Lynne and Nigel Ross Charitable Trust

The Lynne and Nigel Ross Charitable Trust, established on 30 January 2009 by Lynne and Nigel Ross, is a family-governed endowment fund managed by trustees Lynne, Nigel, Mark, and Paul Ross, with annual income around £250,000 from investments, primarily property. Its core mission is broadly discretionary philanthropy: supporting UK-registered charities across diverse charitable purposes without fixed themes, adapting to evolving community needs while emphasizing tangible social benefits, evidenced impact, and family-led responsibility. This generalist, pragmatic ethos prioritizes flexibility, funding both core costs and projects in education, youth development and mentoring (e.g., Guitars Over Guns), health and medical research (e.g., Friends of Cancer Research, Chai Lifeline), care for the elderly/disabled, social inclusion, hygiene poverty relief (e.g., Hygiene Bank), Holocaust education (e.g., Anne Frank Trust), cultural preservation, and Jewish community welfare/security (e.g., Community Security Trust, Jewish Care, World Jewish Relief), alongside occasional overseas aid via UK intermediaries.

Eligible applicants are strictly UK-registered charities of any size—from grassroots groups to national organizations—with no income thresholds, geographic restrictions within the UK, or religious limits; international impact is possible only through UK partners. The trust shows no bias toward specific regions but leans toward well-evidenced needs in education, health, youth, and Jewish initiatives.

Typical grants range from £5,000 to £25,000 (most £10,000–£15,000), totaling £150,000–£180,000 across ~20 awards annually. It does not accept unsolicited applications formally, operating via trustee discretion with no published guidelines, forms, deadlines, or cycles—approaches by concise email outlining charity status and needs may be considered, but responses are selective, often favoring known networks, with ad hoc meetings potentially taking months. Distinctively, its family-driven, non-strategic responsiveness differentiates it from themed funders, excluding only non-UK charities and unproven causes.