeing “philanthropic money as risk capital” and believes that “charities are the experts in their field.” In 2020, Sophie helped set up Impatience Earth, a philanthropy consultancy offering pro-bono advice to people looking to give in the climate sector. In 2022, Sophie became the Chair of The Climate Coalition.
• Nick Marple: Co-founder who spent time in Ghana and initiated the trust's education focus

Co-Directors (Job Share):

• Sally Vivyan: Joined Autumn 2021. Background in smaller NGOs with 20 years' experience in fundraising, grant making, and governance. Holds a PhD (2022) in Leadership Practice in Small Asylum Seeker and Refugee Charities from The Open University.
• Tessa Durham: Joined Autumn 2021. Co-Director with extensive experience in the sector.

Key Philosophy Quotes:

• Sophie Marple: "What you spend now is worth so much more than what you spend in 10 years' time" (on climate urgency)
• “Charities know more about their field than funders” (on trust-based approach)

How to Apply to Gower Street

How to Apply

IMPORTANT: Unsolicited applications are not formally accepted. However:

• Organisations that closely align with funding priorities may submit a one-pager (12 pt, double-spaced)
• Send to: sally@gowerstreet.org or tessa@gowerstreet.org
• Outline: what you do and why Gower Street should fund you
• The team will contact you if interested; do not chase for responses
• Note: Capacity for new partnerships is extremely limited due to spend-down phase

Decision Timeline

• Trustee meetings: Every 2 months
• Process: Initial review by Co-Directors, then trustee approval at bi-monthly meetings
• Typical timeline from submission to decision: approximately 2 months minimum

Success Rates

Not publicly available. The trust operates on an invitation/alignment basis rather than open competitive applications.

Reapplication Policy

Not specified, though given the spend-down timeline and limited capacity for new partners, reapplication opportunities are minimal.

Application Success Factors

What Gower Street Values:

1. Size and Stage: Small organisations (under £500,000 income) working on transformational systems change
2. Alignment: Clear connection to either climate emergency work or Ghana education outcomes
3. Validation Stage: Organisations looking to “scope and validate their ideas” before approaching larger funders
4. Flexibility: Organisations that can benefit from unrestricted core funding
5. Learning Orientation: Partners willing to learn and adapt together with funders

Their Approach:

• Trust-based funding: “Going on the journey with their grantees and learning as they learn”
• Core funding preference: Recognising the increased value unrestricted funding offers
• Low bureaucracy: Regular check-in calls instead of written reports
• Multi-year commitments: Supporting organisations over time rather than one-off grants
• Risk capital mindset: Willing to fund innovative, unproven approaches

Standing Out:

• Demonstrate transformational potential, not just incremental change
• Show how you reframe complex issues in hopeful ways
• Be clear about needing support to validate ideas before scaling
• Emphasise your expertise in your field
• Align with the specific climate or Ghana education work strands

Recent Examples:

Organisations supported include On Road media, Breathe, Uplift, Green New Deal, Teach the Future, and Nature Friendly Farming Network.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

1. Limited Current Opportunity: Gower Street is in spend-down phase with most allocations made through 2030. New partnership opportunities are extremely limited.

1. One-Pager Only: If applying, keep it to one page (12pt, double-spaced) focused on alignment and why you fit their specific criteria.

1. Core Funding Focus: Only approach if you can benefit from unrestricted, multi-year funding. They don't do project grants.

1. Size Matters: Target organisations are small (under £500,000 income) doing transformational, systems-change work.

1. Don't Chase: Submit only if closely aligned, then wait. Following up is discouraged.

1. Climate or Ghana Only: Must fit within either climate emergency work (energy transition, social movements, land use, media) or Ghana education focus.

1. Trust-Based Partnership: They're looking for learning partners, not just grant recipients. Expect minimal reporting but regular relationship-building calls.

Similar Funders

These funders have a similar focus and geographic reach:

• Ghana International Foundation
• Ako Foundation
• Society Of The Holy Child Jesus Cio
• The Stone Family Foundation
• Global Greengrants Fund Uk
• The Pickwell Foundation
• Shell Foundation
• Ubs Optimus Foundation Uk
• The True Colours Trust
• The Kitchen Table Charities Trust

References

• Gower Street Official Website: https://www.gowerstreet.org/
• 360Giving GrantNav - Gower Street: https://grantnav.threesixtygiving.org/org/GB-CHC-1183461
• Charity Commission Register: https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-details/?regId=1183461
• Beacon Collaborative - Sophie Marple Strategic Climate Philanthropy: https://www.beaconcollaborative.org.uk/story/from-girls-education-to-climate-funding-sophie-marples-giving/
• Giving is Great Donor Profile: https://givingisgreat.org/donor-detail/?donorID=GB-CHC-1183461
• Grant Advisor - Gower Street: https://www.grantadvisor.org.uk/latest-reviewed-funders/gower-street/