The Charles Russell Speechlys Foundation

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £250,000+ (estimated based on £569,629 funding from firm)
• Success Rate: Not applicable (no public application process for main foundation)
• Decision Time: Not applicable (invitation/partnership only for main foundation; rolling for community funds)
• Grant Range: £500 - £3,816 (through community funds)
• Geographic Focus: England and Wales, with specific funds for Surrey and Gloucestershire

Contact Details

Address: Charles Russell Speechlys LLP, 5 Fleet Place, London EC4M 7RD

Phone: 020 7203 5369

Email: foundation@crsblaw.com

Website: Information available through Charles Russell Speechlys website responsible business section

Overview

The Charles Russell Speechlys Foundation was established on 28 February 2020 as an independent charitable foundation (Charity No. 1188257). Linked to the international law firm Charles Russell Speechlys, the Foundation receives annual donations from the firm based on UK turnover, with £569,629 documented in funding received. The Foundation's objects are "the advancement of such exclusively charitable objects (according to the law of England & Wales) as the charity trustees see fit from time to time." The Foundation takes a strategic approach to grant-making, working with key charity partners to whom it provides not only grants but also pro bono legal support, skilled volunteering, and mentoring.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programmes

Core Foundation Grants (National)

• Invitation-only grants to strategic charity partners
• Amount varies based on partnership arrangements
• Partners receive integrated support: grants, pro bono legal services, skilled volunteering, and mentoring
• Focus areas: access to justice, equality/diversity/social inclusion, environmental sustainability, workplace equality

Charles Russell Speechlys Community Fund (Surrey)

• Administered through Community Foundation for Surrey
• Geographic focus: Surrey Heath, Guildford, Waverley, and Elmbridge boroughs
• Grant range: £500 - £3,816 documented
• Supports employment, training, skills development, and opportunities for young people
• Application method: Expression of Interest Form followed by full application if invited
• Launched in 2016

Charles Russell Speechlys Cheltenham Community Fund (Gloucestershire)

• Administered through Gloucestershire Community Foundation
• Supports small charities and local community projects in Gloucestershire area
• Same priority areas as core Foundation

Priority Areas

1. Advancing Access to Justice - Supporting legal services charities and projects improving justice access for disadvantaged groups
2. Equality, Diversity and Social Inclusion - Projects promoting inclusive opportunities and reducing barriers
3. Care for the Environment and Greater Sustainability - Environmental initiatives and climate action projects
4. Access to Equal Opportunity in the Workplace - Employment support, training, skills development, and career opportunities for disadvantaged individuals
5. Youth Development - Helping young people gain confidence, skills, and opportunities (particularly through community funds)

What They Don't Fund

• Unsolicited applications from organisations not already in partnership with the Foundation
• The Foundation explicitly states it “is unable to accept unsolicited applications from charitable organisations or individuals”

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Governance and Leadership

Trustees

The Foundation operates with trustees overseeing its strategic direction. Trustees who have served include:

• Christopher John Edmund Page - Founding chair of the Foundation
• Elaine Driscoll
• Katy Crothall
• Larissa Joy
• Rose Anne-Marie Fionnghuala Carey
• Rupa Lakha
• Bartholomew Peerless

The Foundation has no employees earning over £60k and does not raise funds from the public, operating instead through annual donations from Charles Russell Speechlys LLP based on the firm's UK turnover.

Known Charity Partners

The Foundation works strategically with key charity partners including:

• Emmaus UK - Providing safe homes, community support and meaningful work to formerly homeless people
• Zacchaeus 2000 Trust (Z2K) - Frontline legal services charity providing free representation for disability benefit appeals; partnership began 2019. Pro bono work has secured over £750,000 in wrongly withheld benefits and back payments for clients, with a 93% success rate
• Transform Housing & Support - Surrey-based charity providing housing and support to more than 1,700 homeless and vulnerable people
• European Lawyers in Lesvos (ELIL) - Legal charity supporting refugees as part of the Greece Pro Bono Collaborative involving eight international law firms; 14 Charles Russell Speechlys lawyers have completed two-week secondments since 2019
• Greater Manchester Immigration Aid Unit (GMIAU) - Supporting Windrush scandal survivors through the Windrush Legal Initiative
• University House Legal Advice Centre - Providing legal advice in Tower Hamlets through weekly drop-in clinics

How to Apply to The Charles Russell Speechlys Foundation

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process for its main grant programme. The Charles Russell Speechlys Foundation explicitly states it “is unable to accept unsolicited applications from charitable organisations or individuals.”

Grants are awarded through:

1. Strategic partnerships - The Foundation selects key charity partners to work with on an ongoing basis
2. Community funds - For Surrey and Gloucestershire residents, applications are accepted through local community foundations (Community Foundation for Surrey and Gloucestershire Community Foundation)

For Community Funds (Surrey/Gloucestershire only):

• Complete an Expression of Interest (EOI) Form
• Grants team reviews against fund criteria
• If aligned, invitation to submit full application
• Rolling basis with no fixed deadlines

Getting on Their Radar

The Foundation's charity partners appear to be organisations that align closely with Charles Russell Speechlys' professional expertise and geographic locations. Consider:

• Pro bono relationships first - Many Foundation partners (Z2K, Transform Housing, ELIL) began as pro bono clients of the firm before becoming Foundation partners. The firm's pro bono practice focuses on legal aid-eligible individuals and smaller organisations with social, humanitarian, or environmental missions.

• Geographic connection - Partners often have connections to areas where Charles Russell Speechlys has offices (London, Surrey, Guildford, Cheltenham). The firm has a particular focus on Surrey through their Guildford office presence.

• Sector alignment - Organisations working in access to justice, disability rights, homelessness, refugee support, and legal services have successfully partnered with the Foundation.

• Capacity building needs - The Foundation emphasises providing not just grants but “capacity building support” including skilled volunteering and mentoring. Organisations that could benefit from legal expertise alongside funding may be more attractive partners.

• Contact for local grants - Organisations in Surrey should contact Community Foundation for Surrey; those in Gloucestershire should contact Gloucestershire Community Foundation, as these are the only public application routes available.

Application Success Factors

Given the invitation-only nature of the Foundation's main programme, traditional application success factors don't apply. However, research reveals patterns in successful partnerships:

Characteristics of Foundation Partners:

• Organisations providing frontline legal and social services to disadvantaged communities (Z2K, Transform Housing, University House Legal Advice Centre)
• Charities where legal pro bono support adds significant value to their mission
• Projects advancing access to justice - the Foundation's primary focus area reflected in many partnerships
• Organisations with measurable impact - e.g., Z2K securing over £750,000 in wrongly withheld benefits for clients
• Smaller to medium charities where Foundation support makes material difference

What the Foundation Values:

• Strategic, long-term relationships - The Foundation provides ongoing support rather than one-off grants
• Integrated support model - Partners receive grants plus pro bono legal services, volunteering, and mentoring
• Capacity building - The Foundation emphasises helping organisations strengthen their operations
• Alignment with firm expertise - Many partners benefit from legal sector knowledge and networks

For Community Fund Applicants (Surrey/Gloucestershire):

• Projects helping young people gain confidence, skills, and opportunities
• Employment and training initiatives that raise aspirations and develop new skills
• Clear focus on one or more priority areas: access to justice, equality/diversity, environment/sustainability, or workplace equality
• Operating within the specific geographic areas (Surrey: Surrey Heath, Guildford, Waverley, Elmbridge; Gloucestershire: Cheltenham and surrounding area)
• Evidence-based projects - Step by Step received £3,816 for 90 mental health sessions with clear deliverables

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• This is not a typical grant-maker - The Foundation does not accept unsolicited applications for its main programme and operates through strategic partnerships selected by trustees
• Pro bono pathway - Building a relationship with Charles Russell Speechlys through pro bono work appears to be the most viable route to Foundation partnership for organisations working in relevant areas
• Community funds offer the only open route - Organisations in Surrey or Gloucestershire can access funding through the community foundations managing local funds
• Value proposition beyond money - Successful partners receive integrated support including legal expertise, skilled volunteers, and mentoring - position your organisation to benefit from these offerings
• Access to justice is the golden thread - This priority area appears throughout the Foundation's work and many successful partnerships
• Geographic strategy matters - The Foundation has established specific community funds in areas where the firm has office presence (Guildford, Cheltenham)
• Long-term relationship building - This Foundation invests deeply in a small number of partners rather than making many one-off grants; demonstrate capacity for ongoing partnership

Similar Funders

These funders have a similar focus and geographic reach:

• Lloyds Bank Foundation For England & Wales
• The Stewarts Law Foundation
• The Berkeley Charitable Foundation
• The Patrick Rowland Foundation
• Man Group Plc Charitable Trust
• Tara Getty Foundation
• The Buffini Chao Foundation
• The Forrester Family Trust
• The Ian Askew Charitable Trust
• The Stanley Grundy Foundation Limited

References

• UK Charity Commission Register, The Charles Russell Speechlys Foundation (Charity No. 1188257), register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk
• Charles Russell Speechlys website, Community Investment and Pro Bono sections, www.charlesrussellspeechlys.com
• Community Foundation for Surrey, Charles Russell Speechlys Community Fund page, www.cfsurrey.org.uk
• Gloucestershire Community Foundation, Charles Russell Speechlys Foundation and Cheltenham Community Fund page, gloucestershirecf.org.uk
• Surrey Chambers of Commerce, “Step by Step Receives Grant from Charles Russell Speechlys Community Fund,” www.surrey-chambers.co.uk
• Business South, “Step by Step Receives Grant From Charles Russell Speechlys Community Fund,” www.businesssouth.org
• Giving is Great, The Charles Russell Speechlys Foundation Charity Factsheet, givingisgreat.org