Karin Brass Memorial Fund

The Karin Brass Memorial Fund, established in 2021 as a charitable trust under the will of the late Karin Maria Brass, is a generalist grantmaker dedicated to advancing public benefit across England and Wales by supporting registered charities and voluntary bodies. With an expendable endowment model, it distributes 2.5–3% of capital annually, guided by experienced trustees like Miss JS Portrait OBE and Mr PL Hunkin DL, who prioritize responsive funding to emerging needs rather than fixed themes. Its core values emphasize responsible stewardship, high governance standards, flexibility, and broad charitable legacy, enabling support for diverse recipients from national arts institutions like the Royal Opera House to local community groups like The Junction Foundation.

The fund backs a wide array of activities, including project funding, core costs, capital projects, and unrestricted grants, without restrictions on causes, sectors, beneficiary groups, or activities—as long as they deliver public benefit. It funds organizations only, not individuals, fostering impact through both large-scale and grassroots efforts.

Eligible applicants are UK-registered charities and community groups based in England or Wales, with no income thresholds or size limits, accommodating small voluntary bodies to major institutions. However, it operates on an invite-only basis, rejecting unsolicited applications; grants are awarded at trustees' discretion via adhoc meetings, with no public deadlines or open calls—recent distributions exceeded £350,000 across multiple awards.

Distinctively unrestricted and non-thematic, the fund stands out from cause-specific philanthropies by its truly open remit and trustee-led diligence, ideal for well-governed charities seeking flexible, sustainable support aligned with broad public good.