Sir Jack Lyons Charitable Trust

The Sir Jack Lyons Charitable Trust, established in 1962 by financier and philanthropist Sir Jack Lyons, supports charitable causes centered on promoting education, humanitarian efforts, and the performing arts, with a strong emphasis on Israel alongside grants in the UK and elsewhere. Directed by family and appointed trustees from its Leeds base, the trust embodies Lyons' legacy of cultural enrichment, international understanding, and community wellbeing, prioritizing classical music, music education, young artists, scholarships, and initiatives benefiting vulnerable or ethnically specific communities, often with a Jewish or UK-Israel exchange dimension.

It funds projects and programs in established cultural institutions, educational bodies, and humanitarian organizations, including sponsorships for performers, arts scholarships, and interventions fostering talent development and cross-border collaboration. Recipients are typically medium-to-large UK-registered charities or academic institutions with proven track records and incomes in the hundreds of thousands or more, operating primarily in the UK (especially Leeds) and Israel, though global grants are permissible at trustees' discretion.

Grants range from £5,000 to £25,000, occasionally larger for major institutions, focusing on project support rather than core costs or capacity building. Unsolicited applications are not accepted; trustees identify and contact grantees directly based on relationships and referrals, with ad hoc meetings and no fixed deadlines or forms. Distinctively, it avoids individuals, grassroots groups, and non-aligned causes, standing out for its philanthropist heritage, dual UK-Israel focus, and unwavering commitment to classical performing arts and Jewish community ties.