The Savitri Waney Charitable Trust

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £855,000 (2023-24)
• Success Rate: By invitation only
• Decision Time: Not publicly specified
• Grant Range: £22,000 - £168,000
• Geographic Focus: Primarily India and UK, with some international environmental projects

Contact Details

• Website: http://savitri.org.uk/
• Email: info@savitri.org.uk
• Phone: 07715952332
• Registered Charity Number: 1179087

Overview

The Savitri Waney Charitable Trust was founded in 2001 by Arjun Waney OBE, named in memory of his mother. Over twenty years, the Trust has donated £14 million in grants with support from friends and donors. This small, family-run charitable trust funds Community and Environmental projects that help improve the health of people and planet. In 2023-24, the Trust granted 28 individual grants to twenty-six partners working in Community and Environmental Health, with total charitable activities expenditure of £855,129. Since 2018, the Trust has gradually increased its funding towards the Environmental sector while maintaining its long-standing commitment to community health projects, particularly in rural India.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Trust operates primarily by invitation only, taking a flexible, trust-based approach to funding:

Community Health Programme

• Eyecare: £168,000+ for major partners (e.g., Akhand Jyoti Eye Hospital received £168,269)
• Palliative Care: £22,000 - £82,000 (Emmanuel Hospital Association received £81,942; Tulsi Chanrai Foundation received £22,908)
• Focus on rural India and Nigeria
• In 2023-24, directly subsidised 5,000 free cataract surgeries at the Savitri Waney Eye Centre, Purnia

Environmental Health Programme

• Changemakers: Unrestricted microgrants supporting individual and systemic environmental action
• Biocultural Diversity: Protecting Indigenous Peoples' environmental stewardship in India and South America
• Agroecology/Food Systems: Projects supporting soil health, seed sovereignty, and regenerative agriculture
• Chemicals and Toxics: Strengthening UK and international law to regulate harmful synthetic chemicals
• £100,000 collectively donated to Stop Ecocide Foundation over 3 years as part of environmental funding collaborative

Emergency Relief

• Ad hoc grants for urgent support to vulnerable communities outside key programme areas

Priority Areas

Community Health:

• Eyecare programmes in rural India
• Palliative care and pain relief services
• Training palliative care nurses to deliver holistic care and emotional support to people with terminal illness in their homes
• Community health and well-being initiatives

Environmental Health:

• Indigenous Peoples' stewardship and biocultural diversity protection
• Soil health and regenerative agriculture
• Seed saving and organic farming training for women farming communities
• Chemical regulation and raising awareness about harmful synthetic chemicals
• Environmental law, advocacy, and restoration
• Climate action and biodiversity conservation
• Projects addressing food systems and environmental justice

Geographic Focus:

• Always ensures a portion of funds distributed to India (recognizing heritage of Founding Trustees)
• UK-based environmental and food/farming projects
• International environmental projects in South America and beyond

What They Don't Fund

Information about specific exclusions is not publicly available, though the Trust operates primarily by invitation and focuses on its core areas of community health and environmental projects.

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Governance and Leadership

Founder & Trustee:

• Arjun Waney OBE - Successful businessman and restaurateur who founded the Trust in 2001. Received OBE in 2018 for hospitality and philanthropy.

Former Chair:

• Devika Waney Mokhtarzadeh (recently passed) - Founding Trustee who shaped the Trust's strategic direction, particularly passionate about environmental projects. Quote: “Hope, love of beauty, and the perfection of the natural world are the drivers for me.”

Current Trustees:

• Azad Shivdasani - Chairman of INLAKS Group, also trustee of The Inlaks Shivdasani Foundation
• Edward Bond - Consultant solicitor
• Gulu Waney - Manages family enterprises in Middle East
• Jai Waney - CEO of Tillsonburg
• Judy Waney
• Rina Bijur - Managing Director at Bank J Safra Sarasin

Staff:

• Emily Kerr-Muir (Director) - Joined in 2016 as Grants Manager, transitioned to Director in 2019, helped shape philanthropic strategy
• Siobhan McCarthy-Morton (Grants Manager) - Background in charity sector, holds Master's in Philanthropy, Grantmaking and Social Investment, Vice Chair at Women's Aid in Luton

No trustees receive any remuneration, payments or benefits from the charity. The Trust ensures 100% of donations go directly to benefit people that need it most.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

By Invitation Only: The Savitri Trust generally funds by invitation only. They take care to reach out to and beyond their existing networks and invite current grantees to nominate potential partners.

Unsolicited Applications: If your work strongly aligns to their mission, you can contact them via a brief email to info@savitri.org.uk. They will be back in touch if they'd like to take the discussion forward.

Partnership Approach: They look for partners who:

• Are experts in their field
• Bring expert local knowledge
• Are open to working collaboratively
• Can leverage funding to make the most impact

Decision Timeline

Specific decision timelines are not publicly available. The Trust takes a flexible, trust-based approach, getting to know the people and organisations they are supporting.

Success Rates

The Trust operates by invitation, so traditional success rate data is not applicable. In 2023-24, they made 28 grants to 26 partners.

Reapplication Policy

Information about reapplication policies for unsuccessful applicants is not publicly specified. The Trust maintains ongoing relationships with grantees and invites them to nominate potential partners.

Application Success Factors

Partnership Philosophy: The Trust takes a flexible, trust-based approach to their work, emphasizing getting to know the people and organisations they support. They look for partners who bring expert local knowledge and are open to working collaboratively.

Key Values:

• Collaborative approach
• Listening to experts and local communities
• Supporting projects that benefit both people and planet
• Funding with “love and trust”
• Prioritizing diverse voices and next-generation leaders (particularly in environmental changemaker grants)

Recent Projects Funded:

• Health: Akhand Jyoti Eye Hospital (£168,269), Emmanuel Hospital Association for palliative care (£81,942), Cachar Cancer Hospital & Research Centre (£34,572)
• Environmental: ClientEarth, Soil Association, Gaia Foundation, Pesticides Action Network UK, Farming the Future, Synchronicity Earth, Beaver Trust, Stop Ecocide, Force of Nature, Cancer Prevention & Education Society, Breast Cancer UK, Wildlife & Countryside Link
• Community Development: AAINA (2-year project training women farming communities on seed saving and organic farming)

Language and Terminology:

• “Improve the health of people and planet”
• “Trust-based approach”
• “Expert local knowledge”
• “Collaborative partnerships”
• “Biocultural diversity”
• “Changemakers”
• “Environmental stewardship”

Income Streams: The Trust receives support from restaurant fundraising partnerships (LPM, Zuma, Roka, Coya raised £218,548 in 2023-24) and trustee donations, demonstrating creative fundraising approaches.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Invitation-only model: Don't apply unless you have a strong alignment or have been invited; unsolicited brief emails are accepted but only responded to if there's strong mission alignment
• Long-term partnerships: The Trust values ongoing relationships with grantees and provides multi-year support to core partners
• Geographic connection: Having India connections or UK-based environmental/food systems work increases relevance
• Collaborative mindset: Emphasize your openness to partnership, expert local knowledge, and willingness to leverage funding for maximum impact
• Diverse leadership: For environmental grants, highlighting diverse voices and next-generation leaders may strengthen applications
• Trust-based philanthropy: The Trust values flexibility and relationship-building over rigid reporting requirements
• Nomination pathway: Building relationships with current grantees who can nominate you may be the most effective route to funding

References

• The Savitri Trust official website: https://savitri.org.uk/
• About Us page: https://savitri.org.uk/about-us/
• Who We Are - Leadership: https://savitri.org.uk/about-us/who-we-are-2/
• Environment & Livelihoods: https://savitri.org.uk/projects/environment/
• Grants by Year: https://savitri.org.uk/grants-by-year/
• Charity Commission Register: https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-details/?regId=1179087
• Charity Commission Annual Accounts 2023-24: https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/en/charity-search
• Quote from Devika Waney Mokhtarzadeh: “Hope, love of beauty, and the perfection of the natural world are the drivers for me.” - sourced from leadership page