The Camellia Foundation

Charity Number: 1145679

Annual Expenditure: £0.8M
Geographic Focus: Bangladesh, Burma, Canada, Germany, India, Kenya, Malawi, United States ... [1 more]

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £814,361 (2024)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly available
  • Decision Time: Not publicly available
  • Grant Range: Not publicly disclosed
  • Geographic Focus: International (particularly developing countries and Tibetan communities)

Contact Details

Email: stephen.buckland@thecamelliafoundation.org

Phone: 07375492924

Address: The Scalpel, 18th Floor, 52 Lime Street, London, EC3M 7AF

Overview

The Camellia Foundation is a UK registered charity (established 2012) that focuses on supporting communities in developing countries and people of Tibetan origin. With charitable expenditure of £814,361 in the year ending June 2024, the foundation operates through three main mechanisms: building relationships with established organizations to deliver resources, providing direct funding for projects, and allocating money to individuals whose activities align with their charitable objectives. The foundation is closely connected to Camellia Plc, with the foundation's Bermuda entity controlling 51.67% of the company's voting rights. The charity currently employs 2 staff members and is governed by 4 trustees.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation operates through three distinct funding mechanisms:

  • Institutional Grants: Resources delivered through established, efficient organizations
  • Project Grants: Direct funding for projects aligned with charitable objectives
  • Individual Grants: Allocations to individuals whose activities fall within the foundation's remit

Application methods are not publicly disclosed. The foundation appears to work primarily through established relationships rather than open application processes.

Priority Areas

  • Education: Promoting education for people in developing countries and those of Tibetan origin, including funding educational facilities, staff, grants, loans and bursaries
  • Tibetan Culture: Preserving and promoting Tibetan culture and way of life
  • Poverty Relief: Preventing and relieving poverty, financial hardship and sickness, particularly for disabled people in developing countries and those of Tibetan origin
  • Healthcare: Advancing health and saving lives, particularly in developing countries
  • Religious Harmony: Encouraging knowledge, mutual understanding and respect for different religious faiths and practices
  • Environmental Conservation: Protecting and improving the physical and natural environment, especially in developing countries
  • Disability Support: Supporting disabled people across various charitable activities
  • Arts and Culture: Funding arts, culture, and heritage projects

What They Don't Fund

Information about specific exclusions is not publicly available. Given the foundation's focused remit, projects outside of developing countries, Tibetan communities, or the stated priority areas are unlikely to be funded.

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Governance and Leadership

Trustees: 4 total (Note: One or more trustees receive payments or benefits from the charity)

Key Personnel:

  • Stephen Buckland: Trustee and executive position holder within The Camellia Foundation. Buckland also serves as director of Camellia Private Trust Company (the trustee of The Camellia Foundation Bermuda), director of Camellia Holding AG, and is a trustee of The Sir Percival Griffiths' Tea Planters Trust. He was appointed as a non-executive director at Camellia Plc in 2021.

Staffing: 2 employees (1 earning £70-80k, 1 earning £130-140k)

Regulatory Note: The charity has an official warning from the Charity Commission on record.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

The foundation does not appear to have a public, open application process. Based on their stated activities of “building relationships with established, efficient organisations,” the foundation likely works through:

  • Pre-existing relationships and partnerships
  • Direct outreach to organizations aligned with their mission
  • Targeted identification of projects and individuals to support

Contact may be made through Stephen Buckland at stephen.buckland@thecamelliafoundation.org or by phone at 07375492924.

Decision Timeline

Not publicly disclosed.

Success Rates

Not publicly available.

Reapplication Policy

Not publicly disclosed.

Application Success Factors

Given the limited public information, the following factors appear important based on the foundation's stated priorities:

Known Funded Organization:

  • Free Tibet: Currently supported by The Camellia Foundation for projects on education, climate change, and freedom of speech

Alignment Factors:

  • Geographic Focus: Projects must serve developing countries or Tibetan communities
  • Established Track Record: The foundation emphasizes working with “established, efficient organisations,” suggesting they favor proven entities over new initiatives
  • Cultural Preservation: Strong emphasis on preserving Tibetan culture and way of life
  • Multi-dimensional Impact: Projects that combine education, poverty relief, healthcare, or environmental conservation may be particularly attractive

Strategic Approach:

  • The foundation's connection to Camellia Plc (a major agricultural and engineering company) suggests potential interest in sustainable development and enterprise-based approaches
  • Given the relatively high staff costs for a small team, the foundation likely takes an active, engaged approach to grant-making rather than passive distribution

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Relationship-driven funding: This foundation does not appear to accept unsolicited applications; building a relationship or securing an introduction is likely necessary
  • Geographic specificity: Strong focus on developing countries and/or Tibetan communities - projects outside these areas are unlikely to succeed
  • Established organizations preferred: The foundation explicitly states it works with “established, efficient organisations,” suggesting startups or new initiatives may face barriers
  • Cultural preservation priority: Tibetan culture, education, and community support appears to be a distinctive priority area
  • Limited transparency: With no public application process, success likely depends on direct contact and relationship building with trustees, particularly Stephen Buckland
  • Multi-faceted approach valued: The foundation supports organizations (Free Tibet) working on multiple issues (education, climate, freedom of speech), suggesting comprehensive approaches may be favored
  • Due diligence expected: Given the foundation's emphasis on “efficient” organizations and active staffing model, expect thorough vetting and ongoing relationship management

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