The Elizabeth And Prince Zaiger Trust

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £652,560 (2024)
• Total Assets: £18.9 million
• Grant Range: Not publicly disclosed
• Geographic Focus: UK, particularly Somerset area
• Application Method: Invitation only - no unsolicited applications accepted

Contact Details

Registered Address: Bridgwater, Somerset

Charity Number: 282096

Note: This trust explicitly states it does not respond to unsolicited applications for funds.

Overview

The Elizabeth and Prince Zaiger Trust is a private grant-giving foundation established in 1981. With total assets of £18.9 million generating investment income of approximately £552,356 annually, the trust distributed £652,560 in charitable grants in the year ending March 2024. The trust operates through an endowment fund model, maintaining substantial reserves equivalent to 5.6 months of expenditure while spending approximately 3.9% of its total fund annually. The trust is governed by five trustees under the chairmanship of Peter John Harvey. Unlike most grant-making trusts, this foundation does not accept unsolicited applications and selects beneficiaries through trustee discretion.

Funding Priorities

Priority Areas

The trust's charitable objectives focus on four main areas:

1. Relief of Elderly Persons: Provision of financial and other benefits to support elderly individuals
2. Support for Disabled Persons: Relief of mentally or physically disabled persons through provision of facilities and amenities
3. Education of Young People: Advancement of education for children and young persons
4. Animal Welfare: Provision of care and protection for animals in need and prevention of cruelty to animals
5. Other Charitable Purposes: Additional charitable purposes at the absolute discretion of the trustees

Identified Beneficiaries

Limited public information is available about specific grant recipients. Known beneficiaries include:

• Arts Emergency: Listed as a donor supporter
• YMCA Brunel Group: Received £7,000 for supported housing projects benefiting South Somerset residents

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Governance and Leadership

Trustees: 5 trustees (all male)

Chair: Peter John Harvey

Staffing: No paid staff or volunteers

Governance Note: The charity operates with an all-male trustee board, which has been noted as a potential governance consideration.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

This trust does not have a public application process.

The trust explicitly states: “PLEASE NOTE - THIS TRUST DOES NOT RESPOND TO UNSOLICITED APPLICATIONS FOR FUNDS.”

Grants are awarded through trustee discretion rather than through an open application process. The trustees proactively identify and select beneficiary organizations aligned with their charitable objectives.

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - no public application process exists.

Success Rates

Not applicable - no public application process exists.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - no public application process exists.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• This trust cannot be directly targeted through application submissions - they do not review or respond to unsolicited requests
• The trust IS actively making grants (£652,560 in 2024) but selects beneficiaries through trustee networks and discretion
• Organizations working with elderly people, disabled individuals, children's education, or animal welfare that have connections to Somerset may potentially come to the trustees' attention
• The trust's substantial assets (£18.9 million) and consistent grant-making indicate financial stability and long-term funding capacity
• With no staff and only five trustees, the trust operates as a private foundation rather than an institutional funder
• Any organization hoping to receive funding would need to be known to the trustees through existing networks or connections
• The lack of public reporting on beneficiaries suggests the trust values discretion in its grant-making

Similar Funders

These funders frequently fund the same charities:

• Trust for London
• The Tudor Trust
• THE BRIDGE TRUST
• The Henry Smith Foundation
• The Swire Charitable Trust
• BBC Children in Need
• NPT Transatlantic Limited
• The Charles Wolfson Charitable Trust
• Stelios Philanthropic Foundation
• The Access to Justice Foundation
• The Orr Mackintosh Foundation Limited
• The Liz and Terry Bramall Foundation
• THE HEALTH FOUNDATION
• P F Charitable Trust
• THE BARBOUR FOUNDATION
• The Chalk Cliff Trust
• The Constance Travis Charitable Trust
• National Lottery
• HENRY SMITH
• THE LESLIE MARY CARTER CHARITABLE TRUST

References

• Charity Commission Register of Charities, The Elizabeth and Prince Zaiger Trust (282096), https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-details/?regid=282096&subid=0
• Giving is Great, Charity Factsheet for The Elizabeth and Prince Zaiger Trust, https://givingisgreat.org/charity-factsheet/?regNo=282096
• YMCA Brunel Group, “Huge thank you to The Elizabeth and Prince Zaiger Trust”, https://ymca-bg.org/news/huge-thank-you-to-the-elizabeth-and-prince-zaiger-trust/
• Arts Emergency Donor Acknowledgements, https://www.arts-emergency.org/donate/thank-you