Ajs Charitable Trust

The AJS Charitable Trust, established in December 2015 as registered charity number 1166221 in England and Wales, is a small family-led funder governed by trustees Jason Hood, Cheryl Hood, and Andrew Gossage. Its core mission is to provide flexible support and relief to a broad spectrum of UK charitable causes through discretionary grants, embracing a generalist approach without thematic, sectoral, or beneficiary restrictions. This inclusive ethos emphasizes strengthening the voluntary sector via unrestricted funding for core costs, revenue needs, and non-programmatic activities, reflecting values of adaptability, independence, and broad charitable impact in an era of rigid funder specialization.

The trust funds diverse legitimate charitable purposes across any area, from small projects to organizational sustainability, with no stated priorities for specific causes, interventions, or populations. Historical grants demonstrate national support for UK charities of varying types, prioritizing those delivering clear need and impact without favoritism toward particular issues.

Eligibility is strictly limited to UK-registered charities, with a preference for small and medium-sized organizations (no formal income thresholds, though large institutions are rarely supported); geographic focus is UK-wide with no regional biases. It does not accept unsolicited applications—grants are awarded at trustees' sole discretion via ad hoc meetings, with no public process, forms, deadlines, or cycles.

Typical grants range from £5,000 to £40,000 (averaging £10,000–£20,000), often unrestricted. Distinctives include its clean governance, absence of trading arms or trustee benefits, and rare positioning as a truly open, non-programmatic generalist; exclusions encompass non-UK entities, unregistered groups, direct individual aid, and proactive solicitations, setting it apart for charities seeking flexible, trustee-led backing.