Man Group PLC Charitable Trust

Man Group PLC Charitable Trust, established in 1978 and funded by Man Group plc, is a UK-based philanthropy arm dedicated to creating opportunities for positive change by supporting charities that advance literacy, numeracy, and life skills education for disadvantaged individuals, particularly children and young people in London and across the UK. Its mission focuses on enhancing life chances and employability through targeted educational programmes, guided by values of measurable impact, strong financial management, low administrative costs, and deep partnerships with grantees. Distinctively, it integrates Man Group employee engagement via volunteering, trustee roles, donation matching, and skill-sharing, while prioritising smaller charities where grants can be transformative.

The Trust funds specific projects in literacy, numeracy, and broader educational attainment, such as those offered by grantees like Discover Children’s Story Centre, First Story, Greenhouse Sports, MyBnk, and The Brilliant Club, targeting barriers to opportunity for vulnerable youth, refugees, and communities facing disadvantage. It supports activities building vital life skills for employment but rarely provides core funding, unrestricted, or capital grants.

Eligible applicants include UK-registered charities and community groups of small to medium size with low overheads, operating primarily in London or with beneficiaries there, though UK-wide programmes are considered; no strict income limits or religious restrictions apply. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis via online form, reviewed at quarterly Trustee meetings (exact dates unlisted, with notification post-submission), typically yielding £1,000–£3,500 grants, occasionally higher. Exclusions encompass non-educational causes, large organisations, or projects substitutable by public funding; its standout features are impact-oriented pragmatism, extended non-financial support, and employee-driven ethos in the social mobility space.