The Segelman Trust

Charity Number: 1188686

Annual Expenditure: £1.0M

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £992,623 (charitable activities expenditure)
  • Total Income: £749,773
  • Grant Range: £1,000 - £242,000
  • Typical Grant Size: £35,000 per year (multi-year grants)
  • Geographic Focus: United Kingdom
  • Application Method: Invitation only

Contact Details

Website: https://segelmantrust.org.uk/

Email: timothy.white@whiteandcosolicitors.com

Phone: 020 7258 0206

Address: Greenwood Place, West Wing, Somerset House, The Strand, London, WC2R 1LA

Overview

The Segelman Trust was established through the will of Gerald Segelman, a businessman and violin collector, and began making charitable grants in 2013. The Trust is an independent grant-making charity registered as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (Charity No. 1188686) that aims to support the health, happiness and life chances of people facing difficulties and disadvantage. The Trust focuses specifically on funding organisations working with children in care, care leavers, and families facing multiple and complex challenges with children at risk of entering care. The Trust believes that strong relationships and connection are at the heart of change, and operates with a trust-based philanthropy approach. Currently funding 37 partner organisations, the Trust is committed to distributing up to £10 million over five years through long-term, relationship-based funding partnerships.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Core Partnership Funding: Multi-year grants typically £35,000 per year, providing unrestricted or core funding as the default approach. The Trust focuses on building long-term, trusting relationships with a limited number of organisations.

Green Shoots Grants: Support for innovation and new approaches in children's social care.

Application Method: Invitation only - the Trust does not accept unsolicited applications.

Priority Areas

  • Children in care: Organisations providing love, support and opportunities to help children experience a happy childhood
  • Care leavers: Supporting positive transitions to adult life for young people leaving care
  • Families facing complex challenges: Working with families at risk of having children enter care, strengthening family units
  • Lived experience leadership: Organisations led by and responsive to the experiences of those they support
  • Relationship-based approaches: Work that builds long-term, supportive relationships
  • Community-rooted organisations: Smaller organisations (typically under £2 million annual income) embedded in their communities

What They Don't Fund

  • Individuals
  • Unsolicited applications
  • Organisations not working in the UK
  • Projects outside their core focus areas (children in care, care leavers, and at-risk families)
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Governance and Leadership

Trustees

  • Rebecca Eastmond (Chair) - Almost 25 years experience in philanthropy, former charity lawyer at Allen & Overy, former CEO of The Prince's Foundation for Arts & Kids, former Managing Director at J.P. Morgan Private Bank, now CEO and Co-Founder of Greenwood Place
  • Christopher Graves
  • Chris Shepard
  • Timothy White

Staff

  • Katy Golding - Director
  • Nicky Lappin - Senior Executive

The Trust operates with a small team of two part-time staff members, supported by a freelance accountant and an independent Board of Trustees.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

Applications are by invitation only. The Trust does not respond to unsolicited proposals. The Trust proactively identifies and approaches organisations that align with their values and strategic priorities.

Decision Timeline

Not publicly available, as applications are by invitation only. The Trust works with partner organisations to build relationships before making funding commitments.

Success Rates

Between 2014 and 2025, the Trust has made 304 grants totaling £22,256,502. However, success rates are not applicable as the Trust operates an invitation-only model.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - the Trust's model is based on multi-year partnerships rather than repeated applications. The Trust prefers long-term relationships with partner organisations.

Application Success Factors

Given the invitation-only model, organisations cannot apply directly. However, understanding what the Trust values can help organisations position themselves for potential future partnership:

Key Success Characteristics

  • Annual income under £2 million: The Trust specifically targets smaller organisations
  • Community-rooted: Embedded in the communities they serve
  • Relationship-based approach: Building long-term, supportive relationships with beneficiaries
  • Lived experience leadership: Led by and responsive to those with care experience
  • Strong learning culture: Commitment to reflection, adaptation and improvement
  • Collaborative: Working in partnership with others
  • Focus on immediate needs and strategic improvement: Balancing crisis support with longer-term systemic change
  • Ambitious goals: Despite size, organisations should be questioning current practice and aiming for transformational change

Example Projects Funded

  • Blue Cabin: £15,000 grant to support life story work resources for refugee and asylum-seeking children and young people newly arrived in the UK
  • Coram Voice: Funding for the New Belongings programme working with eight local authorities to improve support for care leavers through co-production
  • A National Voice (now part of Coram Voice): Funding to strengthen the national children in care council and create opportunities for care-experienced young people to participate in meaningful engagement

Trust Philosophy

The Trust believes that “strong relationships and connection are at the heart of change” and that “everyone needs love, care, community and positive relationships in their life.” This philosophy underpins all funding decisions. The Trust offers unrestricted or core funding as default, demonstrating trust in partner organisations to use resources where most needed.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • You cannot apply to this funder - they operate an invitation-only model and do not accept unsolicited applications
  • Focus on relationship-based work: If your organisation works with children in care, care leavers, or at-risk families using relationship-based approaches, ensure your work is visible in the sector
  • Demonstrate lived experience leadership: Show how care-experienced people inform and lead your work
  • Stay under £2 million: The Trust specifically targets smaller organisations with annual incomes below this threshold
  • Build sector presence: Participate in networks, conferences, and collaborations in the children's social care sector where Trust staff and trustees might encounter your work
  • Emphasise unrestricted funding readiness: Be prepared to articulate how you would use core/unrestricted funding for maximum impact
  • Show learning culture: Demonstrate commitment to reflection, evaluation and continuous improvement
  • Multi-year thinking: The Trust prefers long-term partnerships, so if approached, be ready to discuss sustained work over several years

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