The Penchant Foundation
Charity Number: 1188402
Stay updated on changes from The Penchant Foundation and other funders
Get daily notifications about new funding opportunities, deadline changes, and programme updates from UK funders.
Quick Stats
- Annual Giving: £232,700 (FY 2023)
- Success Rate: Not publicly available
- Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed
- Grant Range: Not publicly disclosed
- Geographic Focus: UK-wide (England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland)
Contact Details
Address: 5 Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 0EE
Phone: 01223 316766
Email: CH@DWYCK.COM
Charity Number: 1188402
Overview
The Penchant Foundation was established in 2020 as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) and is governed by five trustees led by Sir Charles Chadwyck-Healey Bt and Lady Angela Mary Chadwyck-Healey. The foundation operates with a selective grant-making approach focused on general charitable purposes. In the financial year ending June 2023, the foundation distributed £232,700 in grants, while receiving an income of £59,415. The foundation explicitly states that “the Trustees give the majority of their grants to charities that they have already identified,” though charities may still submit applications. The trustees serve without remuneration and the foundation has no employees or trading subsidiaries.
Funding Priorities
Grant Programs
The Penchant Foundation operates a discretionary grant-making program without specific named streams or publicly disclosed grant ranges. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, though most grants go to charities proactively identified by trustees.
Priority Areas
The foundation makes grants for general charitable purposes across three main areas:
- Humanitarian and disaster relief
- Animal welfare
- Non-profit and charitable organizations
The foundation makes grants to both individuals and organisations throughout the UK without geographic restrictions.
What They Don't Fund
No specific exclusions are publicly documented. As a general charitable purposes foundation, decisions are made at trustee discretion.
Ready to write a winning application for The Penchant Foundation?
Our AI helps you craft proposals that match their exact priorities. Save 10+ hours and increase your success rate.
Governance and Leadership
Chair: Sir Charles Chadwyck-Healey Bt
Sir Charles is a prominent publisher who founded the Chadwyck-Healey Group of academic publishing companies in 1973, specializing in research materials for university libraries in humanities and social sciences. He sold the group to ProQuest in 1999. He also chairs OPENTRUST and The Charles Chadwyck-Healey Charitable Settlement (established 1992).
Trustees (all appointed March 2020):
- Lady Angela Mary Chadwyck-Healey (Trustee)
- Edward Alexander Chadwyck-Healey (Trustee)
- Catherine Davies (Trustee)
- Faith Miller (Trustee)
All trustees serve without remuneration or benefits. The foundation shares its registered address with The Charles Chadwyck-Healey Charitable Settlement at 5 Madingley Road, Cambridge.
Application Process and Timeline
How to Apply
The Penchant Foundation does not operate a standard public application process. According to the Charity Commission register, “Charities may make applications to the Foundation but should understand that the Trustees give the majority of their grants to charities that they have already identified.”
Applications can be submitted by contacting the foundation directly:
- Email: CH@DWYCK.COM
- Phone: 01223 316766
However, applicants should be aware that unsolicited applications face significant competition, as the trustees predominantly fund charities they have proactively selected.
Decision Timeline
No public information is available regarding decision timelines for applications.
Success Rates
Success rates for unsolicited applications are not publicly disclosed. Given that the majority of grants go to trustee-identified charities, the success rate for unsolicited applications is likely to be low.
Reapplication Policy
No information is publicly available regarding reapplication policies or waiting periods.
Application Success Factors
Given the foundation's trustee-led selection approach, the following factors may increase the likelihood of consideration:
Trustee Alignment: The foundation's grants reflect the trustees' charitable interests, particularly in humanitarian relief, animal welfare, and support for other charitable organizations. Alignment with these areas appears important.
Cambridge Connection: The foundation is based in Cambridge and shares trustees with The Charles Chadwyck-Healey Charitable Settlement, which has a history of supporting Cambridge-area causes (including a £10,000 donation to the Cambridgeshire Community Foundation's coronavirus relief fund).
Track Record: As the foundation states it primarily funds charities “they have already identified,” having an established reputation and track record in your sector may be advantageous.
Relationship Building: Lady Angela Chadwyck-Healey serves on the board of Arthur Rank Hospice Charity, suggesting that personal connections and trustee awareness of organisations may influence funding decisions.
Key Takeaways for Grant Writers
- Proactive trustee selection dominates: The foundation explicitly states most grants go to charities trustees have already identified—unsolicited applications are accepted but face steep odds
- No public application portal or deadlines: Contact is via email or phone only, with no structured application process documented
- Discretionary grant-making: With “general charitable purposes” as the stated aim, trustees have wide latitude in funding decisions
- Focus areas include humanitarian relief and animal welfare: While the foundation has broad charitable purposes, these themes emerge from available documentation
- Small, personal operation: Five trustees, no staff, no remuneration—suggests a family foundation approach with personal involvement in funding decisions
- Cambridge roots may matter: The foundation's location and the trustees' other Cambridge charitable commitments suggest potential regional affinity
- Financial capacity is substantial: Despite modest annual income (£59,415 in FY2023), the foundation distributed £232,700, indicating significant reserves or endowment
Similar Funders
These funders frequently fund the same charities:
- Garfield Weston Foundation
- The Big Give Trust
- John Ellerman Foundation
- THE RUFFORD FOUNDATION
- HENOCQ LAW TRUST
- The Ashla Charitable Trust
- John Swire 1989 Charitable Trust
- The Golden Bottle Trust
- Lancashire Environmental Fund Limited
- THE CORTON HILL TRUST
- Q Charitable Trust
- The Helvellyn Foundation
- The Dulverton Trust
- THE LINDER FOUNDATION
- Chapman Charitable Trust
- The Gerald Micklem Charitable Trust
- Ecological Restoration Fund
- Environment Agency
- Interreg
- THE RIVERS TRUST
🎯 You've done the research. Now write an application they can't refuse.
Hinchilla combines funder's specific priorities with your organisation's past successful grants and AI analysis of what reviewers want to see.
Data privacy and security by default
Your organisation's past successful grants and experience
AI analysis of what reviewers want to see
A compelling draft application in 10 minutes instead of 10 hours
References
- The Penchant Foundation - Charity Commission Register
- What, Who, How, Where - Charity Commission
- Trustees - Charity Commission
- Charity Factsheet - Giving is Great
- The Charles Chadwyck-Healey Charitable Settlement - OpenCharities
- Lady Chadwyck-Healey - Arthur Rank Hospice Charity
- Cambridge News £300k appeal - Society of Editors
Accessed: December 27, 2025