Charis Trust

The Charis Trust, a UK-registered charity (no. 1140637) based in Essex, advances the Christian faith while relieving poverty and need, promoting religious and secular education, and providing comfort to the sick and elderly. Established with a mission rooted in faith-inspired compassion and social action, it blends spiritual development with practical welfare support, emphasizing prudent stewardship, long-term impact, and aid for vulnerable populations through strategic grant-making and endowment management.

It funds a broad spectrum of charitable activities, including general purposes, education and training, health and life-saving efforts, disability support, poverty relief, housing and accommodation, overseas aid, and explicitly religious initiatives. Priority beneficiaries encompass children and young people, elderly individuals, people with disabilities, other charities/voluntary bodies, and the wider public, with grants typically supporting local churches, faith groups, community and educational projects, frontline aid for the sick and poor, and practical resources like facilities or equipment—favoring sustainable, community-level interventions aligned with Christian philanthropic values.

Eligible applicants are limited to UK-registered charities and community groups operating in Essex, with a preference for small to medium-sized organizations (typically under £1 million income); large national entities are rarely supported. The Trust is invite-only, accepting no unsolicited applications—funding decisions occur ad hoc at trustees' discretion via direct contact, without published deadlines, guidelines, or formal processes.

Grants range from £500 to £10,000 (mostly £1,000–£5,000), covering project funding, capital improvements, specific relief, and occasional core costs or individual welfare needs; multi-year awards are uncommon. Distinctively, it uniquely intersects religious motivation with secular social impact, supporting both individuals and organizations without religious restrictions on grantees, while excluding open applications and prioritizing Essex-focused, grassroots efforts for tangible, faith-guided change.