The Robert Gavron Charitable Trust

Charity Number: 268535

Annual Expenditure: £0.4M

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £429,761 (year ending April 2024)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
  • Decision Time: 3-4 months (trustees meet quarterly, approximately 4 times per year)
  • Grant Range: £3,000 - £47,600
  • Geographic Focus: UK national (with some overseas work supported)

Contact Details

Address:

27 Maywin Drive

Hornchurch

RM11 3ST

Email: office@rgct.org.uk

Phone: 07549935051

Administrator: Anthony Dance

Note: The Trust does not have a website. Further information is available on the Charity Commission website (Charity Number 268535).

Overview

The Robert Gavron Charitable Trust is a family-based charity celebrating its 50th year as a grant-making organization. Founded by Robert Gavron, Baron Gavron CBE (1930-2015), a British printing millionaire, philanthropist, and Labour life peer, the Trust reflects his lifelong commitment to arts, education, and social justice. With its offices in Hornchurch, East London, the Trust awarded grants totalling £429,761 in the year ending April 2024. The Trust makes small and medium-sized grants to a wide range of UK charities working in the UK and/or overseas. Operating as a family trust, it maintains close connections to causes personally known to the trustees, though this does not preclude support for new organizations. No trustees receive remuneration, ensuring that all funds are directed toward charitable purposes.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Trust operates a rolling grants program with no fixed deadlines. Applications are accepted at any time in writing.

  • Small to Medium Grants: £3,000 - £47,600
  • Application Method: Rolling basis, written applications
  • Trustee Meetings: Approximately 4 times per year

The Trust can provide financial support in the form of either one-off grants or commitments to donations spread over more than one year.

Priority Areas

The Trust's principal fields of interest include:

  • Arts: Reflecting founder Robert Gavron's background as a trustee of the National Gallery and director of the Royal Opera House
  • Education: Including support for educational access and opportunity
  • Social Policy and Research: Evidence-based approaches to social challenges
  • Disability Charities: Supporting organizations working with disabled persons
  • Prison Work: Charities working in prisons and with prison populations
  • Cost-of-Living Support: Particularly emphasizing Food Banks and related charities
  • Human Rights: Organizations addressing rights and justice issues
  • Overseas Development: Selected international charities

The Trust has stated it is unlikely to change its funding priorities in the foreseeable future.

What They Don't Fund

Specific exclusions are not publicly detailed, but the Trust's stated approach indicates:

  • The Trust prioritizes UK registered charities
  • Focus is on organizations working in the UK and/or overseas (UK-based organizations with international programs)
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Governance and Leadership

The Trust is governed by 3 trustees who are members of the Gavron family, maintaining the family-based charitable tradition established by Lord Gavron. One known trustee is Sarah Gavron, the film director daughter of Robert Gavron.

Administrator: Anthony Dance oversees the day-to-day operations and grant application process.

Governance Principles:

  • No trustees receive any remuneration, payments, or benefits from the charity
  • Trustees meet formally approximately 4 times throughout the year to review grant requests
  • The Trust maintains a personal approach to grant-making, preferring to support organizations whose work they know and admire

Robert Gavron himself was a distinguished philanthropist who served as chairman of the Open College of the Arts (1991-1996), director of the Royal Opera House (1992-1998), trustee of the National Gallery (1994-2001), and trustee of the Paul Hamlyn Foundation (1987-2005). He was appointed CBE in 1990 and received a life peerage in 1999.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

Applications should be submitted in writing at any time to:

Anthony Dance, Administrator

The Robert Gavron Charitable Trust

27 Maywin Drive

Hornchurch

RM11 3ST

Email: office@rgct.org.uk

There is no application form or online portal. Written applications should clearly outline:

  • Your organization's charitable purpose and activities
  • The specific project or need requiring funding
  • The amount requested and how it will be used
  • How your work aligns with the Trust's priority areas

Decision Timeline

  • Application Window: Rolling basis - applications accepted at any time
  • Trustee Meetings: Approximately 4 times per year (quarterly)
  • Expected Decision Time: 3-4 months, depending on timing relative to the next trustee meeting
  • Notification Method: Written response from the administrator

Success Rates

Success rates are not publicly disclosed. However, the Trust notes that “in many cases the Trustees prefer to make grants to organisations whose work they personally know and admire. This does not, however, mean that charities unknown to the Trustees personally do not receive grants.”

With annual giving of approximately £429,761 and grants ranging from £3,000 to £47,600, the Trust appears to make between 10-50 grants per year.

Reapplication Policy

The Trust does not publicly state restrictions on reapplication. Given the rolling application process and quarterly trustee meetings, unsuccessful applicants should consider reapplying if circumstances change or if they can strengthen their application with additional information demonstrating alignment with the Trust's priorities.

Application Success Factors

What the Trust Values

  1. Personal Connection to the Work: The Trust states that trustees “prefer to make grants to organisations whose work they personally know and admire.” Building awareness of your work through other channels (publications, events, partner organizations) may help.
  1. Small Charities with Limited Fundraising Capacity: The Trust notes these “often include small charities working in areas which cannot easily raise funds and which are without the resources themselves for professional fundraising.” This suggests the Trust intentionally supports under-resourced organizations.
  1. Demonstrated Impact in Priority Areas: Strong evidence of work in arts, education, social policy research, disability support, prison work, food banks, or cost-of-living issues.
  1. UK Registered Charities: The Trust specifically supports UK registered charities, whether working domestically or overseas.

Recent Grant Examples

  • Barbados Cricket Foundation: £47,600 (largest grant in recent reporting period)
  • Old Fire Station, Oxford: Listed among current supporters
  • Food Banks and Related Charities: Particularly emphasized in current priorities
  • Prison Work Organizations: Specifically mentioned as priority area

Strategic Advice

  • Write Clearly and Concisely: With no application form, your written application should be professional, well-structured, and to the point
  • Emphasize Alignment: Clearly articulate how your work addresses one or more of the Trust's priority areas
  • Highlight Resource Constraints: If your organization has limited fundraising capacity, explain this context
  • Be Realistic with Amounts: Grants typically range £3,000-£47,600, with most likely falling in the £5,000-£20,000 range
  • Multi-Year Support is Possible: The Trust can make commitments over more than one year, so consider requesting this if appropriate
  • Personal Connection Matters: If you have any existing connection to the trustees or can develop awareness of your work through shared networks, this may strengthen your application

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Family-Based Grant-Making: This is a traditional family trust with personal connections informing decisions. Building relationships and awareness over time may be beneficial.
  • No Deadline Pressure: Rolling applications mean you can take time to craft a strong submission rather than rushing to meet a deadline.
  • Perfect for Small-Medium Charities: The Trust explicitly values organizations with limited fundraising resources working in important but under-funded areas.
  • Food Banks Particularly Prioritized: Current emphasis on food banks and cost-of-living issues suggests strong alignment for organizations in this space.
  • Arts and Education Legacy: The founder's distinguished career in arts and education philanthropy continues to inform the Trust's priorities.
  • Quarterly Decisions Create Natural Timeline: Plan your application timing around the quarterly meeting cycle, allowing 3-4 months for decisions.
  • Multi-Year Support Available: Don't limit yourself to one-off requests if your project would benefit from sustained support.

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