The James Knott Family Foundation

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £161,239 (2024/25)
• Success Rate: Not applicable (invitation/discretionary only)
• Decision Time: Not applicable (no public application process)
• Grant Range: Not publicly disclosed
• Geographic Focus: Not specified (England and Wales)
• Registered Charity Number: 1192202
• Legal Structure: Charitable Incorporated Organisation

Contact Details

Administrative Contact:

• Email: rtccharities@rathbones.com
• Phone: 020 7399 0444
• Address: c/o Rathbones Trust Company Limited, 30 Gresham Street, London EC2V 7QN

Note: This foundation is managed by Rathbones Trust Company Limited, which provides trustee and charitable services.

Overview

The James Knott Family Foundation is a private family foundation registered as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation in England and Wales (charity number 1192202). The foundation appears to be the successor to The James Knott Family Trust (charity 265058), which was removed from the register in recent years. With annual grant distributions of approximately £161,000, the foundation operates as a discretionary grant-maker where trustees have absolute authority to determine which charitable purposes to support. The foundation is administered by Rathbones Trust Company Limited, a professional trustee service provider. The foundation does not raise funds from the public and operates primarily by distributing income and capital from its existing endowment. The significantly higher expenditure compared to income (£161,239 vs £18,005 in the 2024/25 financial year) demonstrates active grant distribution from the foundation's capital base.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation operates under broad discretionary powers rather than defined grant programs. The trustees have absolute discretion to support “such purposes as are exclusively charitable in accordance with the laws of England and Wales.”

Grant-Making Approach:

• Discretionary distribution model
• Grants determined by trustee decision
• No fixed grant amounts or program categories
• Historical expenditure patterns show substantial annual distributions (£116,611 in 2023/24, £161,239 in 2024/25)

Priority Areas

The foundation's charitable objects are deliberately broad, allowing trustees maximum flexibility to support any charitable purpose recognized under English and Welsh law. This could potentially include:

• Education
• Relief of poverty
• Advancement of health
• Arts and culture
• Community development
• Environmental protection
• Any other purposes recognized as charitable under UK law

Note: Without published grant lists or strategic priorities, the actual focus areas remain at the discretion of the trustees.

What They Don't Fund

No specific exclusions are published, though grants must comply with charitable purposes under English and Welsh law.

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Governance and Leadership

Structure:

• 4-5 trustees (exact number varies by reporting period)
• Corporate trustee: Rathbones Trust Company Limited
• No trustees receive remuneration or benefits from the charity
• No trading subsidiaries
• No employees reported

Professional Administration:

The foundation benefits from professional administration by Rathbones Trust Company, which provides:

• Trustee services and governance support
• Meeting preparation and secretarial services
• Due diligence on potential beneficiaries
• Liaison with applicants and grantees
• Regulatory compliance (Charity Commission reporting)
• Financial administration and bookkeeping

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

This foundation does not have a public application process. Grants are made at the absolute discretion of the trustees, who determine which charitable organizations to support without requiring formal applications from the public.

The foundation operates as a private family foundation where grant decisions are made internally by trustees, likely based on:

• Trustees' knowledge of charitable needs
• Research conducted by the administrative team at Rathbones
• Recommendations from trusted advisors
• Strategic priorities determined by the family
• Existing relationships with charitable organizations

If you believe your organization aligns with potential funding interests:

• Contact Rathbones Trust Company at rtccharities@rathbones.com or 020 7399 0444
• Be prepared to provide information about your charitable organization
• Understand that contact does not guarantee consideration or funding
• Be professional and concise in any communication

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - no formal application process exists.

Success Rates

Not applicable - grants are made by invitation or trustee discretion only.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - no formal application process exists.

Application Success Factors

Since this foundation does not accept unsolicited applications, traditional success factors do not apply. However, organizations that may come to the attention of the trustees typically:

Have Strong Charitable Credentials:

• Registered charity status with good compliance record
• Clear charitable purposes aligned with UK law
• Transparent governance and financial management
• Demonstrable impact in their field

May Benefit From:

• Existing connections to the Knott family or their advisors
• Recognition within the charitable sector
• Operating in areas of known interest to the trustees
• Strong reputation and track record
• Clear, well-documented charitable impact

Professional Presentation:

Should trustees or their advisors make contact, organizations should be prepared with:

• Clear articulation of charitable mission and impact
• Current financial statements and charity registration details
• Examples of successful projects and outcomes
• Information about governance and leadership
• Details of how funding would be used

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• No Public Applications: This foundation does not accept unsolicited grant applications. Grants are made at trustee discretion.
• Private Family Foundation: This is a family foundation with broad discretionary powers, not an institutional grant-maker with published criteria.
• Professional Administration: Rathbones Trust Company manages the administrative functions, bringing professional standards to the grant-making process.
• Active Grant-Making: Despite the private nature, the foundation actively distributes significant funds annually (£116,000-£161,000 in recent years).
• Successor Foundation: This foundation appears to have succeeded The James Knott Family Trust (charity 265058), continuing the family's charitable legacy.
• Relationship-Based: Grant-making likely relies on existing relationships, trusted recommendations, and trustee-initiated research rather than open competition.
• Broad Charitable Scope: The charitable objects are deliberately wide, allowing trustees to support virtually any recognized charitable purpose under UK law.

Similar Funders

These funders have a similar focus and geographic reach:

• Wright Family Foundation
• The Freddie Green and Family Charitable Foundation
• The Du Plessis Family Foundation
• The Tomlinson Family Charitable Trust
• Jesbrow Foundation
• THE LILI TAPPER CHARITABLE FOUNDATION
• The Marcia and Andrew Brown Charitable Trust
• The Lockwood Charitable Foundation
• The Patrick Rowland Foundation
• The Second Joseph Aaron Littman Foundation

References

1. Charity Commission Register of Charities - THE JAMES KNOTT FAMILY FOUNDATION (1192202)

https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-details/?regid=1192202&subid=0

Accessed: January 26, 2026

1. Companies House - THE JAMES KNOTT FAMILY FOUNDATION (CE023271)

https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/CE023271

Accessed: January 26, 2026

1. Charity Commission Register of Charities - THE JAMES KNOTT FAMILY TRUST (265058) [Removed]

https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-search/-/charity-details/265058

Accessed: January 26, 2026

1. Rathbones - Trust and Tax Services

https://www.rathbones.com/trust-and-tax

Accessed: January 26, 2026

1. Rathbones - Services for Charities

https://www.rathbones.com/charities/our-services-charities

Accessed: January 26, 2026