Clarke Charitable Settlement

The Clarke Charitable Settlement is an unincorporated trust and registered UK charity (number 702980), established in 1990 by Lady Clarke to advance worthwhile charitable purposes through discretionary grant-making. Governed by four trustees who exercise broad discretion guided by the founder's principles, it emphasizes a traditional philanthropic ethos focused on community benefit, religious advancement, and health causes. Its distinctive approach is trustee-led and proactive, drawing on investment assets for sustained giving without public application processes.

The trust prioritizes four core areas: charities operating in Staffordshire, Derbyshire, Cheshire, Norfolk, and the Midlands; advancing Christianity in the UK; supporting hospices for the dying; and furthering medical research. It funds established organizations via project grants, core funding, and occasionally capital or unrestricted support, targeting initiatives with clear social impact in these fields, such as regional hospices, Christian activities, and research bodies.

Eligible applicants are strictly UK-registered charities, with a preference for medium-to-large established entities demonstrating impact; no formal income thresholds apply, though smaller or unproven groups are unlikely. Geographic focus favors the priority regions but extends discretionarily across England and Wales.

Grants typically range from £5,000 to £30,000, with annual expenditure exceeding £180,000 (e.g., 2023/24). Unsolicited applications are not accepted—trustees identify and approach aligned charities via networks. Decisions occur ad hoc through periodic trustee meetings, with no deadlines or published rounds. It excludes direct support for individuals/communities and lacks exclusivity to preferences, but rarely funds outside core themes, differentiating it as a discreet, regionally and faith-oriented funder ideal for networked UK health and religious nonprofits.