Sumner Wilson Charitable Trust

The Sumner Wilson Charitable Trust, founded in 1992 by businessman and philanthropist Mike Wilson CBE, holds assets on trust for general charitable purposes, directing funding at trustees' discretion to create enduring positive change in the UK and occasionally internationally via UK charities. Its flexible approach avoids rigid themes, prioritizing responsible stewardship, rigorous governance, and longstanding relationships with causes linked to the founder or trustees. Core values emphasize continuity, impact, and trustee judgment, with thematic patterns focusing on advancing health and saving lives, arts/culture/heritage/science, child/young people welfare, mental health, social support for disadvantaged groups, and education.

The trust supports diverse interventions through UK-registered charities, including projects like ending institutional orphanages (Hope & Homes for Children), premature birth research (Borne Foundation), mental health initiatives (Mental Health Foundation), veteran support (Walking With the Wounded), and community/educational programs (Stowe School Foundation, Caring for Communities & People). Grants cover project funding, core costs, capital, and strategic needs for medium-to-large established organizations operating primarily in England and Wales.

Exclusively invite-only, the trust does not accept unsolicited applications—charities are instructed not to contact—and awards grants rolling throughout the year at trustees' discretion, typically £10,000–£100,000, with larger multi-year commitments for key partners. It differentiates through its relational, legacy-driven model, favoring proven alignments over open competition, excluding non-UK entities, direct international work without UK conduits, and uninvited proposals, ensuring selective deepening of high-impact partnerships.