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Galashiels Fund Ltd

Annual Giving
$15.0M
Grant Range
$100K - $5.0M

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $15-16 million
  • Success Rate: N/A (invitation-only grantmaking)
  • Decision Time: N/A (preselected organizations)
  • Grant Range: $100,000 - $5,000,000
  • Grant Median: $1,000,000
  • Assets: $240 million
  • Geographic Focus: National

Contact Details

Physical Address: Sarasota, FL

Important Note: The foundation only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.

Overview

Galashiels Fund Ltd., established in 1988 and named after a town in the Scottish Borders, is a private family foundation with EIN 94-3059858. With total assets of approximately $240 million and annual giving of $15-16 million, it operates as part of the broader Colburn family philanthropic network, which collectively manages over $1 billion in assets across multiple foundations. The fund is led by Keith W. Colburn and Betsy P. Colburn, who have established a focused grantmaking approach centered on music education, theater arts, and libertarian-oriented public policy research. According to Keith's sister, Carol Colburn Grigor, he operates "under the radar" and focuses "mainly theater and music education," while also supporting civil liberties and free-market advocacy organizations. Recent grantmaking activity shows 13 awards totaling over $16 million in 2023.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Galashiels Fund makes grants primarily through trustee-directed giving, with no formal application cycles or programs. Recent grants have ranged from $100,000 to $5 million, with a median grant size of $1 million.

Primary funding mechanism: Grants to preselected organizations identified by the trustees

Priority Areas

Arts & Culture

  • Music education and performance organizations
  • Theater companies and theatrical education programs
  • Performing arts institutions

Education

  • Music education initiatives
  • Educational programs in the performing arts

Public Policy & Advocacy

  • Libertarian-oriented policy research organizations
  • Civil liberties advocacy groups
  • Free-market and limited government think tanks

Recent Grant Recipients (based on available data):

  • Institute for Justice (up to $5 million) - civil liberties advocacy
  • World Bicycle Relief (up to $2.8 million) - international development
  • Challenged Athletes Foundation (up to $2.1 million) - disability sports
  • Cato Institute - libertarian public policy research
  • Colburn School - music education (via named scholarship fund)

What They Don't Fund

The foundation's 990-PF explicitly states they do not accept unsolicited requests. There is no indication they fund:

  • General operating support for organizations outside their preselected network
  • Organizations that do not align with their focus areas
  • International programs (except through select partners)

Governance and Leadership

Board of Directors (all serve approximately 1 hour/week, unpaid):

  • Keith W. Colburn - President and Treasurer/Director: One of the sons of wealthy businessman Richard D. Colburn, who died in 2004. Keith is described by his sister as operating philanthropically "under the radar" with a focus on "mainly theater and music education."

  • Betsy P. Colburn - Vice President/Director: Co-leads the foundation with Keith.

  • David T. Bradford - Secretary/Director

  • Andrea K. Mayes - Assistant Treasurer

The foundation is part of the Colburn family's broader philanthropic network, which includes several other major foundations focused on arts, culture, and music education. The family collectively operates what are "among the largest music-focused charities in the country."

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process.

The Galashiels Fund Ltd. explicitly states in its IRS filings that it "only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations" and "does not accept unsolicited requests for funds." All grants are made at the discretion of the trustees to organizations they have identified and selected independently.

This means:

  • No application forms or portals exist
  • No deadlines or submission windows
  • Trustees identify and select all grant recipients
  • Grants appear to be made to organizations with which the trustees have existing relationships or knowledge

Getting on Their Radar

The foundation identifies grantees through the trustees' personal networks and knowledge of organizations aligned with their interests. Based on available information:

  • Colburn family connections: The fund is part of the broader Colburn family philanthropic ecosystem. Organizations connected to other Colburn family foundations or the Colburn School in Los Angeles may have indirect pathways to visibility.

  • Sector engagement: Keith Colburn is described as supporting theater and music education "under the radar," suggesting he maintains awareness of key players in these sectors through private networks rather than public events.

  • Libertarian/civil liberties networks: The fund's support for organizations like the Institute for Justice and Cato Institute suggests engagement with libertarian and free-market policy circles.

  • No cold outreach: The explicit statement that they do not accept unsolicited requests indicates that cold outreach, introductory letters, or speculative proposals are not part of their grantmaking process.

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - grants are made on a rolling basis at trustee discretion to preselected organizations.

Success Rates

Not applicable - there is no public application process to generate success rate data.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - organizations cannot apply or reapply, as the foundation only makes grants to preselected organizations.

Application Success Factors

Since this is an invitation-only funder, traditional application success factors do not apply. However, patterns in their grantmaking suggest:

Alignment with Core Interests: Organizations that have received grants align with one or more of these areas:

  • Music education and performance
  • Theater and theatrical education
  • Libertarian public policy and civil liberties advocacy
  • Limited government and free-market research
  • Disability rights and inclusion (evidenced by Challenged Athletes Foundation support)
  • International development with innovative approaches (evidenced by World Bicycle Relief support)

Scale and Impact: Grant sizes ranging from $100,000 to $5 million with a $1 million median suggest the trustees favor:

  • Established organizations with significant operating capacity
  • Projects or programs with substantial impact potential
  • Multi-year or major initiatives rather than small pilot programs

Family Philosophy: Carol Colburn Grigor's description of Keith Colburn's approach as operating "under the radar" suggests:

  • The foundation values privacy and does not seek publicity for its giving
  • Relationships and direct knowledge of organizations are prioritized over formal applications
  • Personal conviction about an organization's work likely drives funding decisions

Recent Grantmaking Patterns: The fund distributed approximately $16 million across 13 grants in 2023, indicating:

  • A concentrated grantmaking approach (relatively few, larger grants)
  • Support for annual operations (grants characterized as "Annual Support")
  • Long-term relationships may exist with repeat recipients

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No unsolicited applications accepted: This funder cannot be approached through traditional grant-seeking channels. Do not submit proposals, letters of inquiry, or unsolicited materials.

  • Preselected organizations only: All grants are made to organizations identified and selected by the trustees. There is no pathway for new organizations to apply.

  • Focus areas are clearly defined: Music education, theater, and libertarian public policy research are the core priorities, supplemented by select disability rights and international development causes.

  • Large grant sizes: With a median grant of $1 million and a range up to $5 million, this foundation makes significant investments in selected organizations.

  • Part of larger philanthropic ecosystem: The Galashiels Fund is one of several Colburn family foundations with over $1 billion in combined assets, primarily focused on music and arts.

  • Private, low-profile approach: The trustees operate "under the radar" and do not maintain a public-facing website or communications strategy.

  • Trustee relationships are key: The foundation's grantmaking appears to be driven entirely by the trustees' personal knowledge, networks, and convictions about organizations' work.

References

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