Slaughter and May Charitable Trust

The Trust prioritises projects supporting children and young people, those from lower socio-economic backgrounds, at-risk groups, vulnerable adults, people with disabilities, and the elderly. Key themes include social mobility via scholarships and bursaries, homelessness initiatives, food poverty, literacy, academic attainment, and disability empowerment. It funds bursaries, capacity building, community outreach, employment and training, core costs, and social interventions, favouring impactful collaborations with established charities and academic institutions. The Trust operates across England and Wales, with a focus on strategic, long-term partnerships rather than one-off grants.

Eligible entities are UK-registered charities and academic institutions operating in England and Wales. The Trust typically supports established small-to-medium or larger organisations, with no specified income thresholds. It prioritises projects that benefit children and young people, those from lower socio-economic backgrounds, at-risk groups, vulnerable adults, people with disabilities, and the elderly. The Trust favours collaborations with organisations that can offer impactful, sustained partnerships, often integrating pro bono legal support and employee volunteering. Unsolicited applications are not accepted; grants are awarded discretionarily through proactive trustee selection.

Capital appeals are rarely funded. The Trust does not accept unsolicited applications, so it does not fund organisations that approach it without an invitation. It focuses on strategic, long-term partnerships rather than ad-hoc or one-off requests, and it does not typically support projects outside its priority themes of education, tackling disadvantage, and strengthening the voluntary sector.

The Trust provides financial grants alongside pro bono legal support and employee volunteering, integrating the firm's expertise into its partnerships. It favours sustained, high-impact collaborations with established charities and academic institutions, often funding multi-year programmes. Grants are awarded discretionarily through proactive trustee selection, with no open application process. The Trust's approach is strategic and long-term, focusing on capacity building, core costs, and social interventions that align with its mission.