Marr-munning Trust

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £300,000-£400,000
• Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
• Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed
• Grant Range: £10,000 - £30,000
• Geographic Focus: Sub-Saharan Africa, Indian Subcontinent, and South East Asia only

Contact Details

Address: 9 Madeley Road, London W5 2LA

Website: www.marrmunningtrust.org.uk

Email: info@marrmunningtrust.org.uk

Phone: 020 8998 7747

Charity Number: 1153007

Company Number: 08561488

Overview

The Marr-Munning Trust is an independent grantmaking trust founded in 1970 by Frank Harcourt-Munning and Sir Leslie Marr to alleviate poverty and suffering in the developing world. The Trust awards grants totalling approximately £300,000-£400,000 annually to charities and NGOs, currently maintaining around 25 active grantees with total awards exceeding £1 million. The Trust focuses exclusively on supporting projects in Sub-Saharan Africa, the Indian Subcontinent, and South East Asia, with strategic emphasis on education of children and improving sustainable income generation. In 2013, the trust incorporated as a charitable company (charity number 1153007, company number 08561488), taking over from the original unincorporated charity (registered number 261786). The Trust prioritizes solutions “rooted in the communities themselves” and targets small to medium-sized organizations with annual incomes between £25,000 and £1,000,000.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Trust operates two main program areas with grants typically ranging from £10,000 to £30,000:

• Education Programme: Supports projects emphasizing access to education, improving teaching quality, and striving for educational equality for female and differently-abled students. Grants range from £3,000 to £138,000, with multi-year funding available (typically 2-3 years).

• Livelihoods Programme: Funds livelihood development and economic opportunity projects that help communities generate sustainable income.

Application Method: Invitation-only. The Trust does not accept unsolicited applications but accepts organizational profile submissions during limited three-month windows (1st April to 30th June annually). Note: The submission window was closed for 2025 as trustees focus on previously submitted profiles.

Priority Areas

Geographic Focus: All funded work must take place in:

• Sub-Saharan Africa
• Indian Subcontinent
• South East Asia

(Organizations can be based anywhere globally, but project work must be in these regions)

Thematic Focus:

• Access to education and improving teaching quality
• Educational equality for girls and students with disabilities
• Vocational training and skills development
• Community-based livelihood projects
• Sustainable income generation initiatives
• Rural development and agricultural training
• Early childhood care and development

What They Don't Fund

• Projects outside their three designated geographic regions
• Organizations with annual incomes below £25,000 or above £1,000,000
• Unsolicited applications (invitation-only process)

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Governance and Leadership

Board of Trustees (No trustees receive remuneration)

• Andrew MacCormack - Director; also serves as CIO of Medius Earth and trustee of Bees Abroad and Enterprise For Development
• Edith Parker - Finance Director
• Rahul Mathasing - Banking sector professional
• Saskia Thomas - Analyst
• Stewart Hicks - Company Director
• Wendy Tabuteau - Chief Executive

Staff

The Trust employs two staff members: a Director who oversees day-to-day operations and a Property Officer who manages the Trust's rental property investments (which help fund the grantmaking).

Founder's Philosophy

Frank Harcourt-Munning (d. 1985), a lifelong Methodist preacher and Christian Socialist, dedicated his life to alleviating poverty. After leading War on Want from 1954-1970 (receiving a CBE in 1969), he founded the Trust with Sir Leslie Marr and committed his entire estate—home, property, and savings—to this mission. A colleague noted he demonstrated “the love he had for all the people on the planet” and instantly put people at ease with his genuine compassion. His humanitarian work included leading War on Want's 1963 Skopje earthquake relief campaign, which raised £1.5 million—then the largest amount collected by a single relief organization—earning him honorary citizenship of Skopje in 1983.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

IMPORTANT: The Marr-Munning Trust does not accept unsolicited applications. Organizations must receive an invitation to submit a full proposal.

Getting on Their Radar:

Organizations can submit an “Organisational Profile” through the Trust's website during the annual submission window (1st April to 30th June). This profile adds your organization to their database for consideration as a potential future grantee.

How the Trust Identifies Grantees:

• Independent research conducted by trustees and staff
• Referrals from existing or former grantees
• Recommendations from other funders
• Review of organizational profiles submitted through their website

Critical Note: Applications sent by post or email will not receive a response. Organizations must wait for direct invitation before submitting full proposals.

Decision Timeline

Specific decision timelines from profile submission to funding decision are not publicly disclosed. The Trust operates on an annual cycle with profile submissions accepted for three months each year (April-June).

Success Rates

Success rate statistics are not publicly available. However, the Trust notes they receive more profiles than available funding and carefully assess every application to ensure maximum impact.

Reapplication Policy

The Trust's specific reapplication policy for unsuccessful applicants is not publicly disclosed. Organizations are advised to contact the Trust directly for guidance on resubmission.

Application Success Factors

What the Trust Values

Community-Rooted Solutions: The Trust explicitly states they prioritize solutions “rooted in the communities themselves.” This suggests preference for:

• Locally-led organizations
• Projects with strong community participation
• Grassroots approaches to development
• Long-term sustainable impact

Organization Size Sweet Spot: The Trust deliberately targets organizations with annual incomes between £25,000 and £1,000,000—typically too large for very small funders but too small for major international donors.

Multi-Year Relationships: Recent grantee data shows the Trust makes multi-year commitments (2-3 years typical), suggesting they value long-term partnerships over one-off grants.

Examples of Recently Funded Projects

Education:

• EdUKaid (Tanzania): £26,500 over 3 years supporting children with disabilities
• FundiBots (Uganda): £76,000 for improving teaching quality
• Women and Children First (Ghana): £115,057 over 2 years for early childhood care
• Red Earth Education (Uganda): £35,762 over 3 years for organizational development
• The Learning Trust (South Africa): £138,000 over 3 years for catch-up education
• We Yone Child Foundation (Sierra Leone): Construction of toilet block and water supply at primary school

Livelihoods:

• Spark Microgrants (Uganda): £20,000 for community development
• Imagine Her (Uganda): £50,000 supporting social enterprise
• African Revival (Zambia): Demonstration garden training 30 farmers
• Vocational training and poultry toolkit distribution in West Bengal for 3,000 rural families

Strategic Networking

The Trust explicitly mentions that referrals from existing grantees and other funders help identify new partners. Building relationships within the international development sector—particularly with the Trust's long-term partners (Destiny Children, Feed the Minds, Tanzed, African Mission, APT Action on Poverty, Build it International, Children in Crisis, and Glad's House)—may increase visibility.

Language and Terminology

The Trust uses straightforward language focused on:

• “Alleviating poverty and suffering”
• “Community-rooted solutions”
• “Sustainable income generation”
• “Educational equality”
• “Impact” and “careful assessment”

Avoid jargon; emphasize practical, measurable outcomes and community ownership.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Invitation-only process: Do not waste time on unsolicited applications. Submit an organizational profile during the April-June window and wait for invitation. Build relationships with existing grantees who might refer you.

• Right-sized organizations: If your annual income is outside £25,000-£1,000,000, this funder is not appropriate for you. They deliberately target this “sweet spot” where organizations are established but still accessible to smaller funders.

• Geographic specificity is absolute: Only projects in Sub-Saharan Africa, Indian Subcontinent, or South East Asia qualify. No exceptions.

• Community ownership matters: Emphasize how your project is “rooted in the community” with local leadership, participation, and sustainability plans.

• Think multi-year partnerships: Grant amounts and recent awards suggest the Trust prefers 2-3 year funding relationships. Frame proposals around sustained impact rather than one-off interventions.

• Limited capacity: With only approximately 25 active grantees and annual giving around £300,000-£400,000, this is a highly selective funder. Competition is significant, especially as they closed 2025 submissions due to overwhelming interest.

• Patient approach required: The Trust's process is slow and deliberate. Submit your profile, continue building relationships in the sector, and be prepared for a long cultivation period before receiving an invitation to apply.

References

1. Marr-Munning Trust official website: https://marrmunningtrust.org.uk/
2. “What we Fund” page: https://marrmunningtrust.org.uk/what-we-fund/
3. “Our Grantees” page: https://marrmunningtrust.org.uk/our-grantees/
4. “How to Apply” page: https://marrmunningtrust.org.uk/how-to-apply/
5. “Our Founder” page: https://marrmunningtrust.org.uk/our-founder/
6. UK Charity Commission Register: https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-details/?regid=1153007
7. UK Companies House: https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/08561488
8. Inside Philanthropy profile: https://www.insidephilanthropy.com/find-a-grant/grants-m/marr-munning-trust