The Schapira Charitable Trust

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £15,606 (2024) - Note: Highly variable year to year
• Success Rate: Not available
• Decision Time: Not available
• Grant Range: Not available
• Geographic Focus: UK (based in London)

Contact Details

Address: 2 Dancastle Court, 14 Arcadia Avenue, London, N3 2JU

Alternative address: First Floor Winston House, 349 Regents Park Road, London N3 1DH

Email: londonoffice@istrad.com

Phone: 020 8371 0381 or 020 3411 2001

Note: No website available. Direct contact required for application inquiries.

Overview

The Schapira Charitable Trust was established in 1989 through a trust deed dated 17 November 1989. The trust operates with broad discretionary powers, enabling trustees to support charitable purposes and institutions as they see fit. While the trust primarily provides support to religious institutions of the Jewish faith, it accepts applications from a wider range of sources and favorably considers applications in the fields of Health and Education generally. The trust's financial activity has shown significant year-to-year variation, with expenditure of £1,715,272 in 2023, £524,793 in 2020, and £15,606 in 2024, suggesting irregular grant-making patterns. The trust operates as a grant-making charity supporting other charitable organizations and voluntary bodies.

Important Note: According to Charity Commission records, the trust has experienced compliance issues, including failure to provide financial information within required timeframes.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The trust does not appear to have structured grant programs with published funding tiers. Grant-making is conducted on a discretionary basis by the trustees.

Priority Areas

Based on the trust's stated purpose, priority areas include:

• Jewish Religious Institutions: Primary focus on supporting religious institutions of the Jewish faith
• Health: Applications in the health field are favorably considered
• Education: Applications in the education field are favorably considered
• General Charitable Purposes: The trust has broad discretionary powers to support any charitable purpose

What They Don't Fund

No specific exclusions are published. However, given the trust's focus areas, applicants should note the preference for Jewish religious institutions, health, and education sectors.

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Governance and Leadership

Trustees

The trust is governed by three trustees who serve without remuneration:

• Isaac Yehuda Schapira - Trustee
• Suzanne Lynette Schapira - Trustee
• Alan Rose - Trustee

No trustees receive any remuneration, payments, or benefits from the charity.

Governance Structure

The trust operates under a trust deed that grants trustees absolute discretion in determining which charitable purposes or institutions to support. This discretionary approach means funding decisions are made on a case-by-case basis rather than following published criteria.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

Important: The Schapira Charitable Trust does not publish formal application guidelines or processes. Based on the trust's structure:

• Prospective applicants should contact the trust directly via email (londonoffice@istrad.com) or phone (020 8371 0381 or 020 3411 2001)
• No online application portal is available
• No application deadlines are published
• The application process appears to be on a rolling basis, subject to trustee discretion

Decision Timeline

Decision timelines are not published. Given the trust's discretionary nature and lack of structured programs, timelines likely vary depending on trustee meeting schedules.

Success Rates

No data available on application numbers, success rates, or competitive statistics.

Reapplication Policy

No published policy on reapplications for unsuccessful applicants.

Application Success Factors

Given the limited public information available, prospective applicants should consider the following:

Alignment with Core Interests:

• Organizations with connections to Jewish religious life, health, or education sectors may have stronger alignment with the trust's stated priorities
• The trust accepts applications from a “wider source,” suggesting openness to organizations outside the primary Jewish faith focus

Direct Communication:

• Given the absence of published guidelines, direct contact with the trustees to discuss potential alignment before submitting a formal application is advisable
• Clear articulation of how your organization fits within the trust's broad charitable purposes will be important

Flexibility in Expectations:

• The trust's highly variable annual expenditure suggests irregular grant-making patterns
• Be prepared for potentially extended decision timelines given the discretionary nature of the trust

Due Diligence:

• Prospective applicants should be aware of the trust's compliance issues with the Charity Commission
• Consider whether these factors affect your organization's relationship with the funder

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Highly Discretionary: This trust operates with maximum trustee discretion and minimal published criteria, making it difficult to predict funding decisions
• Limited Transparency: The absence of published guidelines, application processes, or grant examples makes this a challenging funder to approach
• Priority Alignment: Jewish religious institutions, health, and education organizations appear most aligned with stated priorities
• Direct Approach Required: Contact trustees directly to inquire about funding availability and application procedures before investing significant time in proposals
• Financial Variability: Highly irregular grant-making expenditure patterns suggest unpredictable funding availability
• Compliance Concerns: Be aware of the trust's compliance issues with Charity Commission reporting requirements
• Small-Scale Operation: With only three trustees and no staff, expect a small-scale, personal decision-making process

References

• UK Charity Commission - The Schapira Charitable Trust, Charity Number 328435. Retrieved from: https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-details/?regid=328435&subid=0 (Accessed: 2025)
• UK Charity Commission Beta Site - Charity Details for 328435. Retrieved from: https://beta.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-details?regid=328435&subid=0 (Accessed: 2025)
• OpenCharities - The Schapira Charitable Trust. Retrieved from: http://opencharities.org/charities/328435 (Accessed: 2025)

Note: This overview is based primarily on Charity Commission statutory filings. The trust does not maintain a public website or publish detailed grant-making information. Prospective applicants should contact the trust directly for current information about funding availability and application procedures.