The Cyril Shack Trust

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £89,239 (2024)
• Success Rate: Not applicable (no public application process)
• Decision Time: Not applicable (trustee discretion)
• Grant Range: Not publicly disclosed
• Geographic Focus: England and Wales

Contact Details

Registered Address:

Lubbock Fine

Paternoster House

65 St Pauls Churchyard

London, EC4M 8AB

Phone: 020 7490 7766

Note: The trust does not have a public website or published email address.

Overview

The Cyril Shack Trust was established on 24 August 1972 under a trust deed dated 11 January 1972. It operates as a private grant-making foundation with broad charitable objectives: “to or for any charitable object or purpose at the absolute discretion of the trustees.” For the financial year ending 28 September 2024, the trust had a total income of £100,475 and made grants totaling £89,239. The trust operates throughout England and Wales, making grants to other charities and voluntary bodies. Evidence suggests the trust has supported both Jewish community organizations and healthcare charities, including JW3 (a Jewish community center in London) and Barts Charity (supporting London hospitals). The trust does not raise funds from the public and operates as a private family foundation with three trustees who receive no remuneration.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Cyril Shack Trust does not operate formal grant programs. All grants are made at the absolute discretion of the trustees.

Priority Areas

Based on publicly acknowledged supporters lists, the trust has demonstrated support for:

• Jewish community and cultural organizations (e.g., JW3)
• Healthcare and medical charities (e.g., Barts Charity)
• General charitable purposes across England and Wales

The broad charitable objectives allow the trustees flexibility to support any charitable cause they determine worthy.

What They Don't Fund

No specific exclusions are publicly documented, though the trust appears to operate on an invitation-only or relationship-based model rather than accepting unsolicited applications.

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Governance and Leadership

Trustees:

• Cyril Charles Shack - Appointed 11 January 1972 (founding trustee)
• Jonathan Shack - Appointed 1 January 1982
• John Naunton Davies - Appointed 29 September 2023

All three trustees serve without remuneration or benefits. The trust maintains policies including complaints handling, financial controls, risk management, and safeguarding.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process.

The Cyril Shack Trust operates as a private family foundation where grants are made entirely at the discretion of the trustees. There is no application form, online portal, or published guidelines for seeking funding. The trust appears to identify beneficiary organizations through the trustees' own networks and research rather than through an open application process.

Organizations seeking support would need to establish contact through:

• Direct approach to the trustees via the registered address
• Connection through mutual contacts or networks
• Being identified proactively by the trustees

Given the lack of public application infrastructure, organizations should not expect to receive funding without an established relationship or introduction.

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - grants are made at trustees' discretion throughout the year.

Success Rates

Not applicable - no public application process exists.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable given the absence of a formal application process.

Application Success Factors

Given that The Cyril Shack Trust does not accept public applications, the following factors are relevant for understanding this funder:

Trustee Discretion:

The trust's charitable objects explicitly state that all grants are made “at the absolute discretion of the trustees,” giving them complete freedom to support causes they personally identify as worthy.

Evidence of Funding Areas:

• Jewish community organizations receive support (evidenced by JW3 acknowledgment)
• Healthcare and medical causes receive support (evidenced by Barts Charity acknowledgment)
• London-based organizations appear in identified beneficiaries, though the trust can fund throughout England and Wales

Relationship-Based Giving:

As a private family trust operating since 1972, the foundation appears to identify beneficiaries through personal knowledge, networks, and proactive research rather than responding to applications.

Financial Capacity:

With annual grants of approximately £89,000-£130,000 in recent years, this is a modest family foundation rather than a major institutional funder.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• No Public Application Process: This trust cannot be approached through standard grant application methods. It operates as a private family foundation making grants at trustee discretion.
• Identified Beneficiaries: Evidence shows support for Jewish community organizations and healthcare charities, particularly in London, though the trust's remit covers all of England and Wales.
• Modest Grant Maker: With annual giving under £100,000, individual grants are likely to be small to medium-sized rather than major institutional gifts.
• Established in 1972: The trust has over 50 years of grant-making history, suggesting stability and ongoing commitment to philanthropy.
• Family Foundation: Governed by family members (including founding trustee Cyril Charles Shack and Jonathan Shack, both appointed decades ago), with recent addition of John Naunton Davies in 2023.
• Contact Limitations: Without a website, email, or public-facing staff, establishing contact requires formal written approach to the registered office.
• Discretionary Nature: The extremely broad charitable objects mean trustees have maximum flexibility in their funding decisions.

References

• The Charity Commission Register of Charities - The Cyril Shack Trust (264270), full charity details. URL: https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-search/-/charity-details/264270/full-print (Accessed: 29 December 2025)
• JW3 Supporters Page. URL: https://www.jw3.org.uk/support-us/our-supporters (Accessed: 29 December 2025)
• Barts Charity Impact Report - Donor Acknowledgments. URL: https://issuu.com/bartscharity/docs/barts_charity_impact_report_digital_issuu/s/17363726 (Accessed: 29 December 2025)
• OpenCharities - The Cyril Shack Trust. URL: http://opencharities.org/charities/264270 (Accessed: 29 December 2025)