Sir Jules Thorn Charitable Trust

The Sir Jules Thorn Charitable Trust, established in 1964 with an endowment from Sir Jules Thorn, founder of Thorn Electrical Industries, is an independent UK grant-making foundation dedicated to improving health and care for people with serious long-term or life-limiting conditions. Rooted in advancing medical science and humanitarian welfare, it has awarded over £120 million, evolving from biomedical research to broader priorities like health system integration, research infrastructure, and direct support for those affected by illness, disability, or disadvantage, emphasizing impactful, sustainable, and scalable initiatives across the UK.

It funds four key programmes: the flagship Sir Jules Thorn Award for Biomedical Research (up to £1.7 million over five years for translational projects at UK universities/NHS Trusts); the Research Infrastructure Fund (£50,000–£500,000 for equipment/facilities); the Innovation and Improvement in Health and Care Fund (£150,000–£500,000 for evidence-based care models in physical/mental health, disability, and end-of-life); and the Ann Rylands Small Donations Programme (£2,000–£5,000 unrestricted grants to smaller charities for practical/emotional support, excluding research). Beneficiaries include patients, disabled people, carers, families, and disadvantaged groups, supporting direct services, capital projects, core costs, and national-scale innovations.

Eligible applicants are UK-registered charities, academic institutions, and NHS Trusts based anywhere in the UK; Ann Rylands targets those with £100,000–£2 million income and 2+ years' history. Unsolicited applications are accepted via online forms only for Ann Rylands (rolling, decisions in ~3 months); others require EOIs/preliminary proposals with deadlines like 15 November 2024 (Innovation), February 2025 (Infrastructure), or 15 December 2025 (Biomedical), one application per programme per year. Distinctive for blending large research grants with flexible small-charity core funding, rigorous peer review, and UK-wide reach without religious restrictions, it prioritizes rapid patient benefit and long-term outcomes over non-aligned activities.