Borrows Charitable Trust

The Borrows Charitable Trust is an independent, family-run grant-making trust established in 2011 by Simon and Sally Borrows, with Simon retaining founder powers. Rooted in English charitable law, its core mission is to deliver social benefit and positive change by flexibly addressing pressing human needs through proactive, relational philanthropy. As a broad generalist, it emphasizes practical interventions, resilience, innovation, and measurable impact, fostering deep, sustained partnerships with grantees rather than transactional funding. Its founder-driven model, strong governance, and discretionary approach distinguish it, with no public strategic plan but a clear ethos of enabling tangible, direct benefits via service delivery and capacity building.

The Trust funds diverse causes across health (e.g., Brain Tumor Research, Marie Curie), social care and community development (British Red Cross, Community Foundation for Surrey), mental health (One Small Thing, Missing People), children and youth (Footsteps International, Teens Unite), arts and culture (Watts Gallery, Royal Horticultural Society), and occasional international relief in Kenya and Nepal. It supports projects, core costs, capital needs, and sector infrastructure for UK-registered charities, prioritizing those with strong operations in London and the south-east (especially Surrey), though open to UK-wide and select overseas work. It backs both national organizations and smaller local entities, with no specified income thresholds.

Grants typically range from £15,000 to £75,000, awarded adhoc without deadlines or cycles. Strictly invitation-only, the Trust rejects unsolicited applications and proactively identifies aligned charities for strategic, impact-focused support. Distinctives include its fully discretionary, relational style, local expertise in Surrey/London, and avoidance of thematic restrictions or formal processes, setting it apart from open-call funders.