Michael and Anna Wix Charitable Trust

The Michael and Anna Wix Charitable Trust, established in 1962 as an independent grant-making charity registered in England and Wales, operates under a flexible, trustee-led model with three trustees overseeing biannual decisions. Lacking a website or formal mission statement, it embodies a generalist ethos, distributing its annual investment income (around £120,000–£140,000) to a broad spectrum of charitable causes at absolute trustee discretion, while preserving capital in perpetuity. Its longstanding approach prioritizes public benefit, with a track record of supporting diverse needs through small, meaningful grants to smaller UK charities.

The Trust funds general charitable purposes, including advancement of health and saving lives, disability support, poverty relief, overseas aid, housing, religious activities, amateur sport, animal welfare, and environmental conservation. Recent grants highlight a preference for medical and poverty-focused causes, such as hospices, disease-specific groups (e.g., Huntington’s Disease Association, Cure EB, Tourettes Action), family support like Gingerbread, and issues in housing, animals, and heritage. Beneficiaries span children, elderly, disabled people, ethnic communities, and other charities, funding projects, core costs, or occasional capital needs via one-off grants.

Eligible applicants are exclusively UK-registered charities based in England and Wales, with a preference for small to medium-sized organizations of modest means; no strict income limits apply, but large nationals are rarely funded. Applications are unsolicited letters submitted anytime by post, detailing the charity, objectives, budget, amount requested (£1,000–£5,000 typical), and proof of status—no online form or EOI required. Trustees review ahead of spring/autumn meetings; no fixed deadlines, but early submission advised, with no guaranteed response for declines.

Distinctively flexible with high discretion, the Trust avoids individuals, multi-year pledges, and fundraising activities, differentiating itself as a reliable, low-barrier source for core/project support across sectors, especially for under-resourced groups tackling health, poverty, and social challenges.