The Oxford Trust

Registered charity 292664 · since 1985theoxfordtrust.co.uk·Oxfordshire·Updated 30 October 2026

At a glance

£72,770

Annual giving, year to 31 March 2025

From filed accounts

Key takeaways

The Trust's stated themes are science and technology enterprise, STEM education, public STEM engagement and inclusive STEM access, so a request should show how the work fits one of these.
Its Accessing Science Fund, for schools and community groups with fewer STEM opportunities, is the clearest match for projects that reach young people facing barriers to science.
No grant range is published, and the annual report gives one total of £72,770 that may include grants to individuals, so a small, specific request is the sensible scale to test.
No application process is published, so contact the Trust through the details it shows and ask how it takes requests before sending anything formal.
The Charity Commission lists its area of operation as Oxfordshire, but no grant focus is stated, so ask before assuming a project elsewhere is ruled out.

Overview

The Oxford Trust is a charity registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales (charity number 292664).

The Oxford Trust is a charity that exists to encourage the pursuit of science, and its mission is stated simply in those terms. It was established by the late co-founders of Oxford Instruments, the University of Oxford's first spinout company. It runs programmes across three objectives: innovation, education and engagement. Its Wood Centre for Innovation is home to nine science and tech start-up companies, and its Oxford Centre for Innovation to seven science and tech companies and supporting businesses.

What they fund

Priority Areas

The Oxford Trust encourages the pursuit of science through innovation, education and engagement. Its innovation programme supports science and technology start-ups and growing companies through flexible office and laboratory space and business advice. Through Science Oxford, its education programme inspires young people about STEM, with primary-school workshops, shows and kit loans linked to the curriculum, teacher development and a STEM careers programme. Its public engagement work aims to inspire young people and families through events and STEM clubs, including work with communities. The Trust also supports science festival activity and organisations strengthening Oxfordshire’s technology ecosystem. Its Accessing Science Fund is designed to open science learning to young people who face barriers to STEM engagement, supporting schools and community groups with fewer STEM opportunities.

Themes

Science and technology enterprise
STEM education
Public STEM engagement
Inclusive STEM access

How to apply

No application process is published in the charity's annual report, its register entry, its website or other pages about it. The contact shown is for getting in touch.

Where they fund

Registered area of operation (Charity Commission)

Oxfordshire

Similar funders

Funders supporting work similar to The Oxford Trust.

Oxford Good Stewards TrustRollingGave £137k The Stanton Ballard Charitable TrustFixed deadlinesGave £148k Barnsbury Charitable TrustNo public processGave £35,500 Oxfordshire Community FoundationFixed deadlinesGave £2.5M Active OxfordshireFixed deadlines Oxfordshire Historic Churches TrustFixed deadlinesGave £350k Doris Field Charitable TrustRollingGave £326k Edward Penley Abraham Research FundRollingGave £6.1M Community First OxfordshireRollingGave £12,742 The Guy Newton Research FundRollingGave £460k

Five years of accounts

Financial year	Income	Expenditure	Grants paid	Accounts document
year to 31 March 2021	£1,791,604	£1,866,500	£2,589	Accounts for year to 31 March 2021
year to 31 March 2022	£2,827,503	£2,453,640	—	Accounts for year to 31 March 2022
year to 31 March 2023	£3,242,855	£2,932,416	—	Accounts for year to 31 March 2023
year to 31 March 2024	£3,338,897	£3,358,874	—	Accounts for year to 31 March 2024
year to 31 March 2025	£3,886,682	£3,517,595	£72,770	Accounts for year to 31 March 2025

Income vs grants paid

IncomeGrants paid

Total value each financial year

YE 2021

£2,589 grants

YE 2025

£72,770 grants

Grants paid stayed within income across the 2 years shown.

Grants paid, year to 31 March 2021: grants to institutions, as reported on the charity register (Part B).
Grants paid, year to 31 March 2025: the accounts do not say whether this is grants awarded or paid.

— No grants figure for those years.

Figures from the charity’s filed accounts and its register entry. The document icon links to the charity’s entry on the Charity Commission register, where its filed accounts can be found.