Salters' Charitable Foundation

Quick Stats

• Annual Income: £267,360 (FY ending June 2025)
• Annual Expenditure: £192,630
• Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
• Decision Time: Applications reviewed in May (for Expression of Interest deadline cycle)
• Grant Range: Up to £10,000 for main grants; variable amounts for discretionary grants
• Geographic Focus: Greater London (with some national reach for affiliated institutions)

Contact Details

Address: Salters' Hall, 4 London Wall Place, London EC2Y 5DE

Email: charities@salters.co.uk (for grant applications); finance@salters.co.uk (general finance enquiries)

Phone: 020 7588 5216

Website: www.salters.co.uk

Overview

The Salters' Charitable Foundation (charity number 328258) upholds a 600-year philanthropic tradition as the grant-making arm of The Salters' Company, one of the Great Twelve Livery Companies of the City of London. The foundation distributes grants to causes that “make a positive contribution to society and affect wider change,” with a particular emphasis on science education reflecting the Company's historical association with chemistry. The foundation operates under the governance of The Salters' Company, with the Court of Assistants serving as trustees and a dedicated Charities Committee overseeing grant-making policy and decisions. The foundation offers a range of support including project grants, small one-off donations, and longer-term core support, indicating flexibility in funding approaches.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Major Project Grants: Up to £10,000 for projects aligned with priority themes. Multi-year funding may be considered. The foundation provides project grants, one-off donations, and longer-term core support.

Educational Bursaries and Scholarships: The foundation works with a limited number of affiliated schools, providing bursaries and scholarships to students showing promise in Chemistry and related disciplines.

Small Annual Contributions: Discretionary grants made at the discretion of the Charities Committee to organizations with connections to the Salters' Company, including City institutions, military affiliates, and member-identified charities.

Emergency Appeals: One-off grants for emergency appeals and special-interest causes as funds permit.

Priority Areas

The foundation focuses on four main themes:

1. London Citizenship & Community Development: Projects supporting disadvantaged local communities in Greater London that bring about wider social change
2. Education: Particularly science education at school and university levels, with a strong preference for chemistry-related disciplines
3. Support for the Elderly: Projects addressing the needs of older people
4. Underserved and Vulnerable Communities: Support for vulnerable people in London and beyond

The foundation also maintains support for causes close to the Salters' hearts, including military affiliates and educational establishments.

What They Don't Fund

Explicit exclusions are not detailed in publicly available materials. However, implied restrictions include:

• Organizations with annual income over £1 million (eligibility criterion)
• Projects outside Greater London without national reach or connection to Salters' affiliates
• Non-registered charities or non-CIOs

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Governance and Leadership

Trustee: The Salters' Company

Governance Structure: The Court of Assistants acts as trustee of the Company's charities. The Charities Committee considers and recommends charitable giving policy to the Court and is responsible for overseeing the operation of the Salters' Charitable Foundation.

Committee Chair: Matthew serves as the current Chair of the Charities Committee. He has been involved with the Salters' Company since 1996, was elected Renter in 2020, and joined the Court of Assistants in 2021.

Management Board: Consists of the Master and Wardens, the Renter, and the Chairmen of various Committees, providing overall leadership for the organization.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

The foundation operates through an Expression of Interest (EOI) system for major project grants.

Expression of Interest Requirements (maximum 250 words):

• Brief summary of your charity's mission
• Overview of the project seeking funding
• Intended outcomes and how they align with funding priorities
• Total project cost and funding amount requested
• Organization website link
• Most recent annual accounts

Submission: Email EOI to charities@salters.co.uk

Application Portal: No online application system; applications submitted via email

Decision Timeline

• EOI Deadline: Periodic deadlines (recent example: January deadline)
• Committee Review: The Charities Committee meets to review EOIs (recent example: May 2025 meeting)
• Two-Stage Process: Successful EOIs are invited to submit a more detailed application
• Total Timeline: Several months from initial EOI to final decision

Success Rates

Success rates are not publicly disclosed. The foundation does not publish statistics on the number of applications received versus grants awarded.

Reapplication Policy

No specific reapplication policy or waiting period is detailed in publicly available materials. Applicants should contact the foundation directly for guidance on reapplication after an unsuccessful submission.

Application Success Factors

While the foundation does not publish extensive guidance on what makes applications successful, research suggests the following factors are important:

Demonstrate Clear Community Need: The foundation's website emphasizes organizations should “demonstrate a clear need for the project and work closely with the communities they aim to support.”

Strong Evaluation Plans: The foundation values organizations with “robust outcome monitoring and evaluation plans” and “a well-thought-out plan for monitoring and evaluating the outcomes of their work.”

Alignment with Priority Themes: Clearly articulate how your project aligns with one or more of the four priority themes (London citizenship & community development, education—particularly science, support for the elderly, or support for vulnerable communities).

Greater London Focus: Projects operating in Greater London are preferred, though organizations with national reach supporting local communities may also be considered.

Science Education Connection: Given the Salters' Company's 600-year association with chemistry and science, projects with a science education component may have particular appeal.

Organizational Size: As the foundation targets registered charities and CIOs with annual income under £1 million, emphasize how grant funding will make a meaningful impact for an organization of your size.

Concise Communication: The 250-word EOI limit requires applicants to communicate clearly and concisely—practice distilling your project to its essential elements.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Target the right size organization: This funder specifically seeks smaller charities with income under £1 million—ideal for small to medium-sized organizations where £10,000 can make significant impact
• London location matters: Geographic focus on Greater London is strong; if you're outside London, emphasize national reach with local community impact
• Science education is a sweet spot: The Salters' Company's 600-year connection to chemistry means science education projects may have particular resonance
• Flexibility in funding type: The foundation offers project grants, core support, and multi-year funding—consider what best fits your organizational needs
• Two-stage process requires patience: Plan for a multi-month timeline from EOI to final decision, with committee meetings occurring periodically
• Evaluation plans matter: Demonstrate you have robust plans to monitor and evaluate outcomes—this is explicitly highlighted in their ideal applicant profile
• Personal connections may help: Discretionary grants go to organizations with connections to Salters' members—networking with the Salters' Company community could open doors

References

• The Salters' Charitable Foundation - The Salters' Company
• Charity Commission Register - Salters' Charitable Foundation (328258)
• Governance - The Salters' Company
• Master, Wardens and Renter - The Salters' Company
• FUNDING: Salters' Charitable Foundation - Richmond CVS
• Funding opportunity: The Salters Charitable Foundation - Redbridge Chamber of Commerce
• The Salters' Institute - The Salters' Company

Research conducted: December 28, 2025