The Mbili Charitable Trust

Quick Stats

• Charity Number: 1173476
• Annual Income: £22,898 (2024/25)
• Annual Expenditure: £126,852 (2024/25)
• Trustees: 2
• Geographic Focus: UK-wide
• Founded: 2016

Contact Details

Address: PO Box 338, Alton, Hampshire, GU34 9JL

Email: info@mbili.uk

Phone: 07812 214897

Charity Commission: Register Entry

Overview

The Mbili Charitable Trust was established in November 2016 as a UK grant-making charitable trust. The trust operates with two trustees, Ms Sascha Hackel (Chair) and Jill Hackel-Zarzycki, both appointed at the charity's inception. The trust focuses on the enrichment and betterment of the human condition through a multi-faceted approach covering arts, environment, education, and support for vulnerable populations.

With annual expenditure consistently exceeding income (£126,852 spent against £22,898 income in the 2024/25 financial year), the trust appears to be distributing grants from existing endowment funds. The trust has supported organizations including SupportED Scotland (supporting those affected by eating disorders) and Hackney Migrant Centre (supporting migrants and refugees in East London), demonstrating a commitment to both health and social welfare causes alongside their stated priorities.

The trust operates with no paid staff and trustees receive no remuneration, ensuring all resources are directed toward charitable purposes.

Funding Priorities

Priority Areas

The Mbili Charitable Trust focuses on four interconnected areas:

Arts: Supporting artistic endeavors and cultural enrichment initiatives.

Environment: Environmental conservation and sustainability projects.

Education: Educational programs and opportunities, particularly for underserved communities.

Refugee and Migrant Support: Specific focus on alleviating suffering caused by poverty or financial hardship among:

• Refugees
• Asylum seekers
• Migrant workers and their dependents

Known Grant Recipients

The trust has provided funding to organizations including:

• SupportED Scotland: A charity supporting people affected by eating disorders in Scotland
• Hackney Migrant Centre: Supporting migrants and refugees in the Hackney area of East London

What They Don't Fund

Based on their charitable objects, the trust does not appear to fund:

• Capital building projects unrelated to their core mission areas
• Individual applications (they fund organizations)
• Activities outside their four priority areas
• Projects with no clear benefit to vulnerable populations or cultural/environmental enrichment

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Governance and Leadership

Trustees

Ms Sascha Hackel - Chair

• Appointed: 7 November 2016
• Role: Leading trustee decision-making and strategic direction

Jill Hackel-Zarzycki - Trustee

• Appointed: 7 November 2016
• Role: Co-decision maker on grant awards

Both trustees have served since the charity's establishment and bring continuity to the trust's grant-making approach. Neither trustee receives remuneration for their role.

Governance Structure

• No trading subsidiaries
• No employees
• All decisions made at trustee level
• Registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

The Mbili Charitable Trust does not have a public application process or website with application guidelines. Based on their operational model, grants appear to be awarded through trustee discretion rather than open calls for applications.

Organizations interested in funding from the Mbili Charitable Trust should contact the trustees directly:

Email: info@mbili.uk

Phone: 07812 214897

Post: PO Box 338, Alton, Hampshire, GU34 9JL

When making contact, organizations should:

• Clearly articulate how their work aligns with the trust's four priority areas
• Demonstrate impact on refugees, asylum seekers, migrant workers, or related arts/education/environment initiatives
• Provide specific information about funding needs and intended outcomes
• Be prepared to build a relationship rather than submit a standard application form

Decision Timeline

Decision timelines are not publicly available. As a small trust with two trustees, decisions may be made on a flexible basis depending on when trustees meet to review funding requests.

Reapplication Policy

No public information is available regarding reapplication policies. Organizations should inquire directly when making initial contact.

Application Success Factors

Given the limited public information about the trust's grant-making criteria, the following factors appear important based on their charitable objects and known grant recipients:

Alignment with Priority Areas: Projects must clearly fall within arts, environment, education, or support for refugees/asylum seekers/migrants.

Demonstration of Impact: The trust supports organizations that can demonstrate measurable benefits to vulnerable populations, particularly those experiencing poverty or financial hardship.

Organizational Credibility: Known recipients (SupportED Scotland, Hackney Migrant Centre) are established charities with clear missions and track records.

Geographic Diversity: The trust has funded organizations in Scotland and London, suggesting they are not geographically restricted within the UK.

Holistic Approach: The trust's mission connects cultural enrichment (arts, education, environment) with social welfare (refugee/migrant support), suggesting they favor projects that address multiple dimensions of human wellbeing.

Personal Connection: As a small trust without formal application processes, establishing a direct relationship with the trustees may be beneficial.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• This is a relationship-based funder: There is no public application process; contact must be made directly with trustees via email or phone.

• Small but committed: With consistent annual expenditure exceeding £100,000, this is a small but active grant-making trust.

• Four-pillar approach: Ensure your project fits clearly within arts, environment, education, or refugee/migrant support - ideally connecting multiple areas.

• Vulnerable populations focus: Projects should demonstrate clear benefits to people experiencing poverty, financial hardship, or displacement.

• No bureaucracy: With only two trustees and no staff, the trust can potentially move quickly on decisions but may have limited capacity for reviewing applications.

• Track record matters: Known recipients are established organizations, suggesting the trust values proven impact over experimental initiatives.

• Make personal contact: Given the absence of formal application materials, a well-crafted introductory email or phone call explaining your organization's alignment with their mission is essential.

Similar Funders

These funders have a similar focus and geographic reach:

• Montier Charitable Trust
• Cathy Wills Charitable Trust
• THE A AND R WOOLF CHARITABLE TRUST
• The Scotshill Trust
• Cecil Pilkington Charitable Trust
• The Guyll-Leng Charitable Trust
• The John Freeman Charitable Trust
• Brian and Jill Moss Charitable Trust
• The Derek Raphael Charitable Trust
• The Mosselson Charitable Trust

References

• Charity Commission Register of Charities - The Mbili Charitable Trust (Charity Number 1173476). Available at: https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-details/?regid=1173476&subid=0 []

• SupportED Scotland - Our Funders. Available at: https://supportedscotland.org/about-us/our-funder/ []

• Hackney Migrant Centre - Our Funders. Available at: https://hackneymigrantcentre.org.uk/about-us/our-funders/ []

• Charity Choice - The Mbili Charitable Trust. Available at: https://www.charitychoice.co.uk/the-mbili-charitable-trust-258874 []