Sequoia Trust

The Sequoia Trust is a major UK-based general-purpose grant-maker, established in 2015 as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (charity number 1163457) in England and Wales, chaired by Sir Paul Marshall with a board of six trustees. Its mission empowers trustees with absolute discretion to fund any exclusively charitable purposes benefiting the public worldwide, embodying a highly flexible, trustee-led approach without public strategic documents or thematic restrictions. Funded by a substantial endowment invested in Marshall Wace hedge funds, it has rapidly grown into one of the UK's top grant-makers, prioritizing high-impact, systemic initiatives through proactive selections from trustee networks.

While broadly generalist, grants demonstrate a preference for large-scale education-focused organisations delivering national impact, such as multi-million-pound awards to ARK (academy schools charity) and the Education Policy Institute (think tank), both linked to the chair. It supports unrestricted core funding, with flexibility for projects or capacity-building, targeting major charities and academic institutions rather than grassroots efforts or direct community aid.

Eligible entities are strictly UK-registered charities or academic institutions based in the UK (primarily England and Wales, though international scope exists); it favours organisations with significant turnover and reach, showing no interest in small groups. Unsolicited applications are not accepted—grants are invite-only, decided ad hoc at trustee meetings without deadlines, forms, or public processes. Typical awards range from £1,000,000 to £5,000,000+, excluding minor or low-impact proposals. Distinctive for its scale, discretion, and education ties, it stands out among funders for empowering elite, strategic philanthropy over open-access programmes.