Handspark Charitable Trust

Handspark Charitable Trust, established in January 2023 from an unrestricted donation by the John Haynes Discretionary Settlement Trust, is a trustee-led UK grant-making charity with founding trustees including John Harold Coleman Haynes and Annette Constance Haynes. Operating without employees or subcommittees, it advances public benefit by supporting charities aligned with select UN Sustainable Development Goals: poverty reduction (e.g., food insecurity via FareShare, mobility via World Bicycle Relief), health and well-being (e.g., mental health via Beat, children's hospices), quality education (e.g., literacy and schools via Children's Literacy Charity, United World Schools), and gender equality (e.g., menstrual health via Days for Girls, survivor support via Rape Crisis). Its mission emphasizes measurable, sustainable impact through rigorous vetting for financial stewardship and effectiveness, funding project delivery, core costs, capacity building, and occasional emergency relief.

Eligible applicants are exclusively UK-registered charities based in the UK, delivering impact anywhere in the country, with a preference for established organizations of varying sizes demonstrating proven track records in these themes. There are no strict income thresholds, but support targets impact-driven entities over unproven startups.

Grants typically range from £5,000 to £25,000, awarded on a rolling basis via trustee meetings with no fixed deadlines or open calls—proposals are invitation-only, proactively sourced by trustees through research. Handspark distinctly avoids unsolicited applications, public fundraising, and broad-spectrum giving, differentiating itself through its pragmatic, relational, SDG-focused philanthropy rooted in trustee donations and reserves for flexible, principled support that drives tangible societal change.