The Sybil Shine Memorial Trust

Charity Number: 270025

Annual Expenditure: £0.6M

Stay updated on changes from The Sybil Shine Memorial Trust and other funders

Get daily notifications about new funding opportunities, deadline changes, and programme updates from UK funders.

Free Email Updates

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £612,428 (2024)
  • Annual Income: £146,306 (2024)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly available
  • Decision Time: Not publicly available
  • Grant Range: Not publicly disclosed
  • Geographic Focus: Global (discretionary grant-making worldwide)

Contact Details

Address: 20 Gloucester Place, London, W1U 8HA

Phone: 020 7486 7760

Email: Not publicly available

Website: No dedicated website

Overview

THE SYBIL SHINE MEMORIAL TRUST (registered charity 270025) was established by settlement deed on 30 June 1975 in memory of Sybil Shine, a former Camden councillor who dedicated her life to public service and charitable giving. The trust was created from Sybil's estate and subsequently absorbed her parents' charity trust—The Barnett and Sylvia Shine No 1 Charitable Trust—which had considerable funds accumulated by her father, Barnett “Barney” Shine, an East End clothing worker who became a successful property investor. With total expenditure of over £612,000 annually, the trust operates with full discretionary authority to support charitable causes worldwide. The trust demonstrates a clear pattern of supporting Jewish educational, cultural, and welfare organizations, while maintaining the flexibility to support other worthy causes for public benefit. The trust is managed by three trustees who receive no remuneration for their service.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The trust operates a fully discretionary grant-making model without formal application programmes or published guidelines. All funding decisions are made at the trustees' discretion based on the merit of causes that come to their attention.

Application Method: Not publicly specified; appears to operate through trustee-initiated grants rather than open applications.

Priority Areas

Based on documented grants and partnerships, the trust demonstrates strong support for:

  • Jewish educational and cultural organizations (UK Jewish Film, Limmud)
  • Israeli charitable causes (particularly supporting impoverished African immigrants in Israel)
  • Community welfare projects (reflecting Sybil Shine's commitment to supporting people in Somers Town and beyond)
  • General charitable purposes for public benefit as determined by trustees

What They Don't Fund

The trust's objectives allow for global charitable giving, but specific exclusions are not publicly documented. As with most discretionary trusts, unsolicited applications may not be considered.

Helpful Hinchilla

Ready to write a winning application for The Sybil Shine Memorial Trust?

Our AI helps you craft proposals that match their exact priorities. Save 10+ hours and increase your success rate.

Get Free Beta Access

Governance and Leadership

Trustees

The trust is managed by three trustees, none of whom receive remuneration, payments, or benefits from the charity.

Martin Paisner CBE MA LLM has served as a trustee since the trust's establishment in 1975. A distinguished private client solicitor and partner at Payne Hicks Beach, Paisner was appointed CBE in June 2004 for his charitable services. He specializes in charity law and serves as trustee for numerous family trusts and major grant-making trusts, including The Wolfson Family Charitable Trust, The Maurice Wohl Charitable Foundation, and many other Jewish charitable organizations. Martin is also Chairman of the Board of the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (UK) Trust and has extensive involvement in Jewish welfare and educational organizations including Jewish Care, Holocaust Educational Trust, and the Weizmann Institute Foundation.

Leadership Philosophy

The trust honors Sybil Shine's legacy of compassion and comradeship. As noted in tributes to Sybil, she “stayed true to her belief in compassion and comradeship” throughout her career as a councillor representing the people of Somers Town. She left all her worldly wealth to charitable purposes, demonstrating her commitment to using private resources for public benefit.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

The trust does not appear to operate an open application process. Funding decisions are made at the trustees' discretion, and grants appear to be initiated by the trustees based on causes they identify or through their networks.

Organizations seeking support should note that direct approaches may not be considered, as the trust operates a proactive rather than reactive grant-making model.

Decision Timeline

Decision timelines are not publicly available. As a discretionary trust without formal application rounds, decisions are likely made on an ad hoc basis throughout the year.

Success Rates

Not publicly available. The trust's discretionary model means success rates for unsolicited applications are likely very low or non-existent.

Reapplication Policy

Not specified, though the discretionary nature of the trust suggests that building relationships with trustees over time may be more effective than formal reapplication processes.

Application Success Factors

Given the trust's discretionary grant-making approach and demonstrated funding patterns, the following factors appear relevant:

Connection to Jewish Community and Causes: The trust's documented grants show clear support for Jewish educational, cultural, and welfare organizations. Organizations with Jewish connections or serving Jewish communities appear to be priority recipients.

Alignment with Sybil Shine's Values: Projects demonstrating compassion, comradeship, and community support—particularly for disadvantaged populations—may resonate with the trust's founding mission.

Trustee Networks: With Martin Paisner CBE's extensive involvement in Jewish charitable organizations and major philanthropic trusts, connections within these networks may be significant.

Israeli Welfare Projects: The trust has specifically supported causes in Israel, particularly those helping impoverished immigrants, reflecting the Shine family's commitment to Israeli welfare causes.

Cultural and Educational Focus: Recent partnerships with UK Jewish Film and Limmud demonstrate support for Jewish cultural preservation, education, and interfaith dialogue.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Unsolicited applications unlikely to succeed: The trust operates a discretionary, trustee-initiated grant-making model rather than an open application process.
  • Jewish focus is clear but not exclusive: While the trust's documented grants heavily favor Jewish causes, its charitable objects allow for worldwide charitable giving.
  • Relationship-driven philanthropy: Success likely depends on existing relationships with trustees or recognition within networks they operate in.
  • Significant grant-maker: With annual expenditure exceeding £612,000, the trust has substantial resources despite not publicizing specific grant amounts.
  • Legacy of community service: Organizations demonstrating Sybil Shine's values of compassion, community support, and helping disadvantaged populations may align with the trust's mission.
  • Cultural and educational priorities: Recent grants suggest strong interest in Jewish cultural preservation, education, and community development.
  • No formal guidelines: The absence of published application guidelines, deadlines, or grant ranges reflects a truly discretionary approach requiring alternative strategies for engagement.

🎯 You've done the research. Now write an application they can't refuse.

Hinchilla combines funder's specific priorities with your organisation's past successful grants and AI analysis of what reviewers want to see.

✓

Data privacy and security by default

✓

Your organisation's past successful grants and experience

✓

AI analysis of what reviewers want to see

✓

A compelling draft application in 10 minutes instead of 10 hours

Get Beta Access NowLearn More

References