The Sinclair Charity

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £656,000 - £688,000
• Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed (invitation/discretion only)
• Decision Time: Not applicable (no public application process)
• Grant Range: Not publicly disclosed
• Geographic Focus: England and Wales
• Application Type: Trustee discretion only - no public applications

Contact Details

Registered Address: Mountview House, 151 High Street, London

Phone: 0208 920 5778

Email: ls@mountviewplc.co.uk

Charity Number: 1174460

Note: This contact information is for general enquiries only. The charity does not accept unsolicited grant applications.

Overview

THE SINCLAIR CHARITY was originally established as The Sinclair Foundation and renamed by deed on 1 August 2017. Registered with the Charity Commission on 31 August 2017, this private grant-making trust is connected to the Sinclair family and Mountview Estates PLC. With an annual income of approximately £654,000-£731,000 (primarily from investments) and charitable expenditure of £656,000-£688,000, the charity operates throughout England and Wales. The trust is governed by three trustees who exercise broad discretionary powers to fund charitable causes. Unlike many charitable trusts, THE SINCLAIR CHARITY does not have a public application process, website, or published funding guidelines. All grant decisions are made at the discretion of the trustees.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The charity does not operate formal grant programs with published criteria. Instead, funding decisions are made entirely at the discretion of the three trustees.

Priority Areas

The charity's registered objects are intentionally broad: “To apply the income and all or such part or parts of the capital at such times and in such manner to or for the benefit of such exclusively charitable objects and purposes (regarded as charitable under the laws of England and Wales) in any part of the world as the Trustees think fit.”

This means the charity has complete flexibility to support any charitable purpose recognized under English and Welsh charity law.

What They Don't Fund

No specific exclusions are published, as the charity does not have a public funding policy.

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Governance and Leadership

The charity is governed by three trustees, none of whom receive remuneration, payments, or benefits from the charity. The charity has no employees earning over £60,000 and no trading subsidiaries.

Connection to Mountview Estates PLC: The charity is closely connected to the Sinclair family and Mountview Estates PLC, a property investment company. Duncan Morrall Sinclair, CEO of Mountview Estates PLC, has held director positions related to The Sinclair Charity. The Sinclair family concert party controls over 51% of Mountview Estates' share capital.

How to Apply to The Sinclair Charity

How to Apply

THE SINCLAIR CHARITY DOES NOT HAVE A PUBLIC APPLICATION PROCESS.

This is a private discretionary trust where all funding decisions are made by the trustees without reference to external applications. The charity does not:

• Accept unsolicited applications
• Publish application guidelines or forms
• Operate an application portal
• Announce funding rounds or deadlines
• Publicize the organizations they support

Grant decisions are made entirely at the trustees' discretion based on their own charitable interests and connections.

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - there is no application process for external organizations.

Success Rates

Not applicable - the charity does not accept applications from the general public.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - the charity does not accept applications.

Application Success Factors

For grant writers, this funder is not accessible through standard application processes.

The Sinclair Charity represents a category of private family trusts that:

• Make genuine charitable grants (as confirmed by significant annual expenditure)
• Operate entirely through trustee discretion
• Do not solicit or accept applications from unknown organizations
• Typically support causes connected to trustees' personal interests and existing relationships

Organizations seeking funding from such trusts typically need pre-existing relationships with trustees or family members, or must be identified by trustees through their own networks and activities.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Not accessible through applications: This charity does not accept unsolicited applications and should not be targeted through standard grant-seeking processes
• Private discretionary trust: All decisions made by three trustees based on their personal charitable interests
• Significant grantmaker: With £656k-£688k in annual charitable expenditure, they are actively making grants, just not publicly
• Connected to Mountview Estates: Understanding the Sinclair family's business interests and networks might provide context, but this doesn't create an application route
• No published criteria: The charity's objects are intentionally broad, giving trustees complete discretion
• Focus resources elsewhere: Grant writers should prioritize funders with public application processes where their clients have a realistic chance of success
• Watch for changes: Occasionally private trusts do open up public application processes - monitoring the Charity Commission register for updates to their activities or governance could identify any future changes

Similar Funders

These funders have a similar focus and geographic reach:

• The George Cadbury Trust (george Henry T And Laurence J Cadbury Sections)
• The A And J Charitable Trust
• The Costa Family Charitable Trust
• The Aitken Family Charitable Trust
• The Harris Family Charitable Trust
• Rjm Charity Trust
• The Du Plessis Family Foundation
• The Marcia And Andrew Brown Charitable Trust
• Morris Leigh Foundation
• Mcgreevy No 5 Settlement

References

• Charity Commission Register of Charities, THE SINCLAIR CHARITY (1174460), accessed 27 November 2025: https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-details/?regid=1174460&subid=0
• Charity Commission full charity details print page for THE SINCLAIR CHARITY, accessed 27 November 2025: https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/en/charity-search/-/charity-details/5102286/full-print
• Charity Choice directory entry for The Sinclair Charity, accessed 27 November 2025: https://www.charitychoice.co.uk/the-sinclair-charity-260067
• MarketScreener profile for Duncan Morrall Sinclair showing connection to The Sinclair Charity, accessed 27 November 2025: https://www.marketscreener.com/insider/DUNCAN-MORRALL-SINCLAIR-A03XSC/