J P Moulton Charitable Foundation

Quick Stats

• Annual Income: £97,510 (2024)
• Total Committed to Date: £53 million (clinical trials since 2004)
• Success Rate: ~20%
• Decision Time: Approximately 6 weeks from submission deadline
• Grant Range: £65,000 - £1,480,000 (average ~£310,000-£520,000 per trial)
• Geographic Focus: England and Wales (trials UK-wide)
• Trials Funded: Over 170 clinical trials since inception

Contact Details

Address: C/O PERSCITUS LLP, 10 Buckingham Street, London WC2N 6DF

Email: helen@jpmfoundation.co.uk

Phone: 020 3034 2645

Note: The J P Moulton Charitable Foundation's work is now continued by the Jon Moulton Charity Trust (established 2018), though both entities share the same mission and contact details.

Overview

The J P Moulton Charitable Foundation (Charity No. 1109891) was registered on 7 June 2005 as a charitable company. In 2018, the Jon Moulton Charity Trust was established to continue and expand this work. Founded by Jon Moulton CBE, a prominent British venture capitalist and private equity investor, the foundation's principal aim is to fund non-commercial clinical trials to make clinical advances and promote the relief of suffering. Since 2004, these charitable vehicles have committed over £53 million to clinical research, funding more than 170 clinical trials selected based on high-quality science with direct patient benefit potential. Researchers have published over 100 articles as a direct result of this funding. In the 2024 Birthday Honours, Jon Moulton was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for charitable service, recognizing his significant philanthropic impact on medical research.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Clinical Trial Funding (Primary Program)

• Grant Range: Average £310,000-£520,000 per trial (in 2019 round: £14 million for 27 trials)
• Application Method: Periodic calls advertised in The Lancet and BMJ (not annual)
• Last Call: 2019 (over 100 applications received requesting ~£60 million)
• Status: Next funding call to be announced

BMA Foundation Partnership Grants

• J Moulton Grant for Cardiovascular/AI Research: Up to £65,000
• Application Method: Through BMA Foundation when available
• Focus: Specific themed calls (e.g., accelerating cardiovascular diagnosis using AI techniques)

Priority Areas

The foundation funds non-commercial interventional clinical trials across diverse therapeutic areas:

• Respiratory medicine
• Women's health
• Oncology (including rare cancers and innovative CAR-T cell therapies)
• Cardiovascular disease
• Diabetes
• Multiple sclerosis
• Rare diseases
• Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
• Paediatrics
• Infectious diseases (including COVID-19)

Broader Charitable Objectives (beyond clinical trials):

• Charitable donations for community service projects
• Education, training, and counselling for disadvantaged persons
• Donations to hospitals, hospices, medical and care projects

What They Don't Fund

While not explicitly stated, the foundation focuses on:

• Non-commercial research only (commercial intellectual property cannot be retained without trustee consent)
• Clinical trials with direct patient benefit (not basic science or purely theoretical research)

The foundation receives donations “particularly from net high worth individuals” and does not appear to fund projects outside the medical/healthcare research sphere.

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Governance and Leadership

Trustees

Jon Moulton CBE - Chair (appointed 2004)

• British venture capitalist with over 40 years in private equity
• Founder and managing partner of Better Capital; former managing partner of Alchemy Partners
• Chartered Accountant and Fellow of the Society of Turnaround Professionals
• Honorary Fellow of University College London
• Trustee of UK Stem Cell Foundation
• Director and Board member of The Centre for Policy Studies
• Appointed CBE in 2024 Birthday Honours for charitable service
• As of May 2020, personally committed £47 million to clinical trials

Spencer Moulton - Trustee (appointed 2013)

• Occupation: Finance

Dr Helen Critchley - Trustee (appointed 2023)

Governance Standards

• None of the trustees receive remuneration, payments, or benefits from the charity
• The charity has no trading subsidiaries
• Reporting status: Up to date with Charity Commission requirements

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

The J P Moulton Charitable Foundation operates through periodic funding calls rather than rolling applications. These calls are not annual and are advertised in major medical journals.

When Applications Open:

• Funding calls are advertised in The Lancet and BMJ
• Last call: 2019 (over 100 applications received)
• Next call: To be announced

Application Requirements (12-page maximum):

1. Research title and applicant contact details
2. Trial background and rationale
3. Demonstration of applicant expertise in the field
4. Summary protocol
5. Details of devices/investigational products (if applicable)
6. Statistical calculations and power analysis
7. Detailed budget with cost justification
8. Realistic timescale (including set-up, recruitment, and analysis periods)
9. Ethical considerations
10. Anticipated outcomes and patient benefit

Mandatory Conditions:

• Applicants must confirm findings will be published
• No commercial intellectual property will be retained without trustee consent
• Quarterly progress reports required for funded trials
• Final budget with expenditure calendar required for successful applicants

Decision Timeline

• Application Review: Approximately 6 weeks from submission deadline (often quicker)
• Notification: Direct communication to applicants
• Funding Availability: Varies by grant cycle

Success Rates

• Overall Success Rate: Approximately 20% of applications receive full or partial funding
• 2019 Round: 100+ applications requesting ~£60 million; 27 trials funded with £14 million committed
• Competitiveness: Highly competitive given the significant funding amounts and international applicant pool

Reapplication Policy

Not explicitly stated in available documentation. Given the non-annual nature of funding calls and high competition, unsuccessful applicants should wait for the next announced funding call and strengthen their proposals based on trustee feedback if provided.

Application Success Factors

What the Foundation Values

High-Quality Science with Direct Patient Impact

The foundation explicitly selects trials “based on high quality science with the potential to have a direct benefit to patients.” This is the primary selection criterion mentioned repeatedly across their communications.

Non-Commercial Research Focus

The foundation's mission emphasizes “non-commercial clinical trials.” Applicants must demonstrate that research is designed to advance clinical practice rather than generate commercial returns.

Interventional Trials

The foundation notes that “funded trials are usually interventional,” suggesting preference for trials that test active treatments or interventions rather than observational studies.

Evidence from Funded Projects

The foundation has supported innovative, high-impact trials including:

• ASEPSIS Trial: Atorvastatin for preventing progression of sepsis to severe sepsis
• MS-STAT: Simvastatin in Secondary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis
• OPTIMISE Study: High flow versus titrated oxygen therapy in STEMI management
• CAR-T Cell Therapy for DIPG/DMG: £1.48 million for innovative brain cancer treatment (co-funded)
• MIRABILE Study: MicroRNAs as biomarkers in pancreaticobiliary cancers
• Gene Therapy for Cancer: Gene modified donor lymphocytes following haploidentical haematopoietic stem cell transplantation

These examples demonstrate funding for:

• Novel therapeutic approaches (gene therapy, CAR-T cells)
• Repurposing existing medications (statins for sepsis/MS)
• Optimizing clinical protocols (oxygen therapy)
• Biomarker development with clinical application

Practical Application Tips

Realistic Timescales Are Critical

The application specifically requires “firm timescales for trial duration including set-up, recruitment and analysis periods.” Overly optimistic timelines may undermine credibility.

Budget Justification Matters

Detailed budget with cost justification is required. Given the significant amounts awarded (£300,000-£500,000+ per trial), applicants should demonstrate value and necessity for each cost element.

Demonstrate Expertise

The application requires proof of “applicant expertise” in the field. This likely includes publication track record, institutional support, and team qualifications.

Statistical Rigor

“Statistical calculations” are specifically requested, suggesting the foundation values properly powered studies with robust methodology.

Publication Commitment

Mandatory publication of findings indicates the foundation's commitment to advancing medical knowledge rather than generating private intellectual property.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Wait for the next announced call - The foundation does not accept rolling applications; watch The Lancet and BMJ for announcements or sign up for alerts from the foundation
• Focus on patient benefit - Every element of your application should link back to direct, measurable improvements in patient outcomes; this is the foundation's core criterion
• Non-commercial is non-negotiable - Ensure your trial has no commercial IP conflicts and clearly articulate the public benefit focus
• Be realistic and detailed - The 20% success rate and high competition mean your 12-page application must be exceptionally clear, with realistic timelines, rigorous statistics, and justified budgets
• Interventional trials are preferred - While not absolute, the foundation's stated preference for interventional trials suggests observational studies face higher hurdles
• Diverse therapeutic areas welcome - The foundation has funded trials across 10+ therapeutic areas, so don't self-select out based on disease focus
• Publication track record matters - With over 100 publications resulting from funded research, demonstrate your team's ability to translate trial results into peer-reviewed literature

References

1. Charity Commission - J P Moulton Charitable Foundation Overview -
2. The Jon Moulton Charity Trust -
3. Charity Commission - J P Moulton Charitable Foundation Trustees -
4. Find that Charity - J P Moulton Charitable Foundation -
5. BMA Foundation - J Moulton Grant Terms & Conditions 2025 -
6. Jon Moulton CBE Profile - Centre for Policy Studies -
7. Jon Moulton - Wikipedia -
8. Abbie's Army - CAR-T Cell Therapy Clinical Trial -