Charitable trusts, foundations and livery companies play a vital role in supporting Centrepoint’s work. Some choose to give to a particular project or service that reflects their own location, origins, interests or priorities. Others provide invaluable unrestricted support that ensures we have the flexibility to meet young people’s diverse needs.

Today, almost 200 trusts and liveries are actively supporting our work. Centrepoint’s Trust Fundraising Team manages these relationships, placing great emphasis on building close, lasting partnerships and making funders feel involved in the work they are helping to make a reality.

Charitable Trusts and Centrepoint

There are over 10,000 grant giving charitable trusts and foundations in the UK, with around 70% giving in the health and social welfare fields. Together, they donate about £2 billion to charities - the same as the total amount in grants given to charities by the UK government. Most trusts or foundations derive their income from an endowment, which may take the form of cash, stocks, shares or land.

The majority of trusts appoint a board of trustees to develop a giving strategy and decide whom to support. Other models include:

• Family trusts that follow the philanthropic wishes of a founding family member or their descendants;
• Corporate foundations (such as The Lloyds TSB Foundation) that distribute a proportion of company annual profits, sometimes supplemented by employee contributions;
• Organisations such as lottery distributors, Comic Relief and BBC Children in Need that distribute funds raised from members of the public;
• Community trusts that act in a local area as a broker and distributor for other donors.

Livery Companies and Centrepoint

Trade and craft associations have flourished all over Europe since medieval times, but the City of London companies, now collectively known as the Livery, are unique in their number and diversity. Today, there are 103 Livery companies in the City of London giving around £20m per year. Trades covered range from the traditional (Clothworkers and Fishmongers) to the modern (Information Technologists). Most continue to uphold their professional origins, while also undertaking a charitable role. Giving priorities are usually decided by a charitable committee made up of company members.

With its history of providing social welfare in the capital, Centrepoint is fortunate to enjoy the support of a wide range of city livery companies. For example, Centrepoint Salters’ City Foyer was named after The Salters’ Company, which was instrumental in setting up the project in its current building