The Brenley Trust

Charity Number: 1151128

Annual Expenditure: £0.6M

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £638,012 (FY ending January 2025)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly available
  • Decision Time: Not publicly specified
  • Grant Range: Not publicly specified (evidence of grants from £40,000+ matching funds)
  • Geographic Focus: United Kingdom and Southern Africa

Contact Details

Address: 17 Princes Drive, Oxshott, Leatherhead, Surrey, KT22 0UL

Phone: 01372 841801

Email: patrick.riley@btinternet.com

Charity Number: 1151128

Overview

The Brenley Trust was registered as a charity in 2013 and operates as a private grant-making trust with significant investment assets. With total income of £1,704,222 (including £1,657,774 in investment gains) and charitable expenditure of £638,012 in the financial year ending January 2025, the trust focuses on supporting independent charities and individuals working to reduce poverty and hardship and improve education. The trust maintains a strong geographic focus on both the United Kingdom and Southern Africa, demonstrating this commitment through substantial support for education and literacy initiatives, particularly in South African communities. The trust is managed by three trustees who serve without remuneration, reflecting a commitment to directing maximum resources toward charitable impact.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Brenley Trust makes grants to both organizations and individuals. Specific grant programs include:

  • General Charitable Grants: Amount not specified - supporting registered charities working in priority areas
  • Individual Grants: Supporting individuals experiencing poverty and hardship
  • Challenge/Matching Grants: The trust has provided significant matching funding for campaigns such as The Big Give Christmas Challenge (£40,000 matching pot in partnership with The Waterloo Foundation)
  • Strategic Partnership Grants: Multi-year support for organizations aligned with the trust's mission (e.g., help2read, Parents in Need)

Priority Areas

The trust actively funds work in the following areas:

  • Education and Training: Literacy programs, educational access, and skills development particularly for disadvantaged children and young people
  • Prevention and Relief of Poverty: Supporting individuals and families experiencing hardship
  • Advancement of Health and Saving Lives: Healthcare initiatives and life-saving interventions
  • Overseas Aid and Famine Relief: Development and emergency relief work particularly in Southern Africa
  • Children and Young People: Programs specifically benefiting young people in the UK and Southern Africa

What They Don't Fund

Specific exclusions are not publicly documented. However, the trust's focus is clearly on:

  • UK and Southern African causes (other geographic areas unlikely to be funded)
  • Charitable organizations and individuals (not commercial ventures)
  • Work aligned with poverty reduction and education improvement
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Governance and Leadership

Trustees

The trust is governed by three trustees who receive no remuneration, payments, or benefits from the charity. Patrick Riley serves as a trustee and primary contact for the organization.

Organizational Structure

  • No employees with benefits over £60,000
  • No trading subsidiaries
  • Lean operational structure with charitable expenditure representing 95% of total spending (£638,012 of £673,172)

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

The Brenley Trust does not have a public application process or detailed application guidelines available online. The trust appears to identify beneficiaries through:

  • Trustee discretion and existing networks
  • Strategic partnerships with organizations aligned with their mission
  • Participation in collaborative funding initiatives (such as The Big Give matching campaigns)
  • Direct relationships with beneficiary organizations

To approach the trust: Applications should be made in writing to Patrick Riley at patrick.riley@btinternet.com or by telephone at 01372 841801. Written applications should clearly outline:

  • The organization's charitable objectives and track record
  • How the proposed work aligns with the trust's priorities (education, poverty reduction, UK/Southern Africa focus)
  • Specific funding request and intended impact
  • Evidence of organizational credibility and financial management

Getting on Their Radar

The Brenley Trust has demonstrated specific patterns in how they discover and support organizations:

  • Collaborative Funding Partnerships: The trust actively participates in matched funding initiatives through platforms like The Big Give Christmas Challenge, where they identify organizations to champion. Organizations successfully using The Big Give or similar crowdfunding platforms for UK/Southern Africa education or poverty relief work may attract their attention.
  • Co-Funding with Established Foundations: The trust has co-funded projects alongside The Waterloo Foundation, Linklaters Foundation, and The Lockwood Charitable Foundation. Organizations already supported by these foundations working in education or poverty relief may find the Brenley Trust receptive to introductions or joint funding proposals.
  • Gala Events and Major Donor Cultivation: The trust has participated as a major sponsor in charity gala events (such as help2read's “Shine A Light on Literacy” gala dinner in 2017 which raised over £100,000). Organizations running high-quality fundraising events in the UK for Southern African or UK-based education/poverty programs could consider approaching the trust for challenge grant or sponsorship opportunities.

Decision Timeline

Decision timelines are not publicly specified. As a trust operating through trustee discretion, decisions likely depend on trustee meeting schedules and the nature of the request.

Success Rates

Success rates are not publicly available. The trust does not publish lists of declined applications or application statistics.

Reapplication Policy

Reapplication policies are not publicly documented. Given the trust's pattern of providing ongoing support to beneficiary organizations (such as continued funding for help2read over multiple years), successful grantees may receive repeat funding.

Application Success Factors

While the trust does not publish application guidance, analysis of their funding patterns reveals:

Geographic Focus is Critical: The trust explicitly focuses on UK and Southern Africa. Organizations working in these regions, particularly those with connections to both (UK-based charities supporting South African communities), align with the trust's documented priorities.

Evidence of Past Support Patterns:

  • Literacy and Education in South Africa: help2read received substantial support including £40,000 matching funding for The Big Give campaign, £100,000+ through the 2017 gala dinner, and multi-year program support for literacy tutor programs in South African townships
  • UK-Based Family Support: Parents in Need is listed among supported organizations, demonstrating commitment to UK poverty relief
  • Strategic Use of Matching Funds: The trust uses challenge and matching grants to leverage additional funding, suggesting they value organizations with broader fundraising capacity

Collaborative Approach: The trust works alongside other major foundations (Waterloo Foundation, Linklaters, Lockwood Charitable Foundation), suggesting they value:

  • Organizations credible enough to attract multiple funders
  • Co-funding opportunities where impact can be amplified
  • Partnership-based approaches rather than sole funding

Preference for Direct Impact: With £638,012 in grants from £673,172 total spending (95%), the trust operates with minimal overhead, suggesting they favor organizations demonstrating similar efficiency and direct impact.

Track Record Matters: The trust's multi-year support for help2read and participation in campaign-based funding suggests they value organizations with proven delivery models and measurable impact on education and poverty outcomes.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Target if working in UK or Southern Africa on education or poverty relief - the geographic focus is explicit and consistently demonstrated
  • Consider collaborative funding approaches - the trust has shown strong preference for challenge grants, matching campaigns, and co-funding with other foundations
  • Build credibility through other funders first - organizations supported by Waterloo Foundation, Linklaters, or Lockwood Foundation may find warmer reception
  • Demonstrate efficiency and direct impact - with 95% of spending on charitable activities, the trust values lean operations
  • Think long-term relationships - evidence suggests multi-year support for organizations delivering results
  • Emphasize literacy and education outcomes for Southern Africa work - this is the strongest documented interest area
  • Be prepared for trustee-driven decisions - without a formal application process, networking and relationship-building with trustees is valuable

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