The Blavatsky Trust

Charity Number: 268913

Annual Expenditure: £0.2M

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £203,613 (2023-24)
  • Annual Income: £79,509 (primarily from investments)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly available
  • Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed
  • Grant Range: Varies (individual PhD grants to multi-year institutional support)
  • Geographic Focus: UK and international (Denmark, Netherlands, Israel)

Contact Details

  • Website: www.blavatskytrust.org.uk
  • Email: info@blavatskytrust.org.uk
  • Phone: 020 7563 9811
  • Address: Contact via website
  • Charity Number: 268913

Overview

The Blavatsky Trust was founded on 15 November 1974 by Geoffrey Farthing, Christmas Humphreys, and Graham Nicholas. As a registered UK charity, the Trust holds investments with CCLA generating approximately £80,000 annually, though it consistently spends more than this on charitable activities (£203,613 in 2023-24, creating a deficit). The Trust's mission is to “advance education in and promote or further the study of or research into religion, philosophy and science,” with a specific focus on disseminating the teachings of Helena Petrovna Blavatsky and promoting academic study of Theosophy and Western Esotericism. The Trust has been instrumental in establishing and supporting academic programs in Western Esotericism at major universities, including previously at the University of Exeter and currently at the University of Copenhagen. Recent activities include inaugurating the European School of Theosophy conference series, with the first held June 1-2, 2024 at The London Museum Barbican, attracting students and academics worldwide.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Trust does not operate formal grant programs with published amounts. Instead, it provides strategic, ongoing support to key initiatives:

  • Academic Research Grants: Individual grants to MRes and PhD candidates (University of Wales, Amsterdam, and others)
  • Institutional Support: Multi-year funding for the Copenhagen Centre for the Study of Theosophy and Esotericism at the University of Copenhagen
  • Conference Funding: Support for the European School of Theosophy and the International Theosophical History Conference
  • Media Production: Funding for documentary films on theosophical subjects, including work by Tim Wyatt on “The Myth of Death”
  • Post-Doctoral Research: Grants for post-PhD research (recent example: academic based in Israel)

Priority Areas

The Trust focuses exclusively on:

  • Academic Study of Theosophy: University-level research, postgraduate programs, and doctoral research in Theosophy and Western Esotericism
  • Educational Programs: Conferences, lectures, seminars, and events related to theosophical teachings
  • Publishing and Media: Books, documentary films, and digital resources that disseminate theosophical knowledge
  • Preservation of Original Teachings: Projects that maintain “theosophical teachings in their original pure form” and disseminate H.P. Blavatsky's writings

The Trust emphasizes maintaining educational initiatives “at as high a level as possible” and supports work that explores the intersection of religion, philosophy, and science through a theosophical lens.

What They Don't Fund

Based on their stated objectives and funding patterns:

  • Projects unrelated to Theosophy, Western Esotericism, or H.P. Blavatsky's teachings
  • General religious or spiritual programs without theosophical focus
  • Undergraduate studies (focus is postgraduate and research level)
  • Commercial ventures
  • Individual theosophical societies' operational costs (though they support specific educational programs)
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Governance and Leadership

The Trust is governed by 4 trustees, with Ms J M Hoult serving as Chair of Trustees. Note that one or more trustees receive payments or benefits from the charity for providing services.

Notable Past Trustees:

  • Geoffrey Farthing (1909-2004): Co-founder who established the Trust's foundational vision
  • Christmas Humphreys: Co-founder, prominent British Buddhist and judge
  • Graham Nicholas: Co-founder
  • Colin Price (1933-2022): Former Trustee and Chairman who served for over 10 years, and Past National President of the Theosophical Society in England (1999-2008)

The Trust operates with minimal administrative overhead, directing the majority of its resources toward charitable activities. The trustees maintain a strategic approach focused on long-term support for key institutions rather than dispersed small grants.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

The Blavatsky Trust does not have a public application process. Grants appear to be awarded through trustee discretion and pre-existing relationships with academic institutions and individuals working in the field of Theosophy and Western Esotericism.

The Trust's funding strategy focuses on:

  • Long-term relationships with established academic centers
  • Supporting known scholars and researchers in the field
  • Strategically selected projects aligned with their mission
  • Invitation-based or relationship-based funding decisions

Organizations and individuals seeking support should contact the Trust directly at info@blavatskytrust.org.uk to discuss potential alignment with the Trust's objectives.

Getting on Their Radar

The Blavatsky Trust identifies grant recipients through established networks in theosophical and academic communities:

  • Academic Networks: The Trust has established relationships with universities offering programs in Western Esotericism and maintains connections with scholars in this specialized field. Researchers working at or connected to the Copenhagen Centre for the Study of Theosophy and Esotericism or similar programs are more likely to be known to the Trust.
  • Theosophical History Conference: The Trust funds the International Theosophical History Conference, which serves as a gathering point for academics and researchers in this field. Presenting research at this conference could provide visibility to the Trust's trustees.
  • European School of Theosophy: The Trust inaugurated and supports this conference series. The first conference (June 1-2, 2024) attracted students and academics globally, suggesting this is a key venue where the Trust identifies promising work and researchers.
  • Theosophical Society Networks: Given the founding trustees' connections to theosophical organizations and the Trust's mission, involvement with established theosophical societies and their educational programs may provide pathways to the Trust's attention.

Decision Timeline

Not publicly disclosed. Given the Trust's approach of supporting ongoing institutional relationships and individual researchers, decisions likely occur on an ad-hoc basis as opportunities arise and as trustees identify worthy projects rather than following a fixed calendar.

Success Rates

Not available. The Trust does not publish data on applications received versus grants awarded.

Reapplication Policy

Not specified. Given the absence of a formal application process, there is no documented reapplication policy.

Application Success Factors

Since the Trust operates without a public application process, success factors are based on observed funding patterns:

Demonstrated Academic Rigor: All funded projects show serious academic credentials - postgraduate research, university-affiliated programs, and scholarly conferences. The Trust supported the establishment of the MA in Western Esotericism at the University of Exeter and continues supporting the Copenhagen Centre, indicating preference for institutionally-grounded work.

Alignment with Original Theosophical Teachings: The Trust website emphasizes maintaining “theosophical teachings in their original pure form” and advancing knowledge of H.P. Blavatsky's writings specifically. Projects that explore Blavatsky's work or contribute to understanding historical Theosophy appear more likely to receive support than those focused on modern interpretations or new-age adaptations.

Long-term Strategic Value: Rather than making many small grants, the Trust commits to multi-year support of key institutions and programs (e.g., ongoing funding for Copenhagen Centre, European School of Theosophy conferences, International Theosophical History Conference). This suggests they favor projects with sustainable impact over one-off initiatives.

Educational Impact at Highest Level: The Trust explicitly states its aim to support education “at as high a level as possible.” Funded projects include PhD research, postdoctoral work, and university-level programs rather than introductory or popular education.

Specific Examples of Funded Work:

  • MRes candidate at University of Wales researching H.P. Blavatsky's “The Voice of the Silence” (later deferred PhD to write a book)
  • PhD candidate in Amsterdam (one-off grant)
  • Post-PhD researcher based in Israel (January-July 2024)
  • Documentary film “The Myth of Death” by Tim Wyatt, exploring changing attitudes about death and rebirth
  • European School of Theosophy inaugural conference at London Museum Barbican

Networking and Visibility: Given the relationship-based approach, researchers presenting at Trust-supported conferences or affiliated with institutions the Trust already supports have natural pathways to visibility with trustees.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No public application process exists - building relationships through theosophical and academic networks is essential. Direct contact via info@blavatskytrust.org.uk is the only documented pathway.
  • Academic credentials are critical - the Trust supports postgraduate and doctoral research at established universities, not general interest or popular education projects.
  • Focus on Blavatsky and historical Theosophy - the Trust exists to disseminate H.P. Blavatsky's original writings and maintain theosophical teachings in their “pure form,” not to fund modern spiritual movements or new-age interpretations.
  • Think strategically and long-term - with annual giving of over £200,000 but relatively few recipients, the Trust makes substantial, sustained commitments rather than dispersed small grants. Demonstrate how your work will have lasting impact on the field.
  • International scope but UK-based - while the Trust supports work in Denmark, Netherlands, Israel, and elsewhere, it operates from the UK and appears most active in European academic contexts.
  • Conference attendance matters - the International Theosophical History Conference and European School of Theosophy are Trust-funded venues where trustees likely scout for promising work and researchers.
  • Financial sustainability concerns - the Trust spent £203,613 in 2023-24 against income of only £79,509, creating a significant deficit. While this demonstrates strong commitment to their mission, it may indicate they're carefully prioritizing projects and unlikely to take on many new commitments without exceptional alignment.

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