The Tellus Mater Foundation Limited

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £1,951,139 (2023-24)
• Success Rate: Not publicly available
• Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed
• Grant Range: Not publicly specified
• Geographic Focus: UK-based with focus on systemic climate interventions

Contact Details

• Website: www.tellusmater.org.uk
• Email: info@tellusmater.org.uk
• Phone: 020 3011 1100
• Address: 61 Grosvenor Street, London, W1K 3JE
• Charity Number: 1077092
• Company Number: 03750774

Overview

The Tellus Mater Foundation Limited was registered as a charity on 20 August 1999, initially as The James Arbib Charitable Foundation (name changed November 2006). Founded by Jamie Arbib, the foundation is dedicated to exploring the potential for disruptive technologies to solve critical environmental and social challenges. With total expenditure of £1,951,139 in 2023-24, the foundation takes a strategic approach to grantmaking, focusing on systemic interventions that can drive capital markets towards sustainable investment portfolios. In 2014, Tellus Mater became one of the first UK foundations to sign up to the Divest/Invest coalition, committing to divest from fossil fuel companies and invest in green technology. The foundation is known for its mission-aligned investment approach, actively using its endowment and voting power as a shareholder to push for climate action.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation does not publicize specific grant programs with fixed amounts. Based on available evidence, the foundation appears to operate through strategic, proactive grantmaking rather than open application processes.

Priority Areas

The foundation focuses on:

• Climate change and environmental protection: Systemic interventions to drive capital markets towards two-degree investment portfolios
• Disruptive technologies: Supporting innovative solutions that can transform economic and financial systems
• Sustainable finance: Organizations working to shift political, economic, and financial institutions to a sustainable path
• Climate communications and advocacy: Supporting organizations like Carbon Brief and the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU)
• Stranded assets research: Supporting work through Carbon Tracker and the Smith School of Enterprise and Environment at Oxford University
• Energy transition: Research and advocacy promoting clean energy systems and technology disruption

What They Don't Fund

The foundation appears to focus exclusively on climate, environment, and sustainable finance interventions. Information about explicit exclusions is not publicly available.

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Governance and Leadership

Trustees/Directors (2024):

• Mr James Ashley Arbib (Founder, born December 1971): Clean technology investor, co-founder of RethinkX (a think tank focused on technology disruption), and author. His recent book “Stellar” (March 2025, co-authored with Tony Seba) explores how technology convergence can address climate and inequality challenges.
• Mr Bengt Henrik Olof Olsén (born August 1967)
• Nicholas Mumford (Secretary, appointed May 2024)

Former Leadership:

• Kelly Clark (Director, 2011-2020): Now founder and Managing Director of Marmanie Consulting, an impact investing advisory firm. Kelly previously spent 10 years as a banker, culminating as Head of South East Asian Private Banking for UBS. She serves as advisor to Carbon Tracker and the Stranded Asset Programme at the Smith School of Enterprise and Environment, Oxford University.

Key Quote from Kelly Clark: “Charities must not just use the profits of their investment to do good, but must do the same with their portfolios.”

No trustees receive remuneration, payments, or benefits from the charity.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

The foundation does not publicize an open application process or specific application guidelines. Evidence suggests the foundation operates through proactive grantmaking, identifying and approaching organizations that align with their strategic priorities rather than accepting unsolicited proposals.

For three years, the foundation dedicated all grant funding to systemic interventions focused on capital markets and climate change, indicating a highly strategic, research-driven approach to grantmaking.

Decision Timeline

Not publicly disclosed.

Success Rates

Not publicly available. The strategic, proactive nature of the foundation's grantmaking suggests a selective approach.

Reapplication Policy

Not publicly disclosed. Given the proactive grantmaking model, traditional reapplication policies may not apply.

Application Success Factors

Given the foundation's strategic approach, organizations most likely to receive funding share these characteristics:

• Systemic focus: Work that aims to transform capital markets, financial systems, or policy frameworks rather than direct service delivery
• Innovation and disruption: Cutting-edge ideas that “change the rules of the game” and leverage disruptive technologies
• Climate and sustainable finance expertise: Deep knowledge of climate science, energy transition, stranded assets, or sustainable investment
• Communications and advocacy: Ability to influence key audiences including policymakers, investors, and financial institutions
• Research excellence: Rigorous, evidence-based work that advances understanding of climate solutions

Examples of funded organizations:

• Carbon Brief (climate science and policy communications)
• Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU) (climate policy analysis and advocacy)
• RethinkX (technology disruption research, co-founded by Jamie Arbib)
• Oxford Sustainable Finance Group (stranded assets research)

Foundation philosophy: The foundation emphasizes mission alignment across all activities, not just grantmaking. As Kelly Clark stated, this means using their endowment investment portfolio to actively engage with companies, vote at AGMs, and influence decisions on capital expenditure for fossil fuel exploration.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Proactive approach: This foundation likely identifies and approaches potential grantees rather than accepting unsolicited applications. Building relationships through the climate finance and technology sectors may be more effective than submitting cold applications.
• Think systemically: Focus on interventions that can shift capital markets, policy frameworks, or technological paradigms rather than incremental improvements
• Emphasize disruption: Frame your work in terms of innovation, transformation, and “changing the rules of the game”
• Demonstrate expertise: The foundation supports organizations with deep knowledge and credibility in climate finance, energy transition, or technology disruption
• Align with their network: Connections to RethinkX, Carbon Tracker, Oxford Smith School, or similar organizations may increase visibility
• Mission-aligned investing matters: If your organization has an endowment or investment portfolio, demonstrating alignment with sustainable investment principles resonates with this funder's values
• Strategic focus areas: Given Jamie Arbib's work on “Stellar” and energy transition, organizations working on clean energy systems, solar/wind/battery technology, or technology convergence may be of particular interest

References

1. Charity Commission for England and Wales - THE TELLUS MATER FOUNDATION LIMITED, Charity No. 1077092. Retrieved January 2025. https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-details/?regid=1077092&subid=0

1. Companies House - THE TELLUS MATER FOUNDATION LIMITED, Company No. 03750774. Retrieved January 2025. https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/03750774

1. Clark, K. “How our charitable foundation uses our endowment to do good, not just our grants.” Civil Society. Retrieved January 2025. https://www.civilsociety.co.uk/voices/how-our-charitable-foundation-uses-our-endowment-to-do-good--not-just-our-grants.html

1. Tellus Mater Foundation - LinkedIn Company Profile. Retrieved January 2025. https://www.linkedin.com/company/tellus-mater-foundation

1. Tellus Mater Foundation - Crunchbase Company Profile. Retrieved January 2025. https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/tellus-mater-foundation

1. Climate Resistance - "Does the UK Need Another Climate 'Unit'?" August 2014. Retrieved January 2025. https://www.climate-resistance.org/2014/08/does-the-uk-need-another-climate-unit.html

1. EAT Forum - Jamie Arbib Profile. Retrieved January 2025. https://eatforum.org/person/jamie-arbib/

1. About RethinkX. Retrieved January 2025. https://www.rethinkx.com/about

1. Gresham College - Kelly Clark Speaker Profile. Retrieved January 2025. https://www.gresham.ac.uk/speakers/kelly-clark/

1. Digital Habitats - “Stellar: A World Beyond Limits and How To Get There.” March 2025. Retrieved January 2025. https://digitalhabitats.global/blogs/abundance/stellar-a-world-beyond-limits-and-how-to-get-there