Chimo Trust CIO

Chimo Trust CIO, established in 2022 by former fund manager Gavin White, is a UK-based grant-making charity inspired by rising youth mental health challenges. Named after an Inuit term for "a special friend for people in need," its mission is to enhance the mental health and wellbeing of young people aged 11-25 through innovative, accessible non-clinical interventions leveraging arts, nature, and sport. Guided by values of collaboration, impact, evidence, and sustainability, Chimo adopts a strategic, engaged approach, building a network of scalable charities that blend community activities like art therapy, sports mentoring, and nature immersion with structured psychological support from professionals or peers, prioritizing those underserved by statutory services.

It exclusively funds UK-registered charities with annual incomes of £200,000–£2,000,000, operating nationwide across England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, that demonstrate robust evidence of effectiveness, ambition to scale, and willingness to share best practices within Chimo's cohort.

Grants typically range from £50,000–£150,000 per year over 2–3 years (totaling £100,000–£300,000), supporting project delivery and capacity building via multi-year commitments following trustee-initiated engagement, discussions, site visits, and presentations on a rolling basis—no unsolicited applications or deadlines.

Chimo excludes primary talking therapies, general youth work, capital costs, or unrestricted funding, distinguishing itself through its laser-focused thematic niche, proactive trustee involvement, data-driven selection, and emphasis on sector leadership to catalyze non-clinical innovations for youth mental health across the UK.