The Broomton Foundation

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £198,877 (2024)
• Success Rate: Not publicly available
• Decision Time: Not publicly available
• Grant Range: Not publicly disclosed
• Geographic Focus: East Anglia (particularly Suffolk), with broader UK reach
• Total Assets: £22.23 million (2024)

Contact Details

Address: Providence House, 141-145 Princes Street, Ipswich, Suffolk IP1 1QJ

Phone: 01473 232300

Email: admin@broomton.org

Note: The registered address is at Birketts solicitors' Ipswich office, suggesting the foundation uses professional legal services for administration.

Overview

The Broomton Foundation was established in 2008 by Benedicta Chamberlain, a major shareholder in William Grant & Sons (the Scottish whisky company behind brands like Glenfiddich and Balvenie). She runs the foundation alongside other members of the Chamberlain side of the Grant family. With total assets of approximately £22.23 million (including £16.39 million in long-term investments), the foundation supports charitable causes primarily in East Anglia, particularly Suffolk, though its charitable objects permit grantmaking anywhere in the world. The foundation has received approximately $4.5 million from the Chamberlain family. Annual expenditure in 2024 was £198,877, with total income of £2,492,121, suggesting the foundation is building its endowment while maintaining selective grantmaking activities.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation operates with broad discretionary grantmaking powers. The trustees can “apply the income of the charity at such time or times and in such manner to or for the benefit of such exclusively charitable objects and purposes in any part of the world as the trustees may in their discretion think fit.”

Known Recent Grant Recipients (based on available information):

• The Queen's Dragoon Guards
• British Red Cross
• Cardiac Risk in the Young
• ABF The Soldiers' Charity
• East Anglia's Children's Hospices
• Suffolk Foundation

Priority Areas

While the foundation has a very broad charitable mandate, known grantmaking patterns suggest interests in:

• Military charities and veterans' support
• Health and medical causes (particularly cardiac health and children's hospices)
• Humanitarian relief (Red Cross)
• Community foundations and local causes in Suffolk/East Anglia

The foundation's charitable objective is officially stated as “General Charitable Purposes,” giving trustees wide discretion in their grantmaking decisions.

What They Don't Fund

Not publicly specified. Given the discretionary nature of the trust, exclusions are likely determined on a case-by-case basis by the trustees.

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Governance and Leadership

Trustees

The foundation is governed by four trustees, all from the Chamberlain family:

• Major shareholder in William Grant & Sons (29.29% ownership)
• Established the foundation in 2008
• Lives in Suffolk, England

• Appointed: 7 November 2013

1. Julius Fergus Chamberlain - Trustee

1. Robert Hugo Chamberlain - Trustee

Key Governance Features:

• No trustees receive any remuneration, payments, or benefits from the charity
• The foundation has no trading subsidiaries
• Maintains up-to-date reporting with the Charity Commission

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process. The Broomton Foundation operates as a private family foundation with discretionary grantmaking. Grants are awarded based on trustee discretion rather than through an open application process.

The foundation's governing document states that trustees have “absolute discretion” in determining which charitable objects and purposes to support, suggesting grants are likely awarded through:

• Direct identification of causes by trustees
• Trustee connections and knowledge of organizations
• Proactive outreach by the foundation rather than reactive to applications

Decision Timeline

Not publicly available. As a discretionary trust without a public application process, decision timelines are determined by the trustees.

Success Rates

Not applicable - the foundation does not accept unsolicited applications.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - the foundation does not have a public application process.

Application Success Factors

Since the Broomton Foundation operates with trustee discretion rather than a public application process, the following factors may be relevant:

Geographic Connection: The foundation shows a clear preference for East Anglia, particularly Suffolk where the Chamberlain family is based. Organizations with a Suffolk connection may be more likely to come to the trustees' attention.

Charitable Areas of Known Interest: Based on documented grants, the foundation has supported:

• Military and veterans' causes
• Children's health and hospice care
• Cardiac health initiatives
• Humanitarian relief
• Local community foundations

Family Connections: As a family foundation run by the Chamberlain family, trustees likely support causes they have personal knowledge of or connection to.

Established Organizations: The known grant recipients (British Red Cross, East Anglia's Children's Hospices, ABF The Soldiers' Charity) are well-established charities with strong reputations, suggesting the foundation may prefer supporting proven organizations.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• No public application process: This is a private family foundation making grants at trustee discretion - unsolicited applications are not accepted
• Suffolk focus: Despite having legal authority to fund anywhere in the world, the foundation's known giving pattern shows strong East Anglia/Suffolk preference
• Selective grantmaking: With assets of £22.23 million but annual expenditure of only £198,877, the foundation is highly selective in its grantmaking
• Family-driven: All four trustees are Chamberlain family members, suggesting grants are driven by family interests and connections
• Military and health interests: Known grants show particular interest in military charities, children's health, and cardiac causes
• Relationship-based: Without a public application process, getting on the foundation's radar would require connections to the trustees or causes they already support
• Building endowment: The significant gap between income (£2.49 million) and expenditure (£198,877) suggests the foundation is growing its capital base while maintaining selective charitable giving

References

• The Broomton Foundation - Charity Commission Register -
• The Broomton Foundation - Find that Charity -
• The Broomton Foundation - Contact Information -
• The Broomton Foundation - Assets and Liabilities -
• The Broomton Foundation - Trustees -
• Benedicta Chamberlain - Alchetron - Information about the foundation's founder and charitable activities -
• The Broomton Foundation - Charity Choice -