The Mike Gooley Trailfinders Charity

Charity Number: 1048993

Annual Expenditure: £4.3M

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £4.26 million (2023/24)
  • Total Given Since 1995: £75+ million
  • Success Rate: Not applicable (trustee-directed giving)
  • Decision Time: Not applicable (no open application process)
  • Grant Range: £10,000 - £3,800,000+ (based on known awards)
  • Geographic Focus: England and Wales (UK citizens only)

Contact Details

Address: 9 Abingdon Road, London W8 6AH

Phone: 020 7938 3143

Website: www.trailfinders.com

Charity Number: 1048993

Note: This charity operates on a trustee-directed basis and does not accept unsolicited applications.

Overview

Established in 1995 by Sir Mike Gooley CBE, founder of the global travel company Trailfinders, The Mike Gooley Trailfinders Charity has distributed over £75 million to charitable causes across the United Kingdom. The charity recorded total income of £4.67 million and charitable expenditure of £4.26 million in the financial year ending June 2024. Sir Mike Gooley, a former SAS officer who founded Trailfinders in 1970, received a knighthood in the 2021 Queen's Birthday Honours List for services to business and charity. The charity operates with a clear strategic focus on medical research (particularly cancer and dementia research), military veterans, sport and organised children's activities, and local community projects. The charity's approach is highly strategic, with trustees selecting recipients “in their absolute discretion” rather than through an open application process. Donations are confined exclusively to the benefit of citizens of Great Britain.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The charity does not operate formal grant programmes with set application windows. All grants are made at the trustees' discretion through proactive identification and selection of charitable causes.

Known Grant Range: £10,000 - £3,800,000+

  • Major strategic donations to leading research institutions (£1m - £3.8m)
  • Support for medical research charities and universities
  • Grants to veteran support organisations
  • Youth sports and community projects

Priority Areas

Medical Research (Primary Focus - majority of funding)

  • Cancer research and treatment
  • Dementia and Alzheimer's research
  • Hospital care and paediatric medicine
  • Healthcare professional education

Military Veterans

  • Support for Armed Forces veterans
  • Emergency service efficiency
  • Veteran welfare and wellbeing projects

Sport and Youth Activities

  • Organised children's activities
  • Amateur sport development
  • Youth-oriented community projects
  • Sports facilities (charity owns Trailfinders Sportsclub, purchased 1997)

Local Community Projects

  • Community-based initiatives
  • Projects benefiting UK citizens

What They Don't Fund

  • Causes outside England and Wales
  • Projects not benefiting UK citizens
  • Individuals (grants only to registered charities and organisations)
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Governance and Leadership

The charity is governed by 6 trustees who receive no remuneration, payments or benefits. The charity operates without employees and has no trading subsidiaries.

Founder and Primary Trustee: Sir Mike Gooley CBE

  • Former SAS officer
  • Founded Trailfinders in 1970
  • Established charity in 1995
  • Knighted in 2021 for services to business and charity

Decision-Making Approach: According to the charity's governing document, grants are made “for such charitable purpose or purposes according to the laws of England and Wales throughout the UK and for the benefit of such one or more charitable bodies, trust, associations, institutions or organisations established or about to be established for such charitable purposes as the trustees shall determine and select in their absolute discretion.”

Leadership Philosophy

Sir Mike Gooley on his philanthropic motivation:

  • "It's a way of paying one's dues – a vent for gratitude since fate has smiled on me."
  • “My business success has brought an excess of wealth to share.”
  • "I've always been interested in the power of science to better people's quality of life."
  • On supporting emerging scientists: "Knowing that I will help to develop the 'Sir Pauls' of the future and be a small part of the Crick's success brings great satisfaction."

Decisions at Trailfinders and the charity are steered by the integrity and ethics of founder Sir Mike Gooley.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

IMPORTANT: The Mike Gooley Trailfinders Charity operates on a trustee-directed basis and does not accept unsolicited applications. The trustees proactively identify and select charitable causes to support based on their strategic priorities.

If you believe your organisation aligns strongly with the charity's focus areas, you may contact them directly at 020 7938 3143, though there is no formal application process.

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - the charity makes grants through trustee-directed selection rather than application review cycles.

Success Rates

Not applicable - no open application process exists.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - no application process exists.

Application Success Factors

Given the trustee-directed nature of this charity, organisations cannot apply directly. However, the charity's known funding patterns reveal what they value:

Organisations Most Likely to Receive Support:

  • Major, well-established medical research institutions and charities
  • University-based research programmes
  • Leading national charities in cancer, dementia, and paediatric medicine
  • Organisations with demonstrable scientific impact
  • Veteran support charities with clear outcomes
  • Youth sports and community organisations in England and Wales

Examples of Funded Projects:

  • £3.8 million to Alzheimer's Research UK for pioneering science at universities nationwide
  • £1 million to Francis Crick Institute's PhD programme to develop future scientific leaders
  • £11 million (cumulative) to cancer charities, particularly Cancer Research UK
  • £1.2 million to Great Ormond Street Hospital
  • Support for Royal Society of Medicine's healthcare education programmes
  • Ownership and operation of Trailfinders Sportsclub for youth sports

Values and Priorities:

  • Scientific excellence and impact: Focus on research that can "better people's quality of life"
  • Developing future talent: Particularly supporting PhD programmes and emerging scientists
  • Long-term strategic partnerships: 20+ year relationship with Cancer Research UK
  • Tangible outcomes: Preference for research and programmes with measurable impact
  • UK benefit: Exclusive focus on UK citizens and causes
  • Gratitude and responsibility: Founder views giving as "paying one's dues" for success

Funding Philosophy:

The charity appears to favour large, transformational gifts to established institutions rather than numerous small grants. The founder's philosophy emphasises supporting scientific talent and research that can create lasting societal benefit.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No application process: This charity cannot be applied to directly; trustees select recipients proactively
  • Major giving focus: Known grants range from large (£1m+) strategic investments to established institutions
  • Medical research priority: The majority of the £75+ million distributed has supported medical research, particularly cancer and dementia
  • Relationship-based: The charity develops long-term partnerships (e.g., 20+ years with Cancer Research UK)
  • Excellence-driven: Focus on prestigious institutions and programmes with demonstrable scientific impact
  • UK-exclusive: All funding confined to projects benefiting UK citizens in England and Wales
  • Not suitable for most organisations: The trustee-directed model and preference for major institutions means this funder is not accessible to most charities
  • Consider alternative funders: Organisations seeking grants should focus on funders with open application processes rather than attempting to approach this charity

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