Cissie Rosefield Charitable Trust

The Cissie Rosefield Charitable Trust, a London-based grant-making trust established in 1985, focuses on distributing funds to enhance charitable activities across the capital through flexible, responsive support to registered charities. Its generalist mission emphasizes broad societal improvement via diverse objectives, including education and training, health and lifesaving initiatives, disability support, poverty relief, arts, culture, heritage, science, and economic or community development. With a low-profile, relationship-driven approach grounded in trustee discretion rather than published strategies, it prioritizes organizational capacity, service delivery, and public benefit for established London institutions, as seen in grants to Hampstead Theatre and Sarcoma UK.

It funds a wide array of charitable purposes without rigid thematic restrictions, supporting core costs, general operations, and project activities across health, arts, education, and poverty alleviation, primarily for medium to large charities with strong track records and public impact in London. Beneficiaries must be UK-registered charities or voluntary bodies operating exclusively within Greater London; there are no strict income thresholds, though preference leans toward reputable organizations.

Grants typically range from £5,000 to £25,000, with flexibility for larger awards to major entities, provided via discretionary, invite-only decisions. The trust does not accept unsolicited applications, public proposals, or expressions of interest—trustees identify and approach suitable charities directly, with ad hoc meetings and no fixed deadlines. It excludes non-London activities, unregistered entities, and heavily restricted or capital-intensive projects, distinguishing itself through its steadfast generalist focus, exclusive capital remit, and traditional philanthropy favoring trusted relationships over open competitions.