The Charis Trust

Charity Number: 1140637

Annual Expenditure: £1.8M
Geographic Focus: Essex

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £1,760,000 (grants to institutions, 2024)
  • Total Expenditure: £1,938,934 (2024)
  • Success Rate: Not applicable (no public application process)
  • Decision Time: Not applicable (trustee discretion)
  • Grant Range: Not publicly disclosed
  • Geographic Focus: UK and international (evangelical Christian causes)
  • Application Method: No public application process - operates on trustee discretion

Contact Details

Address: 2 Hay Green, Danbury, Chelmsford, Essex CM3 4NU

Email: jonpbharris@btinternet.com.com

Phone: 01245 222874

Charity Commission Registration: 1140637

Note: This trust does not have a dedicated website or public grant application portal. Contact should only be made if there is a clear alignment with their charitable purposes.

Overview

The Charis Trust was established in 1987 as a private charitable trust to support evangelical Christian outreach both in the United Kingdom and overseas. Operating as a family trust connected to the Green and Harris families, it focuses primarily on advancing the Christian faith through education and youth work, with particular emphasis on Sunday Schools, summer camps, and youth initiatives. The trust also supports the relief of poverty, help for the sick and aged, and secular education aligned with their values.

The trust has experienced significant growth in recent years, with annual income rising from £79,233 in 2021 to £1,794,558 in 2024. In the financial year ending March 2024, the trust distributed £1.76 million in institutional grants, making it a substantial funder within the evangelical Christian charitable sector. The trust operates entirely through trustee discretion without accepting unsolicited applications from external organizations. All trustees serve without remuneration, and grant-making decisions are made based on the trustees' direct knowledge of causes and organizations that align with the trust's charitable purposes.

Funding Priorities

Charitable Objects

The trust's objects, as registered with the Charity Commission, are specifically restricted to:

  • The furtherance of religious or secular education: Educational initiatives aligned with Christian values
  • The advancement of the Christian faith: Both in the UK and overseas, with evangelical focus
  • The relief of the poor and needy: Supporting vulnerable individuals and communities
  • Help and comfort of the sick and aged: Care and support for elderly and unwell individuals
  • Any religious or other exclusively charitable purpose: Other causes at trustees' discretion

Priority Areas

The trust has established particular emphasis on:

  • Sunday Schools: Supporting Christian education for children
  • Summer Camps: Evangelical youth camps and residential programs
  • Youth Initiatives: Christian outreach and discipleship programs for young people
  • Evangelical Christian Outreach: Mission work both domestically and internationally
  • Christian Education: Faith-based educational programs and institutions

Grant Types

Based on financial data, the trust makes:

  • Institutional Grants: £1.76 million distributed in 2024
  • Grant Range: Not publicly disclosed, but total giving suggests capacity for both small and substantial awards

What They Don't Fund

While not explicitly stated, the trust's restricted charitable objects suggest they would not fund:

  • Secular organizations without clear Christian mission alignment
  • Projects outside their core focus areas of education, Christian advancement, poverty relief, and care for sick/aged
  • Commercial ventures or non-charitable purposes
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Governance and Leadership

Trustees

The trust is governed by seven trustees (as of 2024):

  1. Andrew Charles Green - Chair
  2. Richard John Green - Trustee (appointed August 2017)
  3. Jane Mary Green - Trustee
  4. Jonathan Paul Boniface Harris - Trustee (contact person)
  5. Andrew Barker - Trustee (also serves as trustee for Family in Trust, charity 293865)
  6. Joseph John Marshall Bird - Trustee (appointed October 2021)
  7. Matthew James Fitzsimmonds-Taylor - Trustee (appointed April 2024)

The trustee board includes members of the Green and Harris families, indicating this is a family charitable trust. All trustees serve without remuneration, payments, or benefits from the charity, demonstrating a volunteer-led governance structure committed to maximizing charitable impact.

Financial Management

The trust maintains excellent compliance with Charity Commission reporting requirements, with all accounts and annual returns submitted on time for at least the past five years. Recent financial growth has been substantial, with income increasing more than 22-fold from 2021 to 2024, suggesting either significant new donations/legacies or investment gains that have enhanced the trust's grant-making capacity.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

The Charis Trust does not have a public application process. This is a private family trust that makes grants based on trustee discretion rather than accepting external applications.

Grant decisions are made by the trustees based on their direct knowledge of organizations, causes, and individuals that align with the trust's charitable purposes. The trust identifies beneficiaries through:

  • Trustees' existing knowledge of evangelical Christian organizations
  • Personal connections within the evangelical community
  • Direct awareness of needs within their focus areas
  • Invitations or approaches initiated by trustees rather than applicants

Unsolicited applications are not accepted. Organizations should not submit grant proposals or funding requests unless specifically invited to do so by a trustee.

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - grants are awarded at trustees' discretion based on their ongoing awareness of charitable needs rather than through structured application rounds.

Success Rates

Not applicable - there is no open application process to generate success rate statistics.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - as there is no public application process, reapplication is not relevant.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No Public Applications: This trust does not accept unsolicited funding requests - do not send proposals unless specifically invited
  • Private Family Trust Model: Grants are made based on trustee discretion and personal knowledge rather than competitive application processes
  • Evangelical Focus: Clear commitment to evangelical Christian theology and mission is essential
  • Youth Ministry Priority: Organizations working in Sunday Schools, summer camps, and youth initiatives align most closely with stated priorities
  • Substantial Resources: With £1.76 million in institutional grants distributed annually, this is a significant funder within its niche
  • Relationship-Based: Funding decisions are based on trustees' direct knowledge and relationships within the evangelical community
  • Compliance Excellence: The trust maintains perfect compliance with Charity Commission requirements, indicating professional management despite private operation

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