The Wilkinson Charitable Foundation

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £96,042 (2018 data)
• Success Rate: Not publicly available
• Decision Time: Discretionary (trustee-based)
• Grant Range: Individual studentships to £1 million endowments
• Geographic Focus: Primarily UK, with focus on Imperial College London

Contact Details

Legal Contact:

Barry Adamson Esq

Keystone Law Ltd.

48 Chancery Lane

London WC2A 1JF

Tel: 0203 319 3700

Phone: 020 7399 0930

Overview

The Wilkinson Charitable Foundation was established in 1978 by Professor Sir Geoffrey Wilkinson, a Nobel Prize-winning chemist who worked at Imperial College London. The Foundation's primary mission is to advance scientific knowledge and education, particularly at Imperial College London, though trustees have discretion to support other institutions. The Foundation has made significant contributions to scientific education, including a near £1 million gift to Imperial College's Department of Chemistry to establish the Sir Geoffrey Wilkinson Prize Studentship in Chemistry. With total expenditure of approximately £96,042 (as of 2018), the Foundation continues Sir Geoffrey's legacy of supporting exceptional scientific talent.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

• Sir Geoffrey Wilkinson Prize Studentship in Chemistry (Imperial College): Full tuition and maintenance for PhD candidates in Inorganic Chemistry
• Christopher Dobson PhD Scholarship (St John's College, Cambridge): Endowed studentship for protein folding research
• PhD Studentships: Support for doctoral research in chemistry, healthcare, and related scientific fields

Priority Areas

• Scientific education and research
• Chemistry, particularly inorganic chemistry
• Protein folding and related medical research
• Healthcare research including prison healthcare
• Sustainability and catalysis research

What They Don't Fund

The Foundation focuses exclusively on scientific education and research, with no indication of support for non-scientific charitable causes.

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Governance and Leadership

Current Trustees:

• Professor Anne Hardy (London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine) - daughter of Sir Geoffrey Wilkinson
• Emeritus Professor David Cole-Hamilton (University of St Andrews) - former co-worker of Sir Geoffrey Wilkinson
• Glenn Hurstfield - solicitor

The Foundation operates with no paid staff and trustees receive no remuneration. All decisions are made at the trustees' absolute discretion.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process. Grants are awarded at the trustees' discretion, typically through established relationships with academic institutions. The Foundation primarily works with Imperial College London and select other universities to identify exceptional candidates for studentships. Funding decisions appear to be made through institutional nominations rather than direct applications.

Decision Timeline

Decisions are made at trustees' discretion with no published timeline.

Success Rates

Not publicly available.

Reapplication Policy

No public information available.

Application Success Factors

Based on the Foundation's funding patterns:

• Strong connection to Imperial College London or institutions with existing relationships to the Foundation
• Excellence in scientific research, particularly in chemistry and related fields
• Projects that honor Sir Geoffrey Wilkinson's scientific legacy
• Research with potential for significant scientific advancement
• Interdisciplinary and collaborative approaches to science (as exemplified by the Dobson Scholarship criteria)

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• The Foundation operates without a public application process; grants are awarded through trustee discretion
• Primary focus remains Imperial College London, though other institutions receive support
• Best route for funding is through institutional relationships rather than direct applications
• Foundation particularly values research in inorganic chemistry and protein science
• Studentships are the primary funding mechanism rather than project grants
• Contact should be made through the Foundation's legal representative for any inquiries

Similar Funders

These funders have a similar focus and geographic reach:

• The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge
• Ramsay Memorial Fellowships Trust
• The E P A Cephalosporin Fund
• The Frances and Augustus Newman Foundation
• John Innes Foundation
• The David and Claudia Harding Foundation
• Sloane Robinson Foundation
• Salters' Charitable Foundation
• The Worshipful Society of Apothecaries General Charity Limited
• Cambridge Philosophical Society

References

• Charity Commission Register: https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-details/?regid=276214&subid=0
• Wilkinson Foundation website: https://wilkinsonfoundation.org.uk/
• Imperial College London News: “Chemistry receives £1m gift in honour of alumnus Professor Geoffrey Wilkinson” https://www.imperial.ac.uk/news/242192/chemistry-receives-1m-gift-honour-alumnus/
• St John's College Cambridge: “The Professor Sir Christopher Dobson PhD Scholarships” https://johnian.joh.cam.ac.uk/dobson-phd-scholarship/