About

The Trust has been endowed by the family of Sir David Wills. It operates the General Fund, which is completely flexible in the charities it can support and the Martin Wills Fund which is restricted to specific charities in certain years.

The income of the Martin Wills Fund is donated in seven-year cycles (started in April 1992):

1st year: Magdalen College, Oxford (next funding period, year ending March 2014)

2nd year: Rendcomb College, Gloucestershire (next funding period, year ending March 2015)

3rd and 4th years: Any registered charity dedicated, or primarily dedicated, to the preservation of wildlife and the environment (years ending March 2009 and March 2010) Currently open for applications.

5th year: Ditchley Foundation (next funding period, year ending March 2011)

6th and 7th years: Charities at the Trustees’ discretion (next funding period, years ending March 2012 and March 2013)

The 2009 donation from the Martin Wills Fund totalled £1,221,307.

The Martin Wills Fund is currently accepting applications from charities concerned with the preservation of wildlife and the environment. Grants range, typically, from £2,000 to £25,000 and, exceptionally, up to £50,000.

Donations from the General Fund are made for general charitable purposes and 90% of grants are for amounts of £500 or less. Donations during the year ended March 2009 totalled £63.750.