The Sequoia Trust

Charity Number: 1163457

Annual Expenditure: £80.0M

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £80 million (2022)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
  • Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed
  • Grant Range: £1 million - £50 million (based on known awards)
  • Geographic Focus: England and Wales, with some international giving
  • Total Assets: £417 million (2022)

Contact Details

Address: George House, 131 Sloane Street, London SW1X 9AT

Phone: 020 7316 2280

Email: sequoia@mwam.com

Website: None

Note: The Sequoia Trust does not have a website or public application portal.

Overview

The Sequoia Trust is a significant private grant-making foundation established in 2015 by Sir Paul Marshall, a prominent hedge fund manager and philanthropist. The trust operates with substantial resources, holding net assets of £417 million as of 2022 and distributing approximately £80 million annually in charitable giving. The trust's stated charitable objects are “for such exclusively charitable purposes for the benefit of the public in any part of the world as the trustees may in their absolute discretion think fit,” providing the trustees with broad discretionary authority over grant-making decisions. In 2024, Sir Paul Marshall topped The Sunday Times Giving List, having donated £145.1 million over 12 months to various charities through the trust and other vehicles, including a £50 million donation to the London School of Economics for the Marshall Institute. The trust received a transfer of funds from a predecessor charity (charity number 1090926) in October 2017 and was recognized as the largest of 17 new entrants in the 2020 Charity Finance 250 Index.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Sequoia Trust does not operate formal grant programs with fixed application cycles. All grants are awarded at the trustees' discretion. Known grant sizes range from £1 million to £50 million based on publicized awards.

Priority Areas

Based on documented grants, the trust has demonstrated strong interest in:

Education

  • Educational inequality and reform
  • Academy schools and multi-academy trusts
  • Educational research and policy institutes
  • Literacy and numeracy programs for disadvantaged students
  • Independent educational institutions

Children and Young People

  • Charities supporting children and young people
  • Youth development programs
  • Educational opportunities for disadvantaged youth

Social Entrepreneurship and Philanthropy

  • Scaling promising social ventures
  • Philanthropic infrastructure and capacity building
  • Social impact initiatives

Religion and Faith-Based Work

  • Evangelical Christian organizations
  • Church revitalization projects
  • Faith-based charitable activities

Think Tanks and Policy Organizations

  • Conservative-leaning policy research
  • Western values and traditional institutions
  • Educational policy development

What They Don't Fund

The trust's specific exclusions are not publicly documented. However, based on the pattern of giving, the trust appears to focus primarily on education, policy research, and faith-based work aligned with conservative values, suggesting limited support for:

  • Arts and culture organizations
  • Environmental or climate-focused charities (despite the name similarity to Sequoia Climate Foundation, these are separate entities)
  • Organizations with missions contrary to traditional conservative values
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Governance and Leadership

Chair: Sir Paul Roderick Clucas Marshall (appointed 2015)

  • British hedge fund manager and philanthropist
  • Co-founder of Marshall Wace LLP
  • Founding trustee of ARK children's charity
  • Chairman of the Education Policy Institute
  • Former chairman of ARK Schools
  • Received knighthood for services to education and philanthropy (2016)
  • Net worth: approximately £875 million

Trustees:

  • Lady Sabina Marshall (Sir Paul Marshall's wife)
  • A Marshall family member (son)
  • Claire Musgrave (appointed 2015)
  • Deborah Jane Afdhal
  • Louise Anne Walker

The trust has six trustees total, one volunteer, and no employees receiving benefits over £60,000. No trustees receive remuneration for their service.

On Paul Marshall's Philanthropic Approach:

Sir Paul Marshall has been quoted emphasizing his focus on educational inequality, having written a research paper titled “Tackling Educational Inequality.” His approach emphasizes “long hours, together with an intense focus on literacy and numeracy, and personal conduct” as central to educational reform, as demonstrated through ARK's Academy programme.

A 2019 event at the LSE Marshall Institute opened with the line: “If you care about philanthropy, you have to care about faith,” reflecting Marshall's view on the connection between faith and charitable giving.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

The Sequoia Trust does not have a public application process. Grants are awarded entirely at the discretion of the trustees based on their assessment of charitable purposes and organizational alignment with the trust's values and priorities.

The trust does not:

  • Accept unsolicited applications
  • Operate an online application portal
  • Publish application guidelines or deadlines
  • Maintain a public website
  • Respond to general grant inquiries

All grants appear to be initiated by the trustees through their existing networks, relationships, and knowledge of organizations working in their priority areas.

Decision Timeline

Not publicly disclosed. Decisions are made at trustee meetings on the trustees' schedule.

Success Rates

Not applicable, as the trust does not accept applications.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable, as the trust does not accept applications.

Application Success Factors

Since the trust does not accept applications, the following factors appear to determine which organizations receive support:

Alignment with Trustee Values

  • Organizations must align with conservative, traditional Western values
  • Faith-based organizations, particularly evangelical Christian groups, receive significant support
  • Educational organizations focused on addressing inequality through rigorous academic standards

Connection to Trustee Networks

  • Sir Paul Marshall's existing trusteeships and board positions (ARK, Education Policy Institute)
  • Organizations connected to Marshall's wider network in finance, education, and policy circles
  • Institutions where trustees or their associates have direct involvement

Scale and Impact Potential

  • The trust makes very large grants (often £1 million+)
  • Focus on organizations that can scale or create systemic change
  • Support for infrastructure that enables other philanthropic or social impact work

Educational Excellence and Innovation

  • Organizations demonstrating rigorous approaches to education
  • Focus on literacy, numeracy, and personal conduct
  • Support for alternative or innovative educational models (e.g., Ralston College)

Policy Influence

  • Think tanks and research organizations that can influence policy
  • Organizations producing evidence-based research on education and social issues
  • Institutions that promote intellectual discourse and debate

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No public application process: This trust cannot be approached through traditional grant applications. Organizations are selected by trustees based on their discretionary assessment.
  • Very high grant values: When the trust does support organizations, grants are typically substantial (£1 million to £50 million range), suggesting interest in transformational rather than incremental support.
  • Relationship-driven: All known grants have connections to the trustees' existing networks, particularly through Sir Paul Marshall's roles in education, finance, and policy.
  • Conservative values alignment: The trust's giving pattern shows clear preference for organizations aligned with traditional conservative values, including faith-based work and right-leaning policy organizations.
  • Education is paramount: Education, particularly addressing educational inequality through rigorous academic approaches, is the clearest throughline in the trust's giving.
  • No website or public presence: The deliberate absence of a website or public-facing materials indicates the trust's preference for operating privately and selectively.
  • Strategic philanthropy focus: The trust has invested heavily in philanthropic infrastructure (Marshall Institute) suggesting interest in improving effectiveness of the broader philanthropic sector, particularly around scaling social ventures.

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References

Frequently Asked Questions

What does The Sequoia Trust fund?

Grant Programs The Sequoia Trust does not operate formal grant programs with fixed application cycles. All grants are awarded at the trustees' discretion.

How much funding does The Sequoia Trust provide?

The Sequoia Trust provides grants ranging from £1 million - £50 million (based on known awards), with total annual giving of approximately £80 million (2022).

How do I contact The Sequoia Trust?

Address: George House, 131 Sloane Street, London SW1X 9AT Phone: 020 7316 2280 Email: sequoia@mwam. com Website: None Note: The Sequoia Trust does not have a website or public application portal.

Is The Sequoia Trust a registered charity?

Yes, The Sequoia Trust is a registered charity with the Charity Commission (charity number 1163457). They primarily serve organisations in Throughout England And Wales.

How do I apply to The Sequoia Trust?

How to Apply The Sequoia Trust does not have a public application process. Grants are awarded entirely at the discretion of the trustees based on their assessment of charitable purposes and organizational alignment with the trust's values and priorities. The trust does not: Accept unsolicited applications Operate an online application portal Publish application guidelines or deadlines Maintain a public website Respond to general grant inquiries All grants appear to be initiated by the trustees through their existing networks, relationships, and knowledge of organizations working in their priority areas.

Where is The Sequoia Trust based?

The Sequoia Trust is based in London SW1X 9AT. They fund organisations in Throughout England And Wales.