Economist Charitable Trust

The Economist Charitable Trust, established in 1986 by The Economist Newspaper Limited, advances education and knowledge globally, with a core focus on communications, literacy, education, and re-training for disadvantaged individuals and groups. Governed by trustees linked to The Economist Group, it embodies the company's ethos of progress through intellectual development, independent thinking, free inquiry, and evidence-based debate. Primarily funded by annual donations from the newspaper, which also covers admin costs, the Trust blends trustee-directed grants (41% of 2024 giving) with staff nomination matching (59%), emphasizing lasting empowerment via knowledge-building interventions.

It supports UK-registered charities delivering project-specific activities like educational resources, literacy campaigns, skills training, re-skilling, and communications programs for the disadvantaged, including initiatives like the Economist Educational Foundation that foster critical thinking and global discussions. Beneficiaries are typically small- to medium-sized organizations with robust structures tackling educational disadvantage or information inequality worldwide, prioritizing long-term intellectual capacities over general operations.

Unsolicited applications are not accepted; grants arise from trustee selections or staff schemes, with no public forms, deadlines, or rounds—decisions occur annually around the UK tax year-end (31 March). Typical awards range from £5,000 to £30,000 for trustee grants, smaller for matching. It excludes core/operational costs and favors evidence-led, innovative projects aligned with Economist values, distinguishing it as a targeted, employee-responsive funder for global education equity through trusted philanthropy.