Paul Foundation

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £961,571 (grants in 2024)
• Success Rate: Not publicly available
• Decision Time: Not publicly available
• Grant Range: Not publicly disclosed
• Geographic Focus: International (UK, Ghana, Mozambique, Sierra Leone, Syria, Tanzania, Uganda, Zimbabwe)

Contact Details

Address: Haycroft, Sherborne, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire GL54 3NB

Registered Office: Keystone Law, 48-49 Chancery Lane, London WC2A 1JF

Phone: 01451844500

Email: prdphc@gmail.com

Website: No public website available

Note: This foundation does not have a public website or published grant application guidelines.

Overview

The PAUL FOUNDATION was established in 1991 as a UK charitable trust. With total assets of £43.6 million and annual grant expenditure of approximately £961,571 (2024), the foundation supports work across three main pillars: child mental health (including autism diagnostics and monitoring), sustainable development in developing nations (focusing on healthcare, clean water, and economic support), and nature conservation (reforestation and wildlife conservation). The foundation operates internationally across seven countries in Africa and the Middle East, alongside its UK base in Gloucestershire. Despite holding substantial endowed funds of over £38 million, the foundation maintains a relatively modest grant-making programme, spending approximately 3% of its endowment annually. The foundation is governed by a small board of two trustees: Camilla Bishop and Rory Tilson St Johnston, both appointed in 2025.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation makes project grants to organizations but does not publish specific grant programmes or funding tiers. Grant amounts are not publicly disclosed.

Application Method: Not publicly available - appears to operate through trustee selection or invitation only rather than open applications.

Priority Areas

Child Mental Health

• Diagnostic procedures and technology for early learning conditions
• Autism monitoring and intervention programmes
• Support for children with disabilities and life-threatening conditions

International Development

• Economic and financial support/training in developing nations
• Healthcare provision in third-world countries
• Clean water and hygiene education
• Medical research

Vulnerable Populations

• Disabled children and adults
• People living in poverty
• Elderly people and dementia care
• Children and adolescents

Environmental Conservation

• Reforestation and agro-forestation
• Wildlife conservation

What They Don't Fund

Specific exclusions are not published. Given the foundation's focused objectives, it likely does not fund activities outside its three main pillars.

Ready to write a winning application for Paul Foundation?

Our AI helps you craft proposals that match their exact priorities. Save 10+ hours and increase your success rate.

Get Free Beta Access

Governance and Leadership

Current Trustees:

• Camilla Bishop
• Rory Tilson St Johnston - Also trustee of The Friends Of St. Laurence, Lurgashall

Governance Structure:

• Legal form: Trust (Trust Deed dated 4 April 1991, amended 19 January 2022)
• Number of trustees: 2
• Staff: No paid employees or volunteers listed
• Trustee remuneration: No trustees receive payment or benefits

Governance Concerns:

The foundation operates with an unusually small board of just two trustees, both newly appointed in 2025, which raises questions about governance capacity and succession planning. Third-party charity assessors have noted this as a governance red flag.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

No public application process is available. The foundation does not maintain a website or publish grant application guidelines. Given that previous grant recipients include major international charities (Oxfam, World Vision UK, Rotary clubs), and given the lack of public application information, it appears the foundation may:

• Operate through trustee identification and selection of beneficiaries
• Accept applications by invitation only
• Fund organizations through pre-existing relationships

For potential applicants: Contact the foundation directly via email (prdphc@gmail.com) or phone (01451844500) to inquire whether they accept unsolicited applications and what their application process entails.

Decision Timeline

Not publicly available. Given that trustees meet to review applications, decisions likely align with trustee meeting schedules, but no information is published about meeting frequency or decision timescales.

Success Rates

Not publicly available. The foundation distributed grants totaling £961,571 in 2024, but does not publish information about the number of applications received or grants awarded.

Reapplication Policy

Not publicly available.

Application Success Factors

Given the extremely limited public information available about this foundation, specific success factors cannot be reliably determined. However, the following observations may be relevant:

Organizations Previously Supported:

• Poyser Fund
• Oxfam
• Rotary Club of Stone and District Trust Fund
• World Vision UK
• The Rhododendron Trust

This suggests a pattern of supporting both large established international charities and smaller specialized trusts.

Strategic Considerations:

• The foundation's three clear priority areas (child mental health including autism, international development/healthcare, and conservation) suggest applications must align closely with at least one of these themes
• The foundation's international footprint in specific African nations and Syria may indicate regional preferences for development work
• The emphasis on “tested diagnostic procedures and technology” suggests an interest in evidence-based, innovative approaches rather than general service delivery

Potential Barriers:

• No public application process may mean the foundation does not welcome unsolicited approaches
• Very small trustee board limits organizational capacity to review large numbers of applications
• Low spending rate (3% of endowment) suggests highly selective grant-making

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• No public application route: This foundation operates without transparency around its grant-making process. Direct inquiry is essential before investing time in an application.

• Strong alignment required: With three specific focus areas (child mental health/autism, international development/health, environmental conservation), applications must fit squarely within these parameters.

• Relationship-driven: The lack of formal application processes and mix of large and small grantees suggests this may be a relationship-driven funder where personal connections or trustee knowledge of the organization matter.

• International focus: Significant work in specific African nations (Ghana, Mozambique, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Uganda, Zimbabwe) and Syria suggests preference for international development work in these regions.

• Innovation emphasis: Language around “tested diagnostic procedures and technology” suggests interest in innovative, evidence-based approaches rather than traditional service delivery.

• Limited capacity: With only two trustees and no staff, expect limited capacity for extensive due diligence or ongoing grant management.

• Patient capital: With £43.6 million in assets but modest annual grant-making, this foundation has significant resources but deploys them selectively.

References

• UK Charity Commission Register of Charities. “PAUL FOUNDATION - 1003143.” Available at: https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-details/?regid=1003143 (Accessed: January 2025)

• Giving is Great. “PAUL FOUNDATION Charity Factsheet.” Available at: https://givingisgreat.org/database/charity-factsheet/?regNo=1003143 (Accessed: January 2025)

• Fundraiso. “PAUL FOUNDATION - Organisation Profile.” Available at: https://www.fundraiso.com/en/organisations/paul-foundation1 (Accessed: January 2025)

• Charity Choice. “Paul Foundation - Charity Directory.” Available at: https://www.charitychoice.co.uk/paul-foundation-9859 (Accessed: January 2025)

• NGO Explorer. “Paul Foundation.” Available at: https://ngoexplorer.org/charity/1003143 (Accessed: January 2025)