The Stoneygate Trust

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £3,034,000 (2024)
• Total Income: £14,940,060 (2024)
• Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed (strategic partnerships)
• Grant Range: £3,000 - £10,000,000+
• Geographic Focus: England and Wales (primary focus on Leicestershire and Rutland)

Contact Details

Address: Two Marlborough Court, Watermead Business Park, Syston, Leicestershire, LE7 1AD

Website: www.stoneygatetrust.org

Email: info@stoneygatetrust.org

Phone: 01162962323

Overview

The Stoneygate Trust was founded in 2007 by Sir Will and Lady Nadine Adderley (formerly known as the Leicester Foundation). With total income of approximately £15 million and charitable expenditure of £3 million annually, the Trust operates as a general purpose charity with broad discretion for trustees to apply funds for charitable purposes they deem fit. Since its inception, the Trust has funded over 500 projects in Leicestershire, Rutland, and beyond, provided more than 20 Fellowships for scientists, and currently supports over 200 students across UK universities. The Trust's strategic approach focuses on medical research and equal educational opportunities for economically disadvantaged students. In 2024, Sir Will Adderley was honoured by the University of Leicester for his philanthropic contributions to scientific initiatives.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Stoneygate Trust operates primarily through strategic partnerships rather than open grant applications. Major funding streams include:

Major Strategic Partnerships:

• Stoneygate Centre for Excellence in Empathic Healthcare (University of Leicester): £10 million co-funded centre
• Kidney Research Partnership (Kidney Research UK & University of Leicester): £4.33 million over three years (from 2023)
• LOROS Hospice Centre of Excellence: Multi-year support for end-of-life care research and facilities
• Mitochondrial Disease Research (The Lily Foundation): Ongoing research programme funding

Student Support Programmes:

• University-based scholarship awards: £3,000-£10,000 per year per student for 3 years
• Currently supporting 200+ students across multiple UK universities including Leicester, Nottingham, Nottingham Trent, and De Montfort

The Trust does not appear to operate rolling or fixed deadline application processes for general charities. Funding decisions are made at trustees' discretion.

Priority Areas

• Medical research (particularly empathic healthcare, kidney disease, mitochondrial disease, children's brain tumours)
• Palliative and end-of-life care
• Educational opportunities for economically disadvantaged students
• Health research and innovation
• Community development in Leicestershire and Rutland

What They Don't Fund

Specific exclusions are not publicly documented, though the Trust's focus areas suggest priority is given to medical research, education, and health-related initiatives within their strategic geographic areas.

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Governance and Leadership

Trustees

The Trust has 4 trustees (gender-balanced board):

• Sir Will Adderley - Co-founder, trustee; Chairman of Dunelm Group plc
• Lady Nadine Adderley - Co-founder, trustee

The trustees receive no remuneration, payments, or benefits from the charity. The Trust operates as a general purpose charity with trustees holding discretion to apply funds for such charitable purposes as they think fit.

Key Personnel Quotes

Sir Will Adderley on the Centre for Empathic Healthcare: “Our vision is to create a Centre of excellence that will lead the sector”

Rob Parkinson, CEO of LOROS Hospice: “The support from Stoneygate has been instrumental to the advancement of evidence-based care at LOROS”

The Lily Foundation: “Thanks to Stoneygate, we have been able to achieve things that once seemed beyond the wildest dreams”

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

Important Note: The Stoneygate Trust does NOT operate an open application process for general charities. The Trust works through strategic partnerships and initiatives identified by trustees.

For Student Scholarships: Applications are managed through individual university scholarship programmes (University of Leicester, Nottingham Trent University, University of Nottingham, De Montfort University). Students should apply directly through their university's scholarship application process.

For Organizational Funding: The Trust appears to identify and approach potential partners directly rather than accepting unsolicited applications. Evidence suggests funding decisions are made strategically by trustees based on alignment with their mission.

Decision Timeline

Decision timelines are not publicly disclosed. Major partnerships appear to be negotiated over extended periods through direct engagement with trustees.

Success Rates

Not publicly available. The Trust operates through selective strategic partnerships rather than competitive grant rounds.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - the Trust does not accept open applications from charities.

Application Success Factors

Strategic Partnership Approach

The Stoneygate Trust operates through a highly strategic, trustee-led approach to philanthropy. Organizations that have received funding share these characteristics:

1. Major Research Institutions

• Partnerships with universities (Leicester, Nottingham, Nottingham Trent) for both research and student support
• Focus on pioneering, sector-leading initiatives
• Long-term, transformational projects rather than short-term grants

2. Evidence-Based Healthcare & Research

• Projects advancing medical knowledge and practice
• Research with potential for significant impact on patient care
• Initiatives creating centres of excellence

3. Geographic Connection

• Strong preference for Leicestershire and Rutland organizations
• Local community impact emphasized
• Regional health and education institutions prioritized

4. Educational Equity

• Support for students who have overcome significant obstacles
• Focus on first-generation university students
• Economically disadvantaged backgrounds
• Academically talented students (typically ABB or 128 UCAS points minimum)

5. Scale and Impact

• Major grants ranging from hundreds of thousands to millions
• Transformational rather than operational funding
• Projects with potential for sector-leading outcomes

Language and Terminology

The Trust emphasizes:

• “Excellence” and “pioneering” initiatives
• “Evidence-based” approaches
• “Empathy” in healthcare contexts
• “Equal educational opportunities”
• “Overcoming barriers/obstacles”

Recent Projects Funded

• Stoneygate Centre for Excellence in Empathic Healthcare (£10m)
• LOROS Hospice Centre of Excellence for end-of-life care research
• Kidney Research UK partnership (£4.33m over 3 years)
• Mitochondrial disease research programme (The Lily Foundation partnership)
• Children's brain tumour research fund
• 200+ individual student scholarships across multiple universities

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• The Stoneygate Trust does not accept unsolicited applications - This is a strategic, trustee-led philanthropic organization that identifies and approaches partners directly

• Focus on transformational projects - The Trust invests in large-scale, pioneering initiatives that create centres of excellence rather than funding multiple small projects

• Geographic priority for Leicestershire/Rutland - While the Trust operates across England and Wales, there is clear preference for local organizations

• Partnership approach preferred - Co-funding arrangements with other major institutions appear common (e.g., University of Leicester, Kidney Research UK)

• Medical research and education are core missions - Nearly all major grants support either medical/health research or educational opportunities for disadvantaged students

• Long-term commitment model - Multi-year partnerships are the norm, suggesting the Trust values sustained engagement over one-off grants

• High trust, low bureaucracy - With only 4 trustees and no staff, decisions are made at trustee level without complex application processes

• If seeking funding, consider indirect routes - Organizations might explore partnerships with universities or larger charities already working with the Trust, or consider whether their work aligns so strongly with Trust priorities that direct trustee engagement might be appropriate

References

1. The Stoneygate Trust Official Website - www.stoneygatetrust.org -
2. UK Charity Commission Register - Charity Number 1119976 - https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-search/-/charity-details/4033193 -
3. Giving is Great Charity Factsheet - https://givingisgreat.org/charity-factsheet/?regNo=1119976 -
4. University of Leicester News - “Stoneygate Trust and University of Leicester combine to create pioneering new Centre for Empathic Healthcare” - https://le.ac.uk/news/2022/april/empathic-health - April 2022
5. University of Leicester News - “Retailer who backs scientific initiatives is honoured by University of Leicester” - https://le.ac.uk/news/2024/january/honorand-will-adderley - January 2024
6. Kidney Research UK - “£3m+ research package announced to combat kidney disease” - https://www.kidneyresearchuk.org/2023/08/02/3m-research-package-announced-to-combat-kidney-disease/ - August 2, 2023
7. University of Leicester - Stoneygate Scholarship Programme - https://le.ac.uk/study/undergraduates/scholarships-bursaries-discounts/stoneygate -
8. Nottingham Trent University - The Stoneygate Award Programme - https://www.ntu.ac.uk/study-and-courses/undergraduate/fees-and-funding/bursaries-and-scholarships/the-stoneygate-award-programme -
9. Stoneygate Trust Case Studies - https://www.stoneygatetrust.org/case-studies -