The Tompkins Foundation

Charity Number: 281405

Annual Expenditure: £0.6M

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Quick Stats

  • Charity Number: 281405
  • Annual Giving: £606,397 (2024)
  • Total Distributed Since 1980s: Over £14 million
  • Success Rate: Not applicable (no public application process)
  • Decision Time: Not applicable (patron-directed)
  • Grant Range: Unknown - varies by project
  • Geographic Focus: Hampstead, East Grinstead (West Sussex), and other UK parishes with patron connections

Contact Details

No public contact information is available. The foundation operates through its trustees with patron discretion.

Registered Address: Available through the Charity Commission register (charity number 281405)

Overview

The Tompkins Foundation was established in the early 1980s by Granville Richard Francis Tompkins CBE (1918-1992), the entrepreneurial founder of Green Shield Stamps and the Argos retail chain. Since its inception, the foundation has distributed over £14 million to various charitable causes, with annual expenditure of approximately £606,000 (2024). The foundation is now managed by Richard Tompkins' widow, Elizabeth Tompkins (née Duke), who serves as patron, along with three trustees.

This is a patron-directed private trust, meaning all grants are made at the discretion of the patron and trustees rather than through an open application process. The foundation focuses on education, religious learning, and recreational facilities, with particular emphasis on the parishes of Hampstead and East Grinstead in West Sussex, as well as other UK parishes with which the patron has personal connections. Richard Tompkins was honoured as a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 1992 and elected an Honorary Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians (Hon FRCP) in 1985 for his philanthropic contributions to medical research.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation operates as a patron-directed trust with no formal grant programs. Known funding includes:

  • Richard Tompkins Nurse Development Scholarship: Annual scholarship delivered through the Foundation of Nursing Studies (FoNS), providing a 5-day residential programme, 12 months of mentorship, and support for nurse-led innovation projects. The scholarship is fully funded including registration, accommodation, meals, and travel costs.
  • Other charitable purposes: Determined by trustees with patron consent, focusing on UK-based organizations and causes aligned with the foundation's charitable objects.

Priority Areas

According to the foundation's registered charitable objects:

  • Education: Advancement of education and learning
  • Religion: Learning religion and support for religious purposes
  • Recreation: Provision of facilities for recreation and other community benefits
  • Geographic Focus: Parishes of Hampstead and East Grinstead (West Sussex), plus other UK parishes with patron connections
  • Medical Research: Historical support demonstrated by Richard Tompkins' recognition from the Royal College of Physicians
  • Healthcare: Ongoing support for nursing development and person-centred care

What They Don't Fund

Not publicly documented, but as a patron-directed trust:

  • Organizations outside the UK (focus is UK-based)
  • Causes unconnected to the patron's interests
  • Projects outside their core charitable objects (education, religion, recreation)
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Governance and Leadership

Patron

Elizabeth Tompkins (widow of founder Richard Tompkins) serves as patron with ultimate discretion over grant-making decisions.

Trustees

The foundation has three trustees who manage the trust with the consent of the patron. None of the trustees receive remuneration or benefits from the charity. Specific trustee names are available through the Charity Commission register.

Foundation History

Founded by Richard Tompkins CBE (1918-1992), an advertising, print and retail entrepreneur best known for founding Green Shield Trading Stamp Company (1958) and the Argos catalogue chain (1973). Tompkins directed the bulk of his £34.6 million UK estate, plus approximately £20 million in overseas assets, to his widow Elizabeth, with provisions for charitable causes. His will established substantial ongoing charitable giving through the foundation.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process. The Tompkins Foundation operates as a patron-directed private trust, meaning all grants are awarded at the discretion of the patron (Elizabeth Tompkins) and trustees, rather than through open applications.

The foundation does not have:

  • A website
  • Published application guidelines
  • An online portal or application form
  • Publicly advertised funding rounds
  • Listed contact details for enquiries

Grants are made to organizations and causes identified by the patron and trustees based on their personal knowledge, connections, and interests within the foundation's charitable objects.

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - decisions are made by the patron and trustees on an ongoing basis according to their discretion.

Success Rates

Not applicable - no public application process exists.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - no public application process exists.

Application Success Factors

Given the foundation's patron-directed structure, organizations cannot directly apply for funding. However, understanding the foundation's values and history may be helpful:

Foundation Values

  • Personal connections matter: The foundation focuses on parishes and areas with which the patron has personal connections (Hampstead, East Grinstead, and other associated parishes)
  • Long-term relationships: The foundation's ongoing support for the Foundation of Nursing Studies demonstrates commitment to sustained partnerships rather than one-off grants
  • Quality over quantity: With relatively modest annual expenditure (£606k) from a foundation that has distributed £14m over four decades, grants appear selective and well-considered
  • Healthcare and nursing: The Richard Tompkins Scholarship reflects the founder's recognition of nursing's importance, as demonstrated by his 1985 honorary fellowship from the Royal College of Physicians

Known Funding Example

The Richard Tompkins Nurse Development Scholarship provides insight into the foundation's approach:

  • Focus on developing “person-centred cultures of care”
  • Support for clinical leadership and innovation
  • Investment in professional development with 12-month mentorship
  • Emphasis on benefiting patients through enhanced nursing practice
  • Full coverage of all associated costs

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No public application process: This is a patron-directed private trust that does not accept unsolicited applications from organizations
  • Geographic focus: Priority given to Hampstead, East Grinstead (West Sussex), and other UK parishes with patron connections
  • Relationship-based: Grants are made to organizations known to the patron and trustees rather than through competitive application processes
  • Core themes: Education, religious learning, recreation facilities, and healthcare (particularly nursing) align with the foundation's demonstrated interests
  • Sustained support: The foundation maintains long-term partnerships (e.g., Foundation of Nursing Studies) rather than making numerous small grants
  • Legacy-driven: Founded by Richard Tompkins (Green Shield Stamps, Argos), the foundation reflects his philanthropic values particularly in medical research and healthcare
  • Not a target for speculative approaches: Organizations seeking funding should focus on funders with public application processes rather than attempting to contact this private trust

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