Mark Anthony Trust

The Mark Anthony Trust is a UK-registered grant-making charity established in 2009, dedicated to tackling disadvantage and promoting positive development, with a core mission to advance education, training, and international development across England and Wales. Founded to address inequalities, it emphasises enabling opportunity, relieving poverty, and driving social change through catalytic financial support to individuals and organisations demonstrating clear need and impact. Its flexible, responsive approach—guided by a small, pro bono trustee board with robust governance—prioritises nimble decision-making and long-term capacity building over rigid guidelines.

The Trust funds educational initiatives, skills-building projects, poverty alleviation efforts, and international development programmes that empower communities, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. Beneficiaries include children, young people, the elderly, and voluntary organisations delivering outcomes like bursaries, community health, conservation, and infrastructure support. It backs both UK-based and overseas interventions, favouring sustainable projects with measurable benefits in education access, healthcare, and hardship relief.

Eligible applicants are strictly UK-registered charities, with a preference for small organisations or project-based groups with modest incomes; there are no geographic restrictions within England and Wales, and international projects are welcomed if aligned with priorities. Unsolicited applications are not accepted—trustees select just 3-4 pre-vetted partners annually via personal networks and due diligence.

Grants typically range from £25,000 to £40,000 per year, often multi-year (up to three years) for project or capacity-building work, with ad hoc trustee meetings and no public deadlines. Distinctively, it avoids unrestricted or core funding, focusing on targeted interventions and close strategic partnerships rather than open competitions, differentiating it as a discreet supporter of enduring social priorities.