The Eureka Charitable Trust

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £2,580,000 (2023/24)
• Success Rate: Not publicly available
• Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed
• Grant Range: Not publicly disclosed
• Geographic Focus: International (England & Wales, Cambodia, Ethiopia, United States)
• Total Assets: £13.9 million

Contact Details

• Email: EurekaTrust@mwam.com
• Phone: +44 207 316 2283 (or 020 7925 7619)
• Address: C/O Marshall Wace Asset Management, George House, 131 Sloane Street, London SW1X 9AT
• Charity Number: 1163448
• Website: Not available

Overview

The Eureka Charitable Trust was registered as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) in England & Wales on 7 September 2015 (charity number 1163448). The trust represents the continuation of an earlier charity (1088797), with funds transferred in November 2017. Associated with Marshall Wace Asset Management, the trust holds substantial assets of £13.9 million with unrestricted reserves of £10.9 million. In the financial year ending 30 June 2024, the trust distributed £2,580,000 in charitable expenditure on income of £788,000, drawing on its substantial reserves. The trust operates as a grant-making foundation with broad charitable purposes, funding organisations in the UK and internationally including Cambodia, Ethiopia, and the United States. The trust's mission is exceptionally broad, providing funding “for such exclusively charitable purposes for the benefit of the public in any part of the world as the trustees may in their absolute discretion think fit.”

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Eureka Charitable Trust operates with discretionary grant-making at the trustees' determination. Specific grant programs, amounts, and application deadlines are not publicly advertised. The trust makes grants directly to organisations rather than individuals.

Priority Areas

Based on available information, the trust funds:

• Culture and the arts
• Humanitarian and disaster relief
• Non-profit and charitable organisations
• Support for children and young people
• International development (particularly in Cambodia and Ethiopia)

The trust's charitable purposes are intentionally broad, allowing trustees maximum flexibility to support causes they deem worthy across any charitable sector and geographic area.

What They Don't Fund

Specific exclusions are not publicly documented. As the trust makes grants to organisations rather than individuals, individual applications are not accepted.

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Governance and Leadership

Trustees

• Duncan Ford - Chair (appointed 2015)
• Claire Musgrave (appointed 2015)
• Elizabeth Claire Appleford (appointed 2022)
• Ilaria Calabresi (appointed 2023)
• Mark Edlin (appointed 2023)

No trustees receive remuneration, payments, or benefits from the charity. The trust has no trading subsidiaries.

Connection to Marshall Wace

The trust is closely associated with Marshall Wace Asset Management, with its registered office at Marshall Wace's London headquarters. Marshall Wace is a hedge fund management company whose co-founders, Ian Wace and Paul Marshall, are known for significant philanthropic activities, including founding the ARK (Absolute Return for Kids) charity. Paul Marshall topped The Sunday Times Giving List in 2024 with donations of £145.1 million over 12 months.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

The Eureka Charitable Trust does not maintain a public website or advertise an open application process. Organisations interested in seeking funding should contact the trust directly:

• Email: EurekaTrust@mwam.com
• Phone: +44 207 316 2283

Given the trust's discretionary approach (“as the trustees may in their absolute discretion think fit”), it appears that grants may be made proactively by trustees or through direct approach rather than through an open competitive application process.

Decision Timeline

Decision timelines are not publicly disclosed. Given the discretionary nature of the trust's grant-making, timelines likely vary depending on individual circumstances.

Success Rates

Success rates and application volumes are not publicly available.

Reapplication Policy

Information about reapplication policies for unsuccessful applicants is not publicly available.

Application Success Factors

Given the limited public information about the Eureka Charitable Trust's grant-making processes, the following factors may be relevant:

Discretionary Decision-Making

The trust operates with exceptional discretion, with trustees having absolute authority over funding decisions. This suggests:

• Relationship-building with trustees may be important
• Demonstrating alignment with trustees' personal charitable interests could be beneficial
• The trust may proactively identify organisations to support rather than responding to unsolicited applications

Financial Position

The trust holds substantial reserves (65 months of spending), which charity analysis sources note means it “may not be able to utilise additional funding.” This suggests:

• The trust is financially stable and not seeking to increase its asset base
• Focus is on strategic deployment of existing resources
• The trust may be selective in its grant-making rather than volume-focused

International Focus

The trust's work in Cambodia, Ethiopia, and the United States suggests:

• Interest in international development and humanitarian causes
• Potential connections to specific countries or causes beyond the UK
• Willingness to support overseas work

Association with Marshall Wace

The connection to Marshall Wace, whose founders are known for education philanthropy (particularly through ARK), may indicate:

• Potential interest in education-related causes
• Professional approach to grant-making and impact measurement
• Connections to the financial services sector

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Relationship-driven approach: With no public application process, direct contact and relationship-building appear essential for accessing funding from this trust.
• Broad mandate: The trust's exceptionally wide charitable purposes mean almost any legitimate charitable cause could theoretically be supported, but this also makes it difficult to predict funding priorities.
• Discretionary grant-making: Trustees have absolute discretion over funding decisions, suggesting grants may be made based on personal trustee interests or connections rather than competitive application processes.
• International scope: The trust's work in Cambodia, Ethiopia, and the United States indicates openness to international projects beyond UK-focused work.
• Substantial reserves: With £13.9 million in assets and 65 months of reserves, the trust is well-capitalised and focused on strategic deployment rather than growth.
• Marshall Wace connection: Understanding the philanthropic interests of Marshall Wace founders (particularly in education through ARK) may provide insights into potential funding priorities.
• Limited transparency: The absence of a website, published guidelines, or annual reports with grant recipient lists makes this a challenging funder to approach without existing connections.

References

• Charity Commission Register of Charities - The Eureka Charitable Trust (1163448). Retrieved 7 November 2025. https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-search/-/charity-details/5053933
• Giving is Great - The Eureka Charitable Trust Charity Factsheet. Retrieved 7 November 2025. https://givingisgreat.org/database/charity-factsheet/?regNo=1163448
• NGO Explorer - The Eureka Charitable Trust. Retrieved 7 November 2025. https://ngoexplorer.org/charity/1163448
• Marshall Wace - Responsibility page. Retrieved 7 November 2025. https://www.mwam.com/responsibility/
• Companies House - The Eureka Charitable Trust (CE004625). Retrieved 7 November 2025. https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/CE004625