The Hari Prasad Shastri Charitable Trust

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £120,664 (2024)
• Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
• Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed
• Grant Range: Not publicly disclosed
• Geographic Focus: England and Wales
• Charity Number: 254532

Contact Details

• Website: www.hpstrust.org.uk
• Email: contact@hpstrust.org.uk
• Phone: 07903011626
• Address: 69 Highlever Road, London W10 6PR

Overview

The Hari Prasad Shastri Charitable Trust was established in 1967 to manage the residual estate of Dr. Hari Prasad Shastri in accordance with his wishes to promulgate a love of learning and the welfare of all through spiritual education and education generally. The trust operates throughout England and Wales and maintains a focused approach to grant-making, supporting organizations that align with its mission of spiritual and general education. With total income of £154,642 and total expenditure of £120,664 in their most recent financial year, the trust continues to support initiatives that have helped thousands of deprived young people acquire life-changing skills and independence. The trust is governed by four trustees who serve on a voluntary basis, receiving no remuneration or benefits, and is supported by five volunteers.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The trust operates a general grant-making program focused on education and spiritual development. According to their website, “We are pleased to invite applications for funds” indicating an open application process. The trust describes their work as supporting organizations where “thousands of deprived young people have acquired new life-changing skills and independence.”

Current beneficiary organizations include:

• Ark - A major UK education charity running 39 schools serving nearly 30,000 pupils in traditionally underserved communities
• Big Change - Education charity focused on transforming education so young people thrive in life, not just exams
• Karuna - Organization working to overcome poverty and discrimination through gender equality, education and sustainable livelihood projects in South Asia
• Pipal Tree - Charity transforming marginalised rural communities in Nepal through education, vocational training, and climate resilience
• Project Delta - Initiative pioneering renewably powered classrooms in developing world villages, focusing on mathematics education

Priority Areas

The trust has a clear focus on:

• Spiritual Education: Priority given to spiritual education according to universal principles taught by Dr. Hari Prasad Shastri
• General Education: Broader educational initiatives that promote learning and welfare
• Skills Development: Projects that provide life-changing skills and independence to deprived young people
• International Development: Support for educational initiatives in developing countries (evidenced by support for Nepal and India-focused charities)
• Educational Equity: Organizations serving underserved and marginalized communities

What They Don't Fund

Specific exclusions are not publicly listed, though the trust's grant-making authority is defined by their governing documents which focus on education with a preference for spiritual education according to Dr. Shastri's principles.

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Governance and Leadership

The trust is governed by four trustees who serve without remuneration or benefits. The names of individual trustees are not prominently featured in public communications. The trust is supported by five volunteers who assist with the organization's work.

The trust's approach reflects a commitment to stewardship of Dr. Shastri's legacy and resources. Recent annual reports note that "the trustees have taken the decision to reduce slightly the value of grants awarded to preserve the trust's resources," indicating a conservative financial management approach focused on sustainability.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

The trust's website states: “We are pleased to invite applications for funds.” However, specific application procedures, forms, deadlines, or detailed guidance are not publicly detailed on their website or in readily available documents.

Prospective applicants should contact the trust directly at:

• Email: contact@hpstrust.org.uk
• Phone: 07903011626

Given the trust's clear educational focus and the profile of current beneficiaries (established charities with strong educational impact), applicants should be prepared to demonstrate:

• Clear educational objectives aligned with the trust's mission
• Impact on deprived or marginalized young people
• Connection to spiritual development or universal educational principles (preferred)

Decision Timeline

Decision timelines are not publicly disclosed. The trust does not advertise fixed application deadlines, suggesting grants may be considered on a rolling basis subject to trustee meeting schedules.

Success Rates

Success rates and application statistics are not publicly available.

Reapplication Policy

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

Application Success Factors

Based on the profile of current beneficiaries, successful applications appear to share several characteristics:

Scale and Impact: Current beneficiaries demonstrate significant reach - Ark serves nearly 30,000 pupils, Big Change has impacted 8 million young people, Karuna reports that 96% of children in their projects continue education past age 14 (nearly double the national average).

Focus on Marginalized Communities: All identified beneficiaries explicitly serve underserved, deprived, or marginalized populations - whether in UK urban areas (Ark), developing countries (Pipal Tree, Karuna, Project Delta), or systemically disadvantaged youth (Big Change).

Educational Innovation: Beneficiaries demonstrate innovative approaches - Big Change's £1m prize fund for bold ideas, Project Delta's renewable-powered classrooms, Pipal Tree's Community Learning Centre model.

Values Alignment: While not all beneficiaries have explicit spiritual components, there is evident alignment with universal educational principles - holistic development (Big Change's “thrive in life, not just exams”), dignity and equality (Karuna's work on gender equality and caste discrimination), sustainable development (Pipal Tree's climate resilience work).

Established Track Record: Current beneficiaries are established organizations with proven impact, suggesting the trust favours organizations with demonstrated effectiveness rather than start-ups.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Lead with educational impact: Demonstrate how your work provides life-changing skills and independence to deprived young people, with specific metrics where possible
• Emphasize alignment with universal principles: While spiritual education is preferred, the trust supports organizations promoting universal values like equality, dignity, sustainability, and holistic development
• Show scale or scaling potential: Current beneficiaries demonstrate significant reach; articulate your impact numbers and potential for growth
• Highlight innovation: Demonstrate how your approach offers new solutions to educational challenges
• Serve marginalized communities: Clearly identify the underserved populations you work with and barriers they face
• Make direct contact: With limited application guidance online, reaching out directly to discuss alignment before applying is advisable
• Prepare for sustainability questions: Given trustees' stated approach of preserving resources, demonstrate your organization's sustainability and how grant funds will create lasting change

References

• The Hari Prasad Shastri Charitable Trust - Official Website
• Charity Commission Register - The Hari Prasad Shastri Charitable Trust (254532)
• Charity Commission - Full Charity Details
• Charity Choice - The Hari Prasad Shastri Charitable Trust
• Big Change - Official Website
• Pipal Tree - Official Website
• Karuna Trust - Charity Commission
• Ark (charity) - Wikipedia)
• Project Delta Classroom - About