The Barakat Trust

Charity Number: 1176631

Annual Expenditure: £0.3M

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £270,000+ (based on 2021 expenditure data)
  • Success Rate: Highly competitive - receives more applications than can be funded
  • Decision Time: 8-9 weeks (results announced late May for March 31 deadline)
  • Grant Range: £1,500 - £25,000
  • Geographic Focus: International (funded projects in 40+ countries)

Contact Details

  • Website: http://www.barakat.org
  • Email: info@barakat.org (general enquiries), applications@barakat.org (grant queries)
  • Phone: 020 7832 1327
  • Pre-application Support: Q&A sessions held in English and Arabic between January-March annually (register via Events Page)

Overview

The Barakat Trust was founded as a UK registered charity in 1987 by Hamida A. Alireza, Shahnaz Bagherzade, and Tarik Alireza. Over almost 40 years, the Trust has supported over 800 projects across more than 40 countries. The charity works to protect, promote, and study the art, architecture, and heritage of the Islamic world through grant-making for educational and heritage purposes. The Trust provides scholarships and grants for study and research projects at post-graduate and post-doctoral level, as well as funding for conservation, archaeological excavations, museum exhibitions, publications, digitization, training programmes, conferences, and public engagement work. The organization supports individual and institutional efforts to promote and preserve artistic culture and heritage related to the Islamic world at the world's most respected academic and cultural institutions. The Trust operates under charity number 1176631 (registered as CIO in 2018, receiving funds from predecessor charity 1136842 in 2023).

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

A1 - Barakat International Studentship: Up to £25,000 for a Muslim student from the Islamic world for taught Masters courses in Islamic art history, architecture, archaeology, or material culture. Fixed annual deadline: March 31.

A2 - Barakat Postgraduate Student & Early Career Award: Up to £1,500-£2,000 towards travel costs for fieldwork, research and study for postgraduate students and early career professionals/scholars (doctorate awarded after June 30, 2018). Fixed annual deadline: March 31.

A3 - Barakat Major Awards (Two-stage process): Up to £10,000 for established scholars, curators, and heritage professionals for fieldwork, research, exhibitions, conservation, documentation, and training projects. Expression of Interest deadline: February 15; Full Application deadline: March 15.

A4 - Barakat Postdoctoral Scholarship: £18,000-£20,000 for Muslim post-doctoral scholars to reside in Oxford for nine months for research or publication preparation. Fixed annual deadline: March 31.

A5 - Barakat Senior Scholar: £10,000 for established scholars to reside in Oxford for three months. Fixed annual deadline: March 31.

Iradj Bagherzade Publication Grants: Up to £6,000 towards costs of major publications on Islamic art, architecture, and material culture. Fixed annual deadline: March 31.

Hands on Islamic Art Awards: £8,000 plus in-kind support for UK-based projects using Islamic art collections to foster greater public understanding. Fixed annual deadline: March 31.

Digital Projects: Up to £10,000 towards making available online data or images relating to major Islamic art collections. Fixed annual deadline: March 31.

Priority Areas

  • Research into history of art, architecture, archaeology, and material culture of Islamic societies (pre-1920 CE)
  • Archaeological fieldwork and investigation of the Islamic world
  • Conservation, preservation, restoration, and presentation of artefacts, buildings, and archaeological sites
  • Museum and library work including documentation, presentation, digitisation of archives and collections
  • Training of conservation and curatorial staff
  • Events furthering research: colloquia, conferences, lectures, seminars, workshops, exhibitions
  • Public engagement projects that use collections to foster greater understanding about Islamic cultures
  • For archaeology projects: typically first year/start-up grants, or clearly-defined components within larger investigations

What They Don't Fund

  • Applications linked to sanctioned countries, individuals, or affiliated parties
  • Direct payments to personal bank accounts (grants must be paid to institutions)
  • Projects outside the scope of Islamic art, architecture, archaeology, and material culture pre-1920 CE
  • Incomplete or late applications
  • Applications without two referee letters by the deadline
  • Applications submitted on incorrect forms
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Governance and Leadership

Director: Seif El Rashidi - architectural historian with 20 years expertise in heritage preservation and managing projects promoting public engagement with heritage and culture.

Trustees:

  • Hamida A. Alireza - Co-founder (1987), responsible for fund management and cultural events
  • Shahnaz Bagherzade - Co-founder (1987), holds MPhil in Islamic Art & Architecture from Oxford University
  • Sara A. Alireza - Trustee since 2005
  • Mustafa Hussain - Over two decades financial experience, Chair of Board for Accuro Group
  • Rabya Alfadl - Graduate in Psychology from Wellesley College, completed executive management courses at LSE
  • Faye Behbehani - Independent cultural and heritage consultant, master's in History of Art and Architecture of Islamic Middle East from SOAS

Academic Advisory Committee: Reviews grant applications and annually defines categories and values of awards.

Quote from Director: Seif El Rashidi stated, "The Barakat Trust is very happy to showcase the stories of heritage and community in Gaza on the Google Arts & Culture platform," demonstrating the Trust's commitment to making Islamic heritage accessible to global audiences.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

  1. Review eligibility: Carefully read “Who Can Apply” and “Types of Grants we support” pages on the website before applying
  2. Read FAQs: Review frequently asked questions; if uncertain about relevance, contact the Trust or register for Q&A sessions
  3. Download correct form: Each grant category has its own specific application form - only correct forms will be considered
  4. Gather documents: Collect all supporting documents specified on the application form
  5. Secure references: Arrange for two referees to send letters - applications without two references by deadline will not be accepted
  6. Submit as PDF: Save completed forms and supporting documents as PDFs, naming files with your name and document type
  7. Special process for A3: For Major Awards, submit Expression of Interest Form by February 15; shortlisted applicants receive full application form with March 15 deadline

Decision Timeline

  • Application opens: January 1 annually
  • Most categories close: March 31 at midnight GMT
  • A3 Expression of Interest: February 15
  • A3 Full Application: March 15 (for shortlisted applicants only)
  • Assessment period: Applications reviewed for completeness, criteria alignment, and timeliness
  • Results announced: Late May
  • Notification method: All applicants informed in writing

Success Rates

The Trust receives more applications for excellent and deserving projects than it can fund each year. While specific percentage success rates are not published, the Trust has supported over 800 projects in nearly 40 years across 40+ countries. The competitive nature is emphasized throughout their guidance, with applicants strongly encouraged to apply to multiple funding bodies rather than relying solely on The Barakat Trust.

Reapplication Policy

Unsuccessful applicants may reapply one year from the date The Barakat Trust received their original complete application. Applicants are encouraged to contact the Trust to request feedback on their unsuccessful application before reapplying, which can help strengthen future submissions.

Application Success Factors

Specific Advice from the Funder

  • Contact before applying: Prospective applicants unsure about relevance of their proposed course of study are “strongly advised” to contact the Trust before applying
  • Attend Q&A sessions: The Trust holds six Q&A sessions (English and Arabic) between January-March where applicants can ask questions about grants and the application process
  • Apply to multiple funders: The Trust explicitly states they receive more deserving applications than they can fund and “strongly encourage” applicants to apply to as many funding bodies as possible
  • Use correct forms: Only applications submitted using the correct form for each category will be considered
  • Meet deadlines: Incomplete or late applications cannot be considered - no exceptions
  • Two references required: Applications not supported by two referees before the deadline will not be accepted

Assessment Criteria

Principal criterion: Academic merit and significance

Other criteria include:

  • Budget appropriateness
  • Feasibility of the project
  • Dissemination of results plans

Project Examples

Documenting Historic Buildings in Girga, Egypt (2023): Emergency project to safeguard historic buildings in Girga, an important medieval pilgrimage site. The project established preservation priorities for remaining historic buildings, demonstrating the Trust's support for urgent conservation needs and documentation work.

Language and Terminology

The Trust uses inclusive language around “Islamic world” and “Islamic societies” rather than narrower geographic terms. They emphasize:

  • Heritage “produced by Islamic societies” or “produced in or for the Islamic world”
  • “Material and visual cultures of Islamic societies”
  • Pre-1920 CE timeframe for historical focus
  • Accessibility and public engagement with diverse audiences
  • Training and capacity building for conservation professionals and curators

Standing Out

  • Demonstrate clear academic merit and significance
  • Show feasibility with realistic budgets
  • Include strong dissemination plans
  • For archaeology: clearly define start-up phases or specific sub-projects within larger investigations
  • For institutional applicants: emphasize scholar affiliation with recognized research institutions, museums, or libraries
  • For payment arrangements: identify institutional channels (Trust cannot pay personal bank accounts)
  • Address both preservation and accessibility/public engagement where relevant

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Fixed annual cycle: All applications due March 31 (except A3 Major Awards with February 15 Expression of Interest) - plan well in advance
  • Academic merit paramount: The principal assessment criterion is academic merit and significance, not just project need
  • Institutional affiliation essential: Awards cannot be paid to personal accounts - have an institutional partner identified before applying
  • Two references non-negotiable: Applications without two referee letters by deadline will not be considered
  • Highly competitive: Over 800 projects funded in 40 years suggests selective grantmaking - apply to multiple funders
  • Reapplication possible: Can reapply one year after original submission; seek feedback to strengthen future applications
  • Pre-application support available: Use Q&A sessions and direct contact for eligibility questions - the Trust encourages this
  • Geographic flexibility: International focus with funding across 40+ countries - location not a barrier if project aligns with mission
  • Zakat considerations: Some grant categories restricted to Muslim applicants due to religious nature of some funding sources
  • Compliance critical: Strict adherence to sanctions compliance - any links to sanctioned entities result in automatic exclusion

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References