St Martin-in-the-Fields Trust

St Martin-in-the-Fields Trust, a UK registered charity (number 1110406), serves as the fundraising and grantmaking arm of St Martin-in-the-Fields, the iconic Trafalgar Square church in central London renowned for centuries of social action, cultural vitality, and spiritual welcome. Governed by unpaid trustees including the church's Vicar and administered by a small professional team, the Trust advances a mission of radical hospitality, dignity for the excluded, and sustainable cultural-spiritual life. Its distinctive approach intertwines heritage preservation, musical excellence, inclusive worship, and social justice, funding primarily to sustain the church's campus, nurture young artists through its world-class music programme, support community outreach and ministry, and bolster frontline services for homeless and vulnerable people via affiliated entities.

The Trust prioritises capital projects like historic building restoration and maintenance; programme funding for music education and artist development; core costs for worship, outreach, and spiritual events; and social action grants, especially for homelessness through partners such as The Connection at St Martin’s, St Martin-in-the-Fields Charity, the Vicar’s Relief Fund (UK-wide emergency aid), and the Bishop Ho Ming Wah Association for Chinese community work. Beneficiaries are almost exclusively closely connected organisations like the Parochial Church Council (e.g., £780,000 in 2023 for site and ministry needs) and St Martin-in-the-Fields Limited.

Eligible applicants must be UK-registered charities with strong operational or historic ties to St Martin-in-the-Fields; there are no geographic or income restrictions specified, though focus is London-centric with some national reach, favouring medium-to-large established partners. It does not accept unsolicited applications—grants are invite-only, decided at quarterly trustee meetings with no public deadlines or forms. Typical awards range from £10,000 to over £100,000, occasionally much larger for strategic needs. Distinctively, the Trust excludes unrelated external projects, emphasising relational, mission-aligned giving to preserve St Martin’s as a beacon of faith, music, and transformation.