Slaughter and May Charitable Trust

The Slaughter and May Charitable Trust, established in 2000 as the philanthropic arm of one of the UK's leading law firms, Slaughter and May, channels the firm's resources to advance public benefit across England and Wales. Overseen by Slaughter and May Trust Limited, it embodies the firm's ethos of opportunity, inclusion, social mobility, community wellbeing, and access to justice, evolving from broad giving to targeted investments in education, tackling disadvantage, and strengthening the voluntary sector through strategic, long-term partnerships that often integrate pro bono legal support and employee volunteering.

The Trust prioritises projects supporting children and young people, those from lower socio-economic backgrounds, at-risk groups, vulnerable adults, people with disabilities, and the elderly. Key themes include social mobility via scholarships and bursaries—like the £270,000 Slaughter and May Scholarship Scheme with upReach for underrepresented legal aspirants—alongside homelessness initiatives (e.g., Margins Project), food poverty, literacy, academic attainment, and disability empowerment (e.g., Love 21 Foundation). It funds bursaries, capacity building, community outreach, employment/training, core costs, and social interventions, favouring impactful collaborations with established charities and academic institutions.

Eligible entities are UK-registered charities and academic institutions operating in England and Wales, typically established small-to-medium or larger organisations with no specified income thresholds. Unsolicited applications are not accepted; grants are awarded discretionarily through proactive trustee selection, with no deadlines or open processes—decisions occur ad hoc, via at least annual meetings. Typical grants range £5,000–£50,000 (often £10,000–£25,000), scaling to £100,000+ for multi-year programmes; capital appeals are rare. Distinctively, it leverages the firm's legal expertise for sustained, high-impact partnerships advancing diversity and ethical leadership.