The Glass-house Trust

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £1,354,587 (2024)
• Success Rate: N/A (no public application process)
• Decision Time: N/A (trustee-initiated grants only)
• Grant Range: Not publicly disclosed
• Geographic Focus: United Kingdom
• Application Type: Invitation only - no public application process

Contact Details

Address: The Sainsbury Family Charitable Trusts, 5 Wilton Road, London SW1V 1AP

Phone: 020 7410 0330

Email: info@sfct.org.uk

Website: www.sfct.org.uk/the-glass-house-trust/

Overview

The Glass-House Trust is one of 16 independent grant-making trusts within the Sainsbury Family Charitable Trusts, established in the 1990s. With annual grant expenditure of £1.35 million (2024), the Trust takes a highly focused approach to philanthropy, providing long-term support to a small number of carefully selected projects. The Trust operates across four main areas: built environment, child development, social policy, and art. Unlike most funders, The Glass-House Trust does not accept applications. Instead, grants are made to projects initiated by the trustees themselves, jointly developed with potential grant holders, or to organizations that trustees proactively identify and approach. This trustee-led model enables deep, sustained engagement with beneficiaries over many years. The Trust's most notable initiative is The Glass-House Community Led Design, a national charity conceived and launched by the Trust in 2006, which continues to receive core funding support.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Glass-House Trust does not operate formal grant programs with published criteria or amounts. Instead, funding is provided through trustee-initiated partnerships with organizations working in the Trust's priority areas.

Known Grant Recipients:

• The Glass-House Community Led Design - Core funding support since 2006. This national charity supports people to work collaboratively on the design of buildings, open spaces, homes and neighbourhoods. Originally conceived as an action research project by the Trust.

Priority Areas

The Trust provides long-term support to projects in:

• Built Environment - Including community-led design, architecture, and urban planning initiatives
• Child Development - Projects supporting children's growth and wellbeing
• Social Policy - Organizations working on social policy research and reform
• Art - Artistic projects and cultural initiatives

What They Don't Fund

As the Trust does not accept applications, there is no published list of exclusions. The Trust's funding is limited to projects that align with trustees' strategic interests within the four priority areas.

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Governance and Leadership

The Glass-House Trust operates as an independent legal entity with its own board of trustees, though it is part of the Sainsbury Family Charitable Trusts administrative umbrella.

Known Trustees:

• Alexander John Sainsbury - Trustee (appointed 2012)

The Trust has 3 trustees in total. The Charity Commission register notes that one or more trustees receive payments or benefits from the charity for providing services, in accordance with charity law.

Each of the 16 Sainsbury Family Charitable Trusts was established by an individual member of the Sainsbury family, with each trust maintaining independent governance and a distinct funding focus.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process.

The Glass-House Trust explicitly states on its website: “The Trust does not accept applications.”

Instead, the Trust operates through a proactive trustee-led model:

• Grants are made to projects initiated by the trustees
• Grants are made to projects developed jointly by trustees and potential grant holders
• Grants are made to organizations that trustees proactively seek out and approach

This means organizations cannot submit applications, proposals, or expressions of interest through any public channel.

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - grants are initiated by trustees rather than responding to applications.

Success Rates

Not applicable - no public application process exists.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - no public application process exists.

Application Success Factors

This section is not applicable as The Glass-House Trust does not accept applications from organizations.

Organizations do not approach the Trust; rather, the Trust approaches organizations that align with trustee priorities and strategic interests.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• No public application process: The Glass-House Trust cannot be approached with funding proposals. Organizations cannot apply for funding through any channel.

• Trustee-initiated funding only: All grants result from trustees proactively identifying organizations, developing projects jointly with partners, or initiating their own projects.

• Long-term relationships: The Trust provides sustained, multi-year support to a small number of organizations rather than making numerous one-off grants.

• Strategic focus areas: Built environment, child development, social policy, and art are the four domains where the Trust operates.

• Part of the Sainsbury Family: Understanding the broader Sainsbury Family Charitable Trusts ecosystem may provide context, though each trust operates independently.

• Not a realistic funding prospect: For grant writers developing funding strategies, this Trust should not be included as a potential funder unless trustees have already made direct contact with your organization.

• Exception to the rule: If your organization works in community-led design and built environment, understanding The Glass-House Community Led Design (the Trust's flagship initiative) may be valuable, though this organization itself does not make grants.

References

• The Sainsbury Family Charitable Trusts - The Glass-House Trust page: https://www.sfct.org.uk/the-glass-house-trust/
• UK Charity Commission Register - Charity 1144990: https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-details/?subid=0&regid=1144990
• The Glass-House Community Led Design - About Us: https://theglasshouse.org.uk/about-us/
• The Sainsbury Family Charitable Trusts - Grantmaking Activity: https://www.sfct.org.uk/grantmaking-activity/