The Kiawah Charitable Trust

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £900,933 (2024 expenditure)
• Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
• Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed
• Grant Range: £50,000 - £10,000,000+ (estimated based on known grants)
• Geographic Focus: England, Wales, and India
• Application Process: No public application process - invitation only/relationship-based

Contact Details

Address: PO Box 751, Kent, TN9 9XH

Phone: 01892 701801

Email: info@kiawahtrust.org

Charity Number: 1107730

Overview

The Kiawah Charitable Trust was founded in 2004 by Lynne and Peter Smitham as a UK family foundation committed to improving the lives of vulnerable and disadvantaged people, with a particular focus on gender equality. Peter Smitham was a founder of Permira Partners Ltd. where he worked for 30 years until 2015, and also helped the British government form Actis, serving as chairman from 2004 to 2016. The Trust has demonstrated a capacity for significant strategic philanthropy, making multi-million pound investments in long-term partnerships. Their approach combines being “hands-on and hands-off” with grantees - deeply engaging in causes and bringing additional partners to the table while trusting partners to be experts. The Trust's most notable work includes anchoring the 10to19: Dasra Adolescents Collaborative with a $10 million investment, which has reached 22 million adolescents across India through a network of 324 partner organizations.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Kiawah Charitable Trust operates through strategic, large-scale partnerships rather than traditional grant programs:

• Major Strategic Partnerships: £50,000 - £10,000,000+ (multi-year commitments to anchor organizations)
• UK Gender Equality Initiatives: Funding amounts not publicly disclosed (ongoing support to organizations like Women's Budget Group)

Grants are made on an invitation-only basis through trustee discretion and existing relationships.

Priority Areas

Primary Focus: Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment

• Adolescent girls' education and empowerment, particularly in India
• Preventing child marriage and keeping girls in school
• Sexual and reproductive health education
• Gender-based violence prevention
• Women's economic empowerment and decision-making
• UK-based gender equality policy and advocacy

Secondary Focus Areas:

• Education and training
• Health advancement
• Disability support
• Poverty prevention and relief
• Human rights, racial harmony, and equality
• Economic and community development
• Overseas aid

Geographic Focus:

• India (primary international focus, particularly adolescent girls)
• England and Wales (gender equality initiatives)

What They Don't Fund

The Trust does not publicly disclose exclusions, but their funding pattern suggests:

• Organizations outside their core focus on gender equality and vulnerable populations
• Projects without clear gender equality outcomes
• Organizations seeking small grants (their grants tend to be substantial, strategic investments)
• Unsolicited applications from organizations without prior relationship or introduction

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Governance and Leadership

Trustees

Lynne Smitham - Chair and Co-Founder

Co-founded the Trust in 2004 with a passion for empowering adolescent girls and advancing gender equality.

Peter Smitham - Trustee and Co-Founder

Founder of Permira Partners Ltd. (30 years until 2015), helped establish Actis for the British government, served as chairman 2004-2016. Brings extensive private equity and investment expertise to the Trust's strategic philanthropy approach.

Andrea Jackson - Trustee

Appointed 04 November 2012.

Leadership Philosophy

The Smithams emphasize the importance of:

• Personal introductions and relationships
• Deep understanding of their philanthropic interests by fundraisers
• Quality over formality in proposals - Peter Smitham has criticized “proposals without a single number” and meetings where senior staff prevent junior staff from speaking
• Unrestricted funding that trusts partners to be experts
• Long-term strategic partnerships that can leverage additional funding

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

The Kiawah Charitable Trust does not have a public application process.

This is a private family foundation that operates through:

• Trustee discretion and strategic decision-making
• Personal introductions and existing relationships
• Invitation-only grant-making
• Pre-existing partnerships and networks

Organizations cannot submit unsolicited applications through a formal process. Grants are awarded based on the trustees' strategic priorities and personal engagement with causes they are passionate about.

Getting on Their Radar

The Trust has specifically stated that personal introduction is critical to engaging with them. Based on their documented approach:

Network Mapping Approach:

• The founders emphasize that fundraisers must “deeply understand their personal and philanthropic interests” before approaching them
• Identify individuals or organizations that have existing relationships with the Smithams or other trustees
• The Trust values being brought additional partners and collaborative opportunities by organizations they already support

Sector Engagement:

• The Trust is actively engaged with Dasra in India and the 10to19 Collaborative network
• They support Women's Budget Group in the UK - organizations working in gender equality policy space may have indirect connections
• Peter Smitham's background in private equity (Permira, Actis) suggests potential connections through business and philanthropic networks in that sector

Demonstrating Alignment:

• The Trust responds to organizations with clear, number-driven impact data - avoid “proposals without a single number”
• They value organizations that allow junior staff to speak and demonstrate authentic engagement rather than over-polished presentations
• Their largest grants have been unrestricted and focused on building new initiatives, suggesting they respond well to innovative, systems-change approaches
• Focus on gender equality, particularly adolescent girls, must be central and evidence-based

Important Note: Even with introductions, the Trust makes very selective grants. Their giving pattern suggests they prefer making fewer, larger, multi-year investments rather than many smaller grants.

Decision Timeline

Not publicly disclosed. Based on their strategic approach, decisions likely require significant relationship-building and due diligence over months or years rather than quick turnaround.

Success Rates

Not publicly disclosed. Given their highly selective, invitation-only approach and focus on major strategic partnerships, success rates for approaches are likely very low. However, organizations that successfully build relationships and align with their core interests can receive substantial, multi-year support.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable given the absence of a formal application process.

Application Success Factors

What the Trust Values (Based on Documented Preferences)

1. Data-Driven Impact Evidence

Peter Smitham has specifically criticized “proposals without a single number.” Organizations approaching the Trust should:

• Lead with quantitative impact data
• Show clear metrics for success
• Demonstrate cost-effectiveness and leverage potential
• Use evidence-based approaches

2. Authentic Organizational Culture

The Smithams value meetings where junior staff can speak freely and demonstrate genuine passion for the work. They have criticized situations where senior staff dominate meetings, suggesting they want to see:

• Genuine commitment across the organization
• Direct engagement with program staff who deliver the work
• Authentic presentation rather than over-polished marketing

3. Strategic Leverage and Partnership Potential

Their major grants demonstrate a preference for:

• Organizations that can leverage their funding to attract other funders (their $2M grant to Dasra helped raise tens of millions more)
• Collaborative approaches that bring together multiple partners
• Systems-change initiatives rather than direct service delivery alone
• Unrestricted funding that allows organizations to be innovative

4. Long-Term Strategic Relationships

• Multi-year commitments (their Dasra partnership has lasted over a decade)
• Willingness to be “hands-on and hands-off” - engaged but trusting
• Organizations that value their non-financial contributions (networks, expertise, additional partners)

5. Gender Equality Focus

• Must be central to the theory of change, not peripheral
• Strong preference for adolescent girls (ages 10-19) empowerment
• Evidence-based approaches to systems change around gender equality
• Both direct service and policy/advocacy approaches considered

Examples of Funded Work

Dasra and 10to19 Collaborative (India):

• Empowering adolescent girls from disadvantaged communities
• Focus on delaying marriage, keeping girls in school, sexual and reproductive health education
• Systems-change approach working with 324 partner organizations
• Multi-year, multi-million pound anchor investment
• Reached 22 million adolescents by 2023

Women's Budget Group (UK):

• Gender equality policy and advocacy
• Economic justice and women's rights
• Partnership with major UK feminist policy organization

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• No unsolicited applications accepted - This is not a funder you can apply to directly through a standard grant application process
• Personal introductions are essential - The founders have explicitly stated that personal introduction and deep understanding of their interests are critical
• Focus on major strategic investments - The Trust makes large, multi-year grants (£50,000 to £10 million+) rather than numerous small grants
• Gender equality must be central - Projects must have gender equality, particularly for adolescent girls and women, at their core
• Show the numbers - Come with strong quantitative impact data and clear metrics; avoid proposals without concrete evidence
• Think leverage and partnership - The Trust values organizations that can use their funding to attract additional funders and build collaborative approaches
• Prepare for deep engagement - If you do secure their interest, expect a relationship-based approach where they engage deeply with your work over multiple years
• UK organizations: Focus on gender equality and women's rights policy and advocacy work; note they have supported Women's Budget Group

References

1. Charity Commission Register, The Kiawah Charitable Trust (1107730), https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-details/?regid=1107730&subid=0

1. Charity Commission Full Print, The Kiawah Charitable Trust, https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/en/charity-search/-/charity-details/4013337/full-print

• Quote: Peter Smitham on fundraiser shortcomings - “proposals without a single number” and meetings where senior staff prevent junior staff from speaking

1. "Kiawah Trust: Supporting Gender Equality Initiatives with Women's Budget Group," Women's Budget Group, https://www.wbg.org.uk/organisation/kiawah-trust/

1. "USAID, Kiawah Trust and Dasra Launch '10to19' A New Collaborative to Empower Five Million Adolescents across India," U.S. Embassy & Consulates in India, March 2017, https://in.usembassy.gov/usaid-kiawah-trust-dasra-launch-10to19-new-collaborative-empower-five-million-adolescents-across-india/

• Information about 10to19 Collaborative reaching 22 million adolescents and 324 partner organizations

1. Peter Smitham biography, The Atlantic Philanthropies, https://www.atlanticphilanthropies.org/about/bios/peter-smitham

1. Lynne Smitham profile, Skoll World Forum, https://skoll.org/attendee/lynne-smitham/