The Benson And Lionel Black Charitable Trust

Charity Number: 1061764

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Quick Stats

  • Charity Number: 1061764
  • Annual Giving: Data not publicly available
  • Geographic Focus: UK, with emphasis on Jewish community causes
  • Grant Range: Not publicly disclosed
  • Application Process: No public application process - trustee discretion only

Contact Details

Contact information is not publicly available. The trust is registered with the UK Charity Commission under charity number 1061764.

Overview

The Benson and Lionel Black Charitable Trust is a private family charitable trust established and controlled by Keith Black, a prominent businessman and Jewish community leader, along with members of his family. Keith Black is the chairman and chief executive of Regatta outdoor clothing group and has served as chair of UJIA Manchester and chair of the Jewish Leadership Council since 2022. His father, Lionel Black, was a well-respected chair of JIA (the forerunner to UJIA) in Manchester before being made life president. The trust operates with the stated purpose of “distributing trust funds for general charitable purposes,” with documented support for Jewish community organizations and causes in the UK. This is a private trust that makes grants to organizations selected by the trustees rather than through an open public application process.

Funding Priorities

Grant Activity

The trust makes grants at the discretion of the trustees. Known beneficiaries include:

  • BICOM (Britain Israel Communications and Research Centre): Received £5,000 in both 2009 and 2010
  • Jewish Care: The trust is listed as a patron of this major UK Jewish charity

Priority Areas

Based on known grants and the trustees' affiliations, the trust appears to prioritize:

  • Jewish community organizations and causes
  • Organizations supporting the UK-Israel relationship
  • Manchester Jewish community initiatives
  • Causes aligned with the trustees' interests in Jewish education, welfare, and community development

What They Don't Fund

As a private discretionary trust, they do not accept unsolicited applications from organizations unknown to the trustees.

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Governance and Leadership

Trustees:

  • Keith Black: Prominent businessman, chairman and CEO of Regatta outdoor clothing group. Former chair of UJIA Manchester and current chair of the Jewish Leadership Council (since January 2022). Keith spent many years working for UJIA, helped found and run Mili young leadership, and eventually became chair of the Main Manchester campaign. He recalls his early days at UJIA spending “Monday nights going around raising money for Israel.”
  • Joanne Black: Also serves as trustee of The Regatta Foundation and Jewish Women's Aid Limited
  • Tania Henrietta Black: Also serves as trustee of The JEM Charitable Trust
  • Nick Young

The Black family has a long tradition of Jewish communal leadership and philanthropy. Keith Black's father, Lionel Black, after whom the trust is partially named, was chair of JIA (UJIA's forerunner) in Manchester before being made life president, demonstrating multi-generational commitment to Jewish causes.

Keith Black has stated: "I'm a businessman – I enjoy improving how things work," reflecting his practical approach to both business and philanthropy.

How to Apply to The Benson And Lionel Black Charitable Trust

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process. The Benson and Lionel Black Charitable Trust is a private family charitable trust that makes grants at the discretion of the trustees to organizations and causes they select. Grants appear to be made to organizations with which the trustees have existing relationships or knowledge, particularly within the Jewish community sector.

The trust does not accept unsolicited applications, does not have published grant guidelines, and does not operate an open grants program.

Getting on Their Radar

The trustees have deep connections within the Manchester Jewish community and broader UK Jewish organizational landscape. Organizations that may come to the trustees' attention are typically those:

  • Operating within the Manchester Jewish community where the Black family has multi-generational roots
  • Working in areas of Jewish education, welfare, and community support
  • Involved in UK-Israel relationship building (Keith Black's long association with UJIA and known support for BICOM)
  • Connected through the Jewish Leadership Council network (Keith Black serves as chair)
  • Associated with organizations where the trustees serve in other capacities (e.g., Jewish Care, Jewish Women's Aid, The JEM Charitable Trust)

Application Success Factors

Given the private nature of this trust, success in receiving funding appears to depend on:

  • Existing relationships: The trust supports organizations known to and trusted by the trustees, particularly those within the Jewish community sector where the Black family has operated for generations.
  • Alignment with trustees' interests: Organizations working in areas where the trustees are personally involved (Jewish community development, Israel advocacy, Jewish education and welfare) are more likely to be considered.
  • Manchester connections: The Black family has deep roots in Manchester's Jewish community dating back multiple generations, with Keith Black having chaired UJIA Manchester and his father Lionel having led JIA Manchester.
  • Trustee board connections: Organizations where family members serve as trustees or patrons (Jewish Care, Jewish Women's Aid, The JEM Charitable Trust, The Regatta Foundation) represent the types of causes the trust may support.
  • Jewish community infrastructure: The trust appears to favor established Jewish communal organizations rather than individual projects or new initiatives.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • This is a private family trust that does not accept unsolicited grant applications - there is no application form, deadline, or public grants program
  • The trust makes grants to organizations selected by the trustees, primarily within the Jewish community sector
  • Funding decisions are made at trustee discretion based on their knowledge of organizations and alignment with their philanthropic interests
  • The Black family has multi-generational leadership in Manchester's Jewish community and UK Jewish organizations (UJIA, JLC)
  • Organizations already known to the trustees through communal networks, particularly in Manchester, are most likely to receive support
  • The trust is separate from but related to The Regatta Foundation (also established by Keith and Joanne Black), which has a broader charitable remit
  • For organizations seeking funding, building relationships within the Manchester Jewish community and UK Jewish organizational networks may be more valuable than direct approaches to this trust

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References

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