The Cecil King Memorial Foundation

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: ~£250,000 (expenditure)
• Success Rate: Not available (invitation-only model)
• Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed
• Grant Range: £5,000 - £10,000 (documented programmes)
• Geographic Focus: International - Ghana, India, Ireland, Nigeria, Sierra Leone; UK - Northern Ireland, Scotland

Contact Details

• Email: ckmf@btinternet.com
• Phone: 07974 180321
• Address: 12 Mountain Road, Newtownards, BT23 4UL, Northern Ireland

Overview

The Cecil King Memorial Foundation was registered on 22 March 1991 (Charity No. 1002318), established in memory of Cecil Harmsworth King (1901-1987), the influential newspaper publisher who served as Chairman of Daily Mirror Newspapers, Sunday Pictorial Newspapers, and the International Publishing Corporation. Cecil King had a lifelong affection for Ireland, retiring to Dublin with his wife Dame Ruth Railton, founder of the National Youth Orchestra.

The Foundation operates with annual expenditure of approximately £250,000 (2024: £250,143 against income of £114,061), drawing on reserves to fund its charitable activities. The Foundation focuses on general charitable purposes, education and training, and environment/conservation/heritage across seven countries. Uniquely, the Foundation operates an entirely proactive grant-making model, identifying and approaching organisations it wishes to support rather than accepting unsolicited applications.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Foundation supports three documented external programmes:

1. Cecil King Travel Scholarships (via London Mathematical Society): Two £6,000 awards annually for early career mathematicians to undertake 3-month periods of study or research abroad. One award for pure mathematics, one for applied mathematics.

1. Cecil King Memorial Award (via Psoriasis Association): Up to £10,000 for early career researchers (under 35 or within first 5 years of first academic post) in the UK or Ireland conducting psoriasis research. Maximum 12-month duration.

1. Young Journalist of the Year Bursary (via The Press Awards): £5,000 bursary for journalists under 26 to fund international reporting experience of 3-4 weeks minimum.

Additionally, the Foundation makes direct grants to individuals and organisations at trustee discretion across its priority areas.

Priority Areas

• General charitable purposes
• Education and training
• Environment, conservation, and heritage
• Research sponsorship
• Support for early career professionals (journalists, mathematicians, medical researchers)
• International development (Ghana, India, Ireland, Nigeria, Sierra Leone)

What They Don't Fund

The Foundation explicitly states: “The Foundation does not make grants to people or organisations who apply speculatively.” Unsolicited applications are not considered.

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Governance and Leadership

The Foundation is governed by five trustees who receive no remuneration, payments, or benefits from the charity:

• Mr David Railton QC - Trustee (surname connection to Dame Ruth Railton, Cecil King's wife)
• Professor Colin Gough - Trustee
• Mr John Clark - Trustee
• Mr Jonathon Bond - Trustee
• Ms Heather Lynn McLachlan - Trustee. Regional Director of the National Trust in Northern Ireland with over 27 years' experience in the voluntary and community sector. Previously Chief Executive of the Ulster Wildlife Trust. Has overseen the £8.5 million restoration of Mount Stewart mansion.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process for direct grants.

The Foundation operates an entirely proactive model: “The trustees identify projects and approach organisations they wish to support. The Foundation does not make grants to people or organisations who apply speculatively.”

However, the Foundation funds several established programmes that do accept applications:

Cecil King Travel Scholarships (London Mathematical Society)

• Apply via LMS application form with research proposal
• Two academic references required
• Annual deadline: November (2026 deadline: 15 November 2026)
• Shortlisted candidates interviewed online (10-15 minute presentation + 15-20 minutes questions)
• Contact: Fellowships@lms.ac.uk

Cecil King Memorial Award (Psoriasis Association)

• Apply during annual research grant call
• Assessed by Medical and Research Committee
• Contact: Psoriasis Association directly for next call dates

Young Journalist of the Year (The Press Awards)

• Entry via nominating editor
• Winner's travel plan agreed with Foundation before bursary payment
• Must use within 12 months of award

Decision Timeline

• Cecil King Travel Scholarships: Applications due November, interviews December, awards for following year
• Psoriasis Association grants: Annual cycle (2024 call: September-December)
• Young Journalist: Annual awards cycle

Success Rates

Not publicly available. The programmes funded by the Foundation are competitive:

• LMS Travel Scholarships: Only 2 awards annually across UK and Ireland
• Psoriasis Association: Peer-reviewed competitive process

Reapplication Policy

For the established programmes, unsuccessful applicants can typically reapply in subsequent years. Contact individual administering organisations for specific policies.

Application Success Factors

For Cecil King Travel Scholarships:

• Clear proposal describing intended research programme and anticipated benefits
• Strong academic references submitted directly to LMS
• Evidence of meaningful collaboration opportunities abroad
• Past recipients have visited institutions including Harvard University and Cornell University
• LMS encourages applications from underrepresented groups including women, disabled mathematicians, and Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic mathematicians

For Cecil King Memorial Award (Psoriasis):

• Clear relevance to psoriasis research
• Lead researcher must be under 35 or within first 5 years of first academic post
• Strong peer-review credentials
• Recent recipients include researchers studying juvenile psoriatic arthritis (Dr Stephanie Shoop-Worrall, University of Manchester) and liver fibrosis in psoriasis patients (Dr Parastoo Babakinejad, Royal Victoria Hospital Newcastle)

For Young Journalist Bursary:

• Under 26 years old
• Any journalistic discipline accepted
• The Foundation “encourages the recipient to think about an area (including both journalistic discipline and geographical area) which is outside the areas they are otherwise familiar with”
• Travel should cover “not less than 3–4 weeks”
• Nominating editor must commit to enabling time away from normal duties

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• No direct applications accepted: The Foundation explicitly does not accept speculative approaches - do not send unsolicited funding requests directly to the Foundation
• Apply through partner programmes: Access Foundation funding via the London Mathematical Society (mathematics), Psoriasis Association (medical research), or The Press Awards (journalism)
• Early career focus: All documented programmes target early career professionals - doctoral students, researchers within 5 years of first post, or journalists under 26
• International scope: The Foundation operates in Ghana, India, Ireland, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Scotland, and Northern Ireland - projects in these regions may align with trustee interests
• Proactive identification: If your organisation works in the Foundation's priority areas (education, environment, conservation, heritage) in their geographic regions, maintaining a strong public profile may increase chances of being identified by trustees
• Trustee expertise: With Heather McLachlan's background in conservation and heritage (National Trust, Ulster Wildlife Trust), environment and heritage projects in Northern Ireland may be of particular interest
• Substantial funding available: Annual expenditure of ~£250,000 significantly exceeds income, indicating the Foundation actively deploys capital for charitable purposes

Similar Funders

These funders frequently fund the same charities:

• The Arts Council of England
• The Leverhulme Trust
• The Thompson Family Charitable Trust
• The Kirby Laing Foundation
• THE STEEL CHARITABLE TRUST
• The Ofenheim Charitable Trust
• Humphrey Richardson Taylor Charitable Trust
• The Saintbury Trust
• MISSES BARRIE CHARITABLE TRUST
• THE ANDOR CHARITABLE TRUST
• The Salamander Charitable Trust
• The Joyce Fletcher Charitable Trust
• The Reynolds Foundation
• THE BARBARA WHATMORE CHARITABLE TRUST
• THE SAMUEL GARDNER MEMORIAL TRUST
• Cambridge University Press
• Salesforce
• Bloomberg
• Heilbronn

References

• Charity Commission - The Cecil King Memorial Foundation Overview - Official charity registration details and financial information..
• Charity Commission - What, Who, How, Where - Charitable purposes and geographic scope..
• NGO Explorer - The Cecil King Memorial Foundation - Financial history and geographic operations..
• London Mathematical Society - Cecil King Travel Scholarships - Scholarship details, eligibility, and application process..
• Psoriasis Association - Apply for a Research Grant - Cecil King Memorial Award details..
• The Press Awards - Categories - Young Journalist of the Year Award and bursary information..
• Northern Ireland Tourism Alliance - Heather McLachlan - Trustee background..
• Wikipedia - Cecil Harmsworth King - Background on Cecil King (1901-1987)..