Upside Trust

Upside Trust is a charitable incorporated organisation registered in England and Wales (charity number 1192938), established in December 2020, with a core mission to advance education, training, and support for people with disabilities through targeted grants to other charities. Led by trustees including Chair John David Berry, James Heron, and Simon Farr, it emphasises robust governance, safeguarding policies, financial discipline, and transparency, with zero trustee remuneration and a commitment to responsible stewardship. Its distinctive approach as a generalist funder prioritises broad public benefit across England and Wales, facilitating impact without direct service delivery.

The trust funds projects and service delivery in education/training and disability, benefiting the general public or specific groups like those with disabilities. It supports organisations delivering aligned activities UK-wide, with no locality preferences, favouring those demonstrating strong governance and clear social impact.

Eligible applicants are strictly UK-registered charities operating in England and Wales; there are no explicit income thresholds, though it prefers entities with solid public benefit focus, from small to medium-sized. Unsolicited applications are not accepted—funding is invite-only, identified by trustees.

Grants typically range from £10,000 to £30,000, awarded adhoc at trustee meetings with no fixed deadlines or open rounds. It excludes core costs, capital projects, capacity building, unrestricted funding, or emergency/seed support, standing out for its strategic, compliance-driven grant-making and growing expenditure, making it ideal for pre-vetted charities in education and disability seeking mid-sized, project-specific backing.