The Gough Charitable Trust

Quick Stats

• Charity Number: 262355
• Annual Income: £44,000-£45,000 (approximate)
• Annual Giving: £28,000-£87,000 (varies)
• Application Process: No public application process (trustee discretion)
• Geographic Focus: England and Wales
• Established: 1970 (registered 1971)

Contact Details

Address: Rathbones Trust Company Ltd, 30 Gresham Street, London, EC2V 7QN

Phone: 020 73990835

Email: rtccharities@rathbones.com

Note: While contact details are provided, this trust does not operate a public application process.

Overview

The Gough Charitable Trust was established under The Gough Charitable Settlement dated 18 December 1970 and registered with the Charity Commission on 27 April 1971. The trust operates as a discretionary grant-making charity administered by Rathbones Trust Company Ltd, one of the UK's leading independent wealth and investment management firms. With an annual income of approximately £44,000 and expenditure ranging from £28,000 to £87,000, the trust distributes available income to various charities as determined by its two trustees. The trust operates throughout England and Wales, making grants to organisations for general charitable purposes and providing services to other charities or voluntary bodies. The trust follows its founding deed which grants trustees broad discretion to determine which charities receive funding, in what proportions, and under what conditions, rather than operating through an open application process.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Gough Charitable Trust does not operate specific named grant programs. Instead, the trust follows its founding settlement terms which state that “available income is paid to various charities as advised by the Trustees.”

Grant Distribution:

• Annual expenditure varies significantly (£28,000-£87,000 in recent years)
• Grants are awarded at trustee discretion
• No fixed application deadlines or rounds
• Grant amounts not publicly specified

Priority Areas

The trust is registered for general charitable purposes, meaning it has broad discretion to support charitable work across multiple sectors. The trust deed allows funds to be distributed “to such charities or for such charitable purposes and in such proportions in such manner and subject to such terms and conditions as the Trustees may determine or direct.”

Due to the discretionary nature of the trust, specific priority areas are not publicly defined and are determined by the trustees on a case-by-case basis.

What They Don't Fund

Specific exclusions are not publicly documented. However, as a discretionary trust that operates without open applications, the trustees select charities to support based on their own criteria and relationships.

Ready to write a winning application for The Gough Charitable Trust?

Our AI helps you craft proposals that match their exact priorities. Save hours and increase your success rate.

Learn more >

Governance and Leadership

Trustees: The trust has 2 trustees who make all funding decisions. The identities of the trustees are not publicly disclosed in the available charity register information.

Professional Administration: The trust is professionally administered by Rathbones Trust Company Ltd, a subsidiary of Rathbone Brothers Plc, which provides corporate trustee services to numerous family trusts and charities across the UK.

Governance Standards: No trustees receive any remuneration, payments, or benefits from the charity. The trust has no trading subsidiaries and maintains up-to-date reporting with the Charity Commission.

How to Apply to The Gough Charitable Trust

How to Apply

This trust does not have a public application process.

The Gough Charitable Trust operates on a discretionary, trustee-advised basis. According to its founding settlement and charity registration, available income is paid to various charities “as advised by the Trustees” with grants distributed “in such manner and subject to such terms and conditions as the Trustees may determine or direct.”

This means:

• The trustees proactively select charities to support
• There is no open application process for unsolicited requests
• Grant decisions are made at the discretion of the two trustees
• The trust does not publish application guidelines or deadlines

Organisations interested in this trust should understand that grants are awarded through trustee initiative rather than competitive application.

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - the trust does not operate scheduled grant rounds or application deadlines. Funding decisions are made at trustee discretion throughout the year.

Success Rates

Not applicable and not publicly available, as the trust does not accept open applications.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - without a public application process, there is no formal reapplication policy.

Application Success Factors

Understanding the Trust's Model: The most important factor for any organisation is recognising that The Gough Charitable Trust operates on a completely discretionary basis. This is not a trust that responds to applications or has published criteria for funding.

Trustee Discretion is Paramount: The 1970 Settlement explicitly gives trustees “absolute and uncontrolled discretion” over funding decisions. Success in receiving funding from this trust depends entirely on coming to the attention of the trustees and aligning with whatever charitable purposes they determine to be priorities at any given time.

Professional Administration: The trust is administered by Rathbones Trust Company Ltd, which provides professional trustee services. Understanding that this is a professionally managed trust with formal governance structures (despite its discretionary nature) is important context.

Limited Public Information: The trust maintains minimal public presence beyond its Charity Commission registration. This is typical of smaller, discretionary family trusts that operate through trustee networks rather than public outreach.

General Charitable Purposes: The trust's broad charitable objects mean it is not restricted to specific sectors, potentially allowing flexibility in what the trustees choose to support.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• No public application process exists - this trust selects charities to support through trustee discretion rather than competitive application
• Trustees have complete discretion over funding decisions under the terms of the 1970 Settlement
• Annual giving varies significantly (£28,000-£87,000) suggesting responsive grant-making based on available income and opportunities
• Professionally administered by Rathbones Trust Company Ltd, indicating formal governance despite discretionary approach
• Broad charitable remit allows trustees flexibility to support various causes across England and Wales
• Limited public information available - typical of smaller discretionary trusts that operate through private networks
• Not suitable for inclusion in regular grant applications - organisations cannot apply in the traditional sense

Similar Funders

These funders have a similar focus and geographic reach:

• Mcgreevy No 5 Settlement
• P E Lennard Charitable Will Trust
• The Moorview Charitable Trust
• The Audrey Wilson Charitable Settlement
• The J G Hogg Charitable Trust
• The Wands Charitable Trust
• David Lister Charitable Trust
• Joan Ainslie Charitable Trust
• Mole Charitable Trust
• The Tomlinson Family Charitable Trust

References

• UK Charity Commission Register of Charities, The Gough Charitable Trust (262355): https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-details/?regid=262355&subid=0
• Charity Choice Directory, The Gough Charitable Trust: https://www.charitychoice.co.uk/the-gough-charitable-trust-148681
• OpenCharities Database, The Gough Charitable Trust: http://opencharities.org/charities/262355
• Rathbones Trust Company Information: https://www.rathbones.com/trust-and-tax
• All sources accessed: 4 February 2026