The Sainsbury Family Charitable Trusts is the operating office of 17 different independent grantmaking trusts established by members of three generations of the Sainsbury family. It exists to provide economies of scale in the management of the trusts’ activities. It does not make grants; only the individual trusts do so. The trusts’ support for charitable causes over more than 50 years represents one of the leading examples of sustained philanthropy in Britain.

Each trust is an independent legal entity with its own separate and autonomous board of trustees, actively led by an individual member of the Sainsbury family. Each trust’s charitable giving follows the family member’s own interests, priorities and ways of working.

The trusts only fund registered charities or activities with clearly defined charitable purposes. They do not make grants directly to individuals.

The trustees take an active role in their grantmaking, employing specialist staff and advisers to research their areas of interest and bring forward suitable proposals. Many of the trusts work closely with their chosen beneficiaries over a long period to achieve particular objectives