The Bentham-moxon Trust

Charity Number: 305966

Annual Expenditure: £0.1M

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £100,000 (in small grants) + additional restricted funds
  • Success Rate: 71% (35 awards from 49 applications in 2022)
  • Decision Time: Applications reviewed annually in November
  • Grant Range: £1,800 - £5,500 (typical small grants)
  • Geographic Focus: Global (with emphasis on conservation priority regions)

Contact Details

Website: https://www.kew.org/about-us/who-we-are/bentham-moxon-trust

Email: bmtrust@kew.org (general enquiries) / j.alsop@kew.org (Jennifer Alsop, contact person)

Phone: 020 8332 5222

Address: Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, TW9 3AE

Overview

The Bentham-Moxon Trust was founded in 1984 by combining several charitable trusts, the earliest of which was established in 1884 with George Bentham's bequest. The Trust's mission is to provide financial support for plant and fungal collection, research, and education that furthers the work of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. With total income of approximately £243,000 annually (2024), the Trust distributes around £100,000 in unrestricted funds to support 30-50 individual small grants each year. Additionally, over half of the Trust's funds are restricted by donor wishes, with the largest being the Krukoff Fund which supports African Botany. The Trust funds the Curator of African Botany position at Kew and provides a bursary for the MSc in Plant and Fungal Taxonomy, Diversity and Conservation at Queen Mary University of London. The Trust no longer actively seeks new funds but uses existing investments to make grants.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Small Grants Programme: £1,800 - £5,500 (annual deadline: 30 September; awards announced: November)

  • Plant and fungal collection and field research expeditions
  • Travel to botanical and mycological institutions for research
  • Travel to and presenting at conferences
  • Capacity building for overseas botanists and mycologists visiting/training at Kew

B.A. Krukoff Fellowship Bursary: £20,000 + up to £5,000 for visa/travel costs (from restricted Krukoff Fund)

  • Monthly stipend for MSc in Plant and Fungal Taxonomy with focus on tropical African botany
  • Covers accommodation, subsistence, daily travel, and fieldtrip costs

Wildflower Preservation Fund: Marjorie Hurley Fund supports wildflower preservation at Kew Gardens and Wakehurst

Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew School of Horticulture: Awards for third-year students' field study courses and Stella Ross-Craig Travel Scholarships

Priority Areas

Research Focus:

  • Plant and fungal taxonomy and systematics
  • Field collecting expeditions with conservation impact
  • Projects aligned with Kew's Scientific Priorities 2021-2030:
  • Ecosystem Stewardship (protection of biodiversity)
  • Trait Diversity and Function (understanding variety and evolution)
  • Digital Revolution (digitising collections)
  • Accelerated Taxonomy (using new technologies to characterize species)
  • Enhanced Partnerships (global scientific collaborations)

Geographic Priorities:

  • African botany (through Krukoff Fund)
  • Conservation priority regions globally
  • Tropical biodiversity hotspots

Special Interests:

  • Expeditions with conservation impact
  • Capacity building for overseas botanists and mycologists
  • Taxonomic groups of conservation concern (e.g., waxcaps)
  • Underrepresented fungal diversity

What They Don't Fund

  • Projects not aligned with Kew's Scientific Priorities, Living Collections Strategy, or Corporate Plan (Manifesto for Change 2021-2030)
  • Full expedition costs (matched funding encouraged)
  • Salary costs for overseas visiting botanists/mycologists (home institutions expected to cover)
  • Individuals without Kew affiliation (staff, honorary researchers, registered students) or Kew support
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Governance and Leadership

Trustee Structure:

  • 5 Trustees total
  • One trustee determined by the Director of Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
  • Remaining trustees appointed by the Bentham-Moxon Board of Trustees
  • No trustees receive remuneration

Management:

  • Trustees meet twice yearly (June and November)
  • November meeting reviews grant applications
  • All trustees participate in grant decisions
  • Day-to-day management delegated to Secretary/Treasurer
  • Financial transactions require two signatories from four authorized signatories (three trustees plus Secretary/Treasurer)
  • Board uses skills matrix to identify gaps and target trustee recruitment

Key Contact:

  • Jennifer Alsop (contact person): j.alsop@kew.org

Decision-Making Philosophy:

The Trustees emphasize supporting expeditions with conservation impact and assess proposals for clear contribution to Kew's scientific priorities. In 2022, they approved 35 grants from 49 applications, demonstrating selective but accessible funding.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

Applications must be submitted by 30 September annually for projects running in the following year. The Trust operates on a fixed annual cycle with grants awarded in November.

Eligibility Requirements:

  • Kew staff: Require written support from line manager
  • Kew honorary researchers: Require letter of support from Kew sponsor
  • Kew registered students: Require letter of support from Kew supervisor
  • Overseas botanists/mycologists: Application made by Kew staff member on their behalf; home institution expected to cover salary

Application Components:

  • Detailed project proposal
  • Summary of proposal (maximum 200 words) in clear, non-specialist language
  • Clear explanation of proposed outputs (publications, talks, blogs, newsletter articles)
  • Demonstration of contribution to Kew's Scientific Priorities 2021-2030, Living Collections Strategy, and/or Corporate Plan
  • Up-to-date costs for travel and car hire if applicable
  • List of other funding sources approached or secured (matched funding encouraged)
  • Supporting letter from appropriate Kew personnel

Application Contact:

Email: bmtrust@kew.org

Decision Timeline

  • Application deadline: 30 September
  • Trustee review meeting: November
  • Awards announced: November (for following year's projects)
  • Project period: Typically January to March of following year (15 months after application)
  • Reporting: Expenditure statement and short project report required after project completion
  • Symposium: Grant recipients may be invited to present at Trust's annual Symposium

Success Rates

In 2022, the Trust received 49 applications and approved 35 awards, representing a 71% success rate. Total grant spending in 2022 was £171,935.

In 2023, trustees contributed towards seven of Kew's research projects running in 2024/25, distributed across continents: one in Africa, one in Asia, one in Europe, one in North America, and three in South America.

Reapplication Policy

The available documentation does not specify a formal reapplication policy for unsuccessful applicants. Given the annual cycle, applicants appear able to resubmit in subsequent years, though this should be confirmed with the Trust directly.

Application Success Factors

Alignment with Kew's Scientific Priorities:

Applications must demonstrate clear contribution to Kew's Scientific Priorities 2021-2030, which include: Ecosystem Stewardship, Trait Diversity and Function, Digital Revolution, Accelerated Taxonomy, and Enhanced Partnerships. The Trustees specifically assess how proposals align with these priorities, the Living Collections Strategy, and the Corporate Plan (Manifesto for Change 2021-2030).

Conservation Impact:

“The Trustees are keen to support expeditions that have a conservation impact.” Projects should articulate clear conservation outcomes beyond pure academic research.

Clear Communication:

The Trust requires proposals using “clear and concise language throughout” with a summary (maximum 200 words) that is “clearly understandable to a non-specialist audience.” This suggests trustees value accessibility and broader impact over technical jargon.

Realistic Budgeting:

Applicants are asked to “obtain up-to-date costs for travel and car hire” and to list other funding sources. The Trust's “discretionary funds are relatively small and individual grant awards are fairly modest, with matched funding encouraged.” Successful applicants demonstrate they've sought comprehensive funding solutions.

Defined Outputs:

“Proposed project outputs should be clearly explained, such as publications planned, talks proposed, or blogs/newsletter articles written.” The Trust wants to see how research will be disseminated and used.

Examples of Recently Funded Projects (2023 awards for 2024/25):

  • Anna Haigh: £5,500 for fieldwork in Bolivia on “Araceae and Ferns of the cloud forests of Bolivia”
  • Mark Nesbitt: £3,620 to part-fund a two-week visit for New Zealand visitors to Kew for “Revitalising tikumu use through museum collections”
  • Projects on systematics and evolution of Bulbostylis Kunth (Cyperaceae) in the Neotropics

Institutional Connection:

All applicants must have formal Kew affiliation or sponsorship. Applications from overseas botanists must be made by a Kew staff member on their behalf, demonstrating the importance of building relationships with Kew personnel before applying.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Kew connection is mandatory: You must be Kew staff, an honorary researcher, a registered student, or have a Kew staff member apply on your behalf. Build these relationships early.
  • 71% success rate is encouraging: With 35 grants from 49 applications in 2022, this is a relatively accessible funder compared to many grant programs.
  • Think modest and matched: Individual grants typically range £1,800-£5,500. Position your request as part of a broader funding strategy and demonstrate other sources.
  • Conservation impact matters: Beyond academic merit, articulate clear conservation outcomes and align with Kew's mission to “protect plants and fungi for the wellbeing of people and the future of all life on Earth.”
  • Write for non-specialists: The 200-word summary must be understandable to non-specialists, suggesting trustees value broader relevance over technical complexity.
  • Plan 15 months ahead: Applications close 30 September for projects starting January-March of the year after next, requiring significant advance planning.
  • Align explicitly with Kew's five priorities: Specifically reference Ecosystem Stewardship, Trait Diversity and Function, Digital Revolution, Accelerated Taxonomy, or Enhanced Partnerships in your proposal.

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