Calleva Foundation

The Calleva Foundation is a small, family-run charitable trust established in 1999 by trustees Caroline Butt and Stephen Butt, with Lucia Gil recently joining, registered in London (charity number 1078808). Its mission focuses on quietly enabling impactful community change through generous grant-making, embracing a broad ethos of charitable benefit across diverse sectors. With a prudent, trustee-led approach and limited public presence, it prioritizes high-impact projects that deliver lasting value, building reserves for sustained support while adhering to UK charity standards.

The foundation funds wide-ranging initiatives, including education and training, health and disability support, overseas aid and famine relief, arts and culture, science, animal welfare, environment and heritage conservation, and grants to other charities. It backs community-based projects like social sector strengthening (e.g., Kensington & Chelsea Foundation), inclusive music programs (Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra), environmental development (Sand Dams Worldwide), youth education, and artistic engagement, primarily delivered by local organizations in London and Hampshire, with occasional national or overseas reach via UK partners. Grants support project delivery, capacity building, some core costs, and flexibly include new or ongoing work, with capital grants possible.

Eligible entities are UK-registered charities and community groups, favoring small to medium-sized organizations (typically under £2 million annual income) operating community projects in London and Hampshire. It does not accept unsolicited applications or those from individuals; funding decisions arise from trustee discretion via ad hoc meetings (at least annually), with no formal process, deadlines, or online submissions. Typical grants range from £5,000 to £50,000, often £10,000–£40,000, emphasizing multi-beneficiary, innovative efforts that strengthen voluntary sector capacity. Distinctively, its responsive flexibility and quiet philanthropy set it apart, avoiding routine capital or low-impact activities.