The Costa Family Charitable Trust
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Quick Stats
- Annual Giving: £232,243 (2024)
- Success Rate: Not applicable (no public application process)
- Decision Time: Not applicable (trustee-directed)
- Grant Range: Not publicly disclosed
- Geographic Focus: Not publicly disclosed
- Established: 1959 (registered as charity 1964)
Contact Details
Registered Address:
20 Ilchester Place, London W14 8AA
Phone: 07785467441
Note: This charity does not accept unsolicited funding requests or applications.
Overview
The Costa Family Charitable Trust was established under a trust deed dated 6th July 1959 and registered as a charity in 1964. Previously known as the Morgan Williams Charity Trust, the charity is overseen by two trustees: Kenneth Costa and Mrs Ann Fiona Costa. Kenneth (Ken) Costa is a prominent London-based South African banker and Christian philanthropist who served as Chairman of Lazard from 2007 to 2011. The trust operates with considerable discretion, with an annual expenditure of £232,243 in the year ending April 2024. The charity's activities are entirely determined by the trustees, and no funding requests are solicited or acknowledged. This represents a traditional private family trust model where grant-making decisions are made internally by the trustees based on their own priorities and connections.
Funding Priorities
Grant Programs
The charity does not operate formal grant programs or publicly advertise funding opportunities. All grant-making activities are determined at the discretion of the trustees.
Priority Areas
Based on Charity Commission classifications, the trust engages in:
- Making grants to organizations
- Making grants to individuals
- Sponsoring or undertaking research
- Religious activities
- Supporting other charities or voluntary bodies
The specific focus areas and beneficiaries are not publicly disclosed.
What They Don't Fund
Not publicly specified. However, the trust explicitly does not accept or acknowledge any unsolicited funding requests.
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Governance and Leadership
Trustees:
- Kenneth Costa (Ken Costa) - London-based South African banker and Christian philanthropist, former Chairman of Lazard (2007-2011)
- Mrs Ann Fiona Costa
Governance Structure:
The charity has 2 trustees who receive no remuneration, payments, or benefits from the charity. The trust operates under a trust deed dated 6th July 1959. All grant-making decisions are made by the trustees without external influence or public application processes.
Application Process and Timeline
How to Apply
This funder does not have a public application process.
The charity explicitly states: “Such activities as the trustees determine. No funding requests are solicited or acknowledged.”
The Costa Family Charitable Trust operates as a private family foundation where all grants are awarded at the discretion of the trustees. Organizations and individuals cannot apply for funding, and any unsolicited requests will not be acknowledged or considered.
Grants are made based on the trustees' own research, relationships, and priorities rather than through competitive application processes.
Application Success Factors
Given that this trust does not accept applications, there are no application success factors. The trust operates entirely on a trustee-initiated basis, where Kenneth and Ann Fiona Costa identify and support causes aligned with their personal philanthropic interests.
Organizations that have existing relationships with the trustees or align closely with their known interests (including Christian and religious causes, based on Ken Costa's background) may receive support, but this occurs through trustee initiative rather than external requests.
Key Takeaways for Grant Writers
- No public application process: This trust does not accept, solicit, or acknowledge funding requests of any kind
- Trustee-directed giving: All grants are made at the discretion of the two trustees based on their own priorities
- Private family trust model: This represents a traditional closed family foundation structure
- Religious connection: Given Ken Costa's background as a Christian philanthropist, religious and faith-based causes may be a priority
- Not a viable target for cold approaches: Organizations should not invest time in approaching this trust unless they have direct personal connections to the trustees
- Financial capacity: With annual expenditure of £232,243, the trust does have meaningful grant-making capacity, but access is limited to trustee-initiated relationships
- Alternative approach: Rather than seeking grants from this trust, organizations might consider whether there are networking opportunities to connect with the trustees through their other professional or philanthropic activities
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