Selwood Charitable Trust

The Selwood Charitable Trust, established in England and Wales on 22 May 1973 under charity number 265974, is a family-led generalist funder guided by the discretion of its trustees, primarily from the founding Selwood family, with Timothy John Selwood as longstanding chair. Augmented in 2017 by merging with the Peter Selwood Charitable Trust, it pursues a flexible remit of charitable objects as trustees deem fit, prioritizing public benefit per Charity Commission standards without a fixed mission statement. Its distinctive approach emphasizes adaptability to emerging needs, sustainable investing with ethical considerations, and trustee-led decisions, fostering enduring family governance over five decades.

The trust supports a broad spectrum of charitable purposes UK-wide, including health, social welfare, property initiatives, charitable infrastructure, and environmental or social projects, often with historic ties to southern England. It funds organizations of all sizes—small, medium, large charities—and individuals, via unrestricted grants, project support, core costs, and occasionally substantial asset or property gifts, without thematic, beneficiary, or geographic restrictions beyond general charitable status.

Eligible applicants face no formal income, size, or location barriers, but the trust is invitation-only, rejecting unsolicited proposals in favor of trustee networks, relationships, and recommendations. There are no public deadlines, application forms, or rounds; decisions occur ad hoc via private consideration. Typical grants range from a few thousand to tens of thousands of pounds, with annual totals around £54,000 across 10-12 recipients.

What sets Selwood apart is its pure discretion model, absence of exclusions beyond non-charitable activities, and potential for significant non-cash gifts, ideal for well-connected charities aligning with broad public benefit through personal trustee outreach.