Martin Charitable Trust

Quick Stats

• Charity Number: 298197
• Annual Income: £167,126 (year ending April 2025)
• Annual Expenditure: £90,887 (year ending April 2025)
• Trustees: 4
• Geographic Focus: United Kingdom (also registered in Scotland as SC028487)
• Application Process: No public application process - invitation only
• Founded: 1984

Contact Details

Address: c/o Martin's Properties Holdings Limited, 36 Walpole Street, Chelsea, London, SW3 4QS

Email: emma.carltonsmith@martins-properties.co.uk

Phone: 7775677222

Company Office: 020 7730 5092

Website: Information available through Martin's Properties at martins-properties.co.uk/esg/

Overview

The Martin Charitable Trust was established by the Martin family in 1984 as the philanthropic arm of their family-owned property business, Martin's Properties. The trust is registered with both the Charity Commission for England and Wales (charity number 298197) and the Scottish Charity Regulator (SC028487). With an annual income of £167,126 and expenditure of £90,887 (financial year ending April 2025), the trust operates with a focused approach to grant-making, proactively identifying charities aligned with their mission rather than accepting unsolicited applications. The trust serves as a vehicle for the Martin family's commitment to giving back to the communities where their property business operates, with a particular emphasis on medical, social, and children's charities. Emma Martin, a Non-Executive Director at Martin's Properties, chairs the trust and oversees the family's philanthropic activities.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Martin Charitable Trust does not operate formal grant programs with published guidelines or application deadlines. Instead, the trust operates on an invitation-only basis, with trustees proactively identifying and approaching charities they wish to support.

Priority Areas

According to the trust's charitable objects and stated priorities, they focus on:

Medical Charities: Organizations working to advance health and medical care

Social Charities: Groups addressing social issues and community development

Children's Charities: Organizations supporting the welfare and development of children and young people

Additional Charitable Purposes:

• Relief of poverty
• Advancement of education
• Advancement of religion
• Other charitable purposes beneficial to the community

Beneficiary Groups: The trust has indicated it serves children/young people, elderly people, people with disabilities, people of particular ethnic or racial origins, other charities or voluntary bodies, and the general public.

Geographic Commitment: The trust has “a commitment to the community of which its business is a part,” suggesting a focus on areas where Martin's Properties operates, particularly London and Southern England, especially Kensington and Chelsea where the family has owned assets for over 80 years.

Charity Selection Criteria

All charities supported by the Martin family's philanthropic activities must give back at least 80% of funds raised to those in need, demonstrating the trust's commitment to operational efficiency in the charities they support.

What They Don't Fund

The trust does not consider unsolicited applications from any organizations. There is no public information about specific exclusions beyond this fundamental approach to grant-making.

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Governance and Leadership

Chair

Emma Martin - Chair of the Martin Charitable Trust and Martin family appointed Non-Executive Director on the Board of Martin's Properties. Emma also chairs the Martin Family Council. She graduated from Oxford Brookes University with a BA (Hons) in English and Marketing and worked for Martin's Properties for over 13 years before becoming a Non-Executive Director, where she was responsible for all areas of marketing and design.

Trustees

The trust has 4 trustees (as of the most recent filing). No trustees receive any remuneration, payments, or benefits from the charity. The trust has no employees with total benefits over £60,000, and no trading subsidiaries.

The family's broader governance includes Rex, a solicitor with over 35 years of professional experience who was appointed as an independent family trustee in 2010 and serves as a trustee of a number of family and philanthropic organizations.

Connection to Martin's Properties

The trust operates in close connection with Martin's Properties, a family-owned property company founded in 1946 with a portfolio worth approximately £400 million. The company has been owned by the Martin family for three generations and operates predominantly throughout London and Southern England. Tom Martin serves as Chairman of parent company Martin's Family Holdings, while Richard Bourne is the first non-family CEO of Martin's Properties.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

The Martin Charitable Trust does not have a public application process.

According to the trust's official statement: “The Trust seeks out the charities it wishes to support and, at this time, does not consider any unsolicited applications.”

This means:

• The trust operates on an invitation-only basis
• Trustees proactively identify organizations that align with their charitable objectives
• Unsolicited grant applications are not accepted or reviewed
• Organizations cannot apply through a formal application process

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - the trust does not accept applications. Grant-making decisions are made at the discretion of the trustees based on charities they have identified and approached.

Success Rates

Not applicable due to the invitation-only nature of the trust's grant-making.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - there is no application process.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• No Application Process: This trust cannot be approached through traditional grant application methods - they select charities proactively
• Family-Led Philanthropy: The trust operates as part of a family business's broader commitment to community, with decisions made at trustee discretion rather than through competitive application processes
• Geographic Connection Matters: The trust has a stated commitment to communities where Martin's Properties operates, particularly in Kensington, Chelsea, and the Kings Road area of London
• Focus on Efficiency: The 80% requirement for funds reaching beneficiaries suggests trustees value operational efficiency and low overhead costs
• Three Key Sectors: Medical, social, and children's charities are the stated priority areas, though the charitable objects are broader
• Multi-Generational Commitment: The trust has operated since 1984 as part of a family business that dates back to 1946, suggesting long-term stability and commitment to philanthropy
• Staff Engagement: The trust's matching of staff fundraising creates indirect pathways for charities to connect with the Martin family's philanthropic interests

Similar Funders

These funders frequently fund the same charities:

• P F Charitable Trust
• MOONDANCE FOUNDATION
• The Waterloo Foundation
• Addenbrooke's Charitable Trust
• The Greggs Foundation
• THE EVESON TRUST
• LandAid Charitable Trust Limited
• The Indigo Trust
• THE ZOCHONIS CHARITABLE TRUST
• THE SIR JAMES KNOTT TRUST
• John James Bristol Foundation
• E B M Charitable Trust
• Peacock Charitable Trust
• THE SIMON GIBSON CHARITABLE TRUST
• The Grant Foundation
• Sandra Charitable Trust
• Edith Murphy Foundation
• THE THOMAS J HORNE MEMORIAL TRUST
• THE ALAN EDWARD HIGGS CHARITY
• Alan Boswell Group Charitable Trust

References

• UK Charity Commission Register of Charities, Martin Charitable Trust (Charity Number 298197): https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/en/charity-search/-/charity-details/298197/charity-overview
• Martin's Properties ESG page: https://martins-properties.co.uk/esg/
• Martin's Properties Team page (Emma Martin biography): https://martins-properties.co.uk/about-us/the-team/
• Martin's Properties History page: https://martins-properties.co.uk/about-us/history/
• Scottish Charity Register, Martin Charitable Trust (SC028487)
• Fundraiso, Martin Charitable Trust overview: https://www.fundraiso.com/en/organisations/martin-charitable-trust
• Companies House, Martin's Properties Holdings Limited (Company Number 00767976)