Mikheev Charitable Trust

The Mikheev Charitable Trust, established in July 2015 by Lev Viktor Mikheev as chair and principal funder alongside trustees Natalia Mikheev, Adrian Weller, and Katerina Woolhouse, is a grant-making foundation fueled by personal donations and investment income from property and assets. Governed by a Trust Deed with broad discretion for charitable purposes, its mission emphasizes advancing education, science, religion, arts, poverty relief, and community outreach, reflecting trustees' intellectual and philanthropic ambitions. It prioritizes depth of impact through significant, often multi-year support to a select few aligned beneficiaries, favoring strategic institutional partnerships over broad distribution.

The Trust funds educational enrichment and science policy initiatives, such as recurrent grants to the University of Cambridge's Centre for Science and Policy and Michael E. Fisher studentship, alongside support for the Prince’s Teaching Institute, ThinkForward UK, Hall School Charitable Trust, Policy Exchange, London School of Jewish Studies, Royal Opera House, Westminster Synagogue, and social welfare efforts like North Paddington Foodbank and Cherry Trees. Grants target programmes, research, academic posts, and cultural activities at established UK institutions.

Eligible applicants are limited to UK-registered charities and academic institutions operating in England and Wales, with a preference for medium-to-large, proven organizations demonstrating high-impact alignment with trustees' educational, scientific, or cultural priorities; grassroots groups are rarely supported.

Typical grants range from £20,000 to £150,000, with annual totals around £100,000–£250,000, often as multi-year commitments. It does not accept unsolicited applications, lacking open calls, forms, or deadlines—decisions are made ad hoc by trustees based on their research and interests. Distinctively, it avoids general poverty relief or emergency aid, setting it apart as a trustee-discretionary funder for elite academic and policy leadership rather than community grassroots.