The Gilbert And Eileen Edgar Foundation

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £83,254 (2024)
• Success Rate: Not publicly available
• Decision Time: Not specified
• Grant Range: Typically £500
• Geographic Focus: National (England and Wales), supporting charities working in UK and/or overseas

Contact Details

Phone: 01491 639318

Email: trustee@milcote.uk

Address: Barnwell House, Fingest, Skirmett, Henley-on-Thames RG9 6TH

Overview

The Gilbert and Eileen Edgar Foundation was established in 1965 and is a small grant-making charity with an annual expenditure of approximately £83,254 (2024) and an income of £80,226. The foundation operates with just two trustees, Simon Charles Edgar Gentilli (appointed 2010) and Adam Edgar Gentilli (appointed 1988), who serve without remuneration. The foundation's charitable purposes encompass three main areas: the promotion of medical and surgical science in all forms, helping the young, old and needy, and raising the artistic taste of the public in relation to music, drama, opera, painting, sculpture and other fine arts. The trustees have discretion to determine which charitable purposes to support within these broad parameters. The foundation is connected to other family trusts including The Gilbert Edgar Trust and The Gentilli Charitable Trust.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

• Standard Grants: £500 (typical amount for smaller registered charities where this limited grant would be of real value)
• Application method: Written applications to trustees at their principal office

Priority Areas

Medical and Health

• Promotion of medical and surgical science in all forms
• Advancement of health or saving of lives
• Notable: The foundation funded the Edgar Gentilli Prize, administered by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG)

Social Welfare

• Supporting children and young people
• Supporting older people
• Supporting people in need
• Prevention or relief of poverty

Arts and Culture

• Music, drama, and opera
• Painting and sculpture
• Fine arts generally
• Raising the artistic taste of the public

What They Don't Fund

Not explicitly stated, but likely excludes:

• Non-charitable organizations
• Individuals
• Projects outside their three main charitable purposes

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Governance and Leadership

Trustees:

• Adam Edgar Gentilli - Long-serving trustee with over 35 years of involvement
• Simon Charles Edgar Gentilli - Co-trustee

Both trustees serve without remuneration and also serve The Gilbert Edgar Trust and The Gentilli Charitable Trust. The foundation has no employees.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process. The foundation “generally tends to make awards to the same group of grantees” and will “add new charities to its portfolio when funds allow.”

Interested charities should write to:

The Trustees

The Gilbert and Eileen Edgar Foundation

Barnwell House, Fingest, Skirmett

Henley-on-Thames RG9 6TH

Contact via phone (01491 639318) or email (trustee@milcote.uk) before submitting a full proposal.

Decision Timeline

Not specified. Given the small size of the foundation, decision-making is likely conducted on a rolling basis as funds allow.

Success Rates

Not publicly available. The foundation's preference for supporting established relationships suggests lower success rates for first-time applicants.

Reapplication Policy

No specific policy stated. Unsuccessful applicants may wish to maintain contact and reapply when circumstances change.

Application Success Factors

• Demonstrate impact of small grants: Clearly articulate how £500 will make a genuine difference to your work as a smaller charity
• Strong alignment with core purposes: Focus on medical/surgical science, helping vulnerable age groups, or arts/culture
• UK registered charity status: Essential requirement - clearly state your charity number
• Personal, tailored communication: Avoid generic applications - write specifically to the trustees
• Local connections: Consider any connections to Oxfordshire/Warwickshire regions where trustees have other interests
• Long-term relationship building: View first application as start of potential ongoing relationship
• Multi-dimensional impact: Projects intersecting multiple priority areas may be more compelling

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Focus applications on how a £500 grant will create real value for a smaller charity - don't request significantly higher amounts
• Without formal application processes, success depends on well-crafted written correspondence directly to trustees
• The foundation primarily supports existing grantees, so breaking into their portfolio requires patience and relationship-building
• Make initial contact by phone or email before submitting a full proposal to establish requirements
• Consider whether your project intersects multiple priority areas (e.g., arts programs for elderly people)
• View unsuccessful first applications as relationship-building opportunities for future consideration

Similar Funders

These funders have a similar focus and geographic reach:

• Edwin Fox Foundation
• The Family Rich Charities Trust
• Masonic Charitable Foundation
• THE JOHN S COHEN FOUNDATION
• The Lockwood Charitable Foundation
• THE G D HERBERT CHARITABLE TRUST
• THE KENNETH & SUSAN GREEN CHARITABLE FOUNDATION
• THE CONWAY CHARITABLE FOUNDATION
• The Ancaster Trust
• The Batchworth Trust

References

• Charity Commission Register of Charities - The Gilbert and Eileen Edgar Foundation (Charity No. 241736)
• Bath and North East Somerset Council - The Gilbert and Eileen Edgar Foundation listing
• Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists - Edgar Gentilli Prize information
• CARIS Families - Our Supporters page
• Various charity databases and public records