The Manson Family Charitable Trust

Quick Stats

• Registered Charity Number: 1168888
• Annual Giving: £129,070 (2018 data)
• Assets: £1,976,476 (2018)
• Grant Range: Estimated £1,000 - £20,000
• Geographic Focus: 75% UK, 25% overseas
• Founded: 2016

Contact Details

Registered Address:

4 Parklands, Whitefield, Manchester, M45 7WY

Telephone: 0161 245 1201

Note: No website or public email address available

Overview

The Manson Family Charitable Trust was established in 2016 by Jonathan Laurence Manson, a Manchester-based businessman and philanthropist with a background in insurance and financial services (notably through his involvement with Jelf Group plc). The trust was founded with an initial donation of approximately £1.9 million in 2017 from the sale of shares. The trust operates with minimal overhead costs, dedicating resources exclusively to grant-making with only essential accounting, investment management, and legal expenses. Trustee decisions are made at their absolute discretion, reflecting the founder's desire to help people in need more directly and efficiently than through traditional philanthropic channels.

Funding Priorities

Grant Focus

The trust provides charitable support to religious, educational, and social well-being organizations. It prioritizes:

• Small, focused charities run by passionate individuals with personal interest in their cause
• Youth-focused organizations requiring medical or educational support
• Religious causes, particularly within the Jewish community
• Learning disabilities support
• General health and social well-being
• Humanitarian and disaster relief
• Animal welfare

Geographic Distribution

• 75% of grants targeted at UK causes
• 25% for overseas charities meeting similar criteria
• Recognition that funding may have greater reach in emerging markets

What They Fund

The trust awards grants to established charities demonstrating:

• Clear focus on youth, education, or religious causes
• Passionate leadership with personal connection to their cause
• Effective use of resources with potential for meaningful impact

What They Don't Fund

While not explicitly stated, the trust's structure and scale suggests:

• Grants typically go to established charities rather than individuals
• Focus on smaller organizations rather than large national charities
• Preference for organizations with specific, focused missions rather than broad remits

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Governance and Leadership

Trustees

The trust is governed by five trustees, with key members including:

• Jonathan Laurence Manson (Chair) - Founder and primary donor, appointed 2015. Born March 1947, Manson is a British businessman based in Manchester with extensive experience in insurance, financial services, and property development. He has held directorships in multiple Manchester-based companies including the Manson Insurance Group, Focus Housing NW, and The Focus Foundation. He also serves as Trustee and Honorary President of The Langdon Foundation, which supports people with learning disabilities in the Jewish community.

• Lauren Charlotte Ornstein - Trustee, appointed 2015

All trustees serve without remuneration, payments, or benefits, ensuring that charitable resources are directed entirely toward grant-making activities.

Trustee Authority

The trust's charitable objects grant trustees absolute discretion to determine which exclusively charitable purposes under English and Welsh law to support. This provides flexibility to respond to emerging needs and opportunities aligned with their core focus areas.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process.

The Manson Family Charitable Trust operates through trustee discretion rather than accepting unsolicited applications. The trust's limited scale of operations means there is no formal organizational structure or published application procedures. Grants are awarded based on trustees' knowledge of charities and causes, often through existing relationships and networks.

Grant Award Process

Given the trust's focus on small, focused charities run by passionate individuals, grants appear to be awarded through:

• Trustee identification of suitable charities aligned with funding priorities
• Direct relationships and connections within the charitable sector
• Awareness of charities through trustee involvement (such as Jonathan Manson's role with The Langdon Foundation)

Example Grant Recipients

Known grant recipients include:

• The Langdon Foundation - £16,350 (2018), £21,500 (2017) - A charity supporting people with learning disabilities in the Jewish community, where Jonathan Manson serves as Trustee and Honorary President

Application Success Factors

Since this trust does not accept unsolicited applications, organizations seeking support should consider:

Alignment with Trust Priorities

Success requires strong alignment with the trust's stated preferences:

• Small charities with focused missions
• Youth, education, or religious causes
• Leadership with genuine personal passion for their cause
• Efficient operations with low overhead costs (reflecting the trust's own operating philosophy)

Trust Values

The trust values:

• Direct impact: The founder created this trust to “help people in need more directly and efficiently”
• Passionate leadership: Explicit preference for charities “run by passionate people with a personal interest/passion in the particular cause”
• Focused missions: Small, targeted initiatives rather than broad-based programs
• Efficiency: The trust itself operates with minimal costs, suggesting appreciation for similar fiscal discipline in grantees

Connection to Trust Networks

Given the invitation-only nature of grants, organizations are most likely to be considered if they:

• Operate within the Manchester/Greater Manchester area where the trust is based
• Work within the Jewish community, given the founder's connections
• Focus on learning disabilities, youth education, or religious causes
• Are known to trustees through sector networks and charitable communities

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• No public application process: This trust does not accept unsolicited applications; grants are made at trustee discretion
• Small charity focus: The trust explicitly prefers small, focused charities over large national organizations
• Passion matters: Leadership with genuine personal connection to their cause is a stated priority
• UK-focused: 75% of grants target UK causes, with preference for Greater Manchester area based on trustee location
• Jewish community connection: Known support for Jewish community charities suggests this may be a recurring focus
• Relationship-driven: Grants appear to flow through existing trustee networks and relationships rather than formal applications
• Efficiency valued: The trust's own minimal overhead suggests appreciation for charities with similar fiscal discipline

References

• UK Charity Commission Register of Charities: The Manson Family Charitable Trust (Charity No. 1168888), https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/en/charity-search/-/charity-details/5082541
• The Manson Family Charitable Trust Annual Reports and Accounts (2017-2018), available through UK Charity Commission
• Companies House: Jonathan Laurence Manson personal appointments, https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/officers/yQJ3eUKsqTEgz-34khvDXuyxGIA/appointments
• Fundraiso: The Manson Family Charitable Trust profile, https://www.fundraiso.com/en/organisations/the-manson-family-charitable-trust
• Giving is Great: The Manson Family Charitable Trust factsheet, https://givingisgreat.org/charity-factsheet/?regNo=1168888