Name

Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust

Legal name

Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust

Website

https://jrct.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1904

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Philanthropy and Grant-Making

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Human Rights Organizations (813311), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Charities & Grantmaking Intermediaries (BPAGAKAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Social Justice & Human Rights Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAN), Environmental & Climate Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAM), Philanthropic & Charitable Trust Services (FSAAANAI)

Keywords

• Grant-making foundation
• Charitable trust
• Philanthropic grants
• Social justice funding
• Community development grants

Headquarters

HQ city

York

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Others, Personnel, Operations

Revenue model

1. Endowment Investment Returns: JRCT is an independent, endowed foundation. The Trust's resources come from a portfolio of investments, almost entirely held, directly and indirectly, in UK and overseas equities. They aim to make grants at a level that is sustainable in real spending terms. The Trust does not fundraise.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

JRCT is an endowed, Quaker-led grant-making trust that awards funding to charitable organisations and individuals whose work addresses the root causes of conflict and injustice. The Trust operates a portfolio of thematic grant programmes (Peace and Security; Power and Accountability; Rights and Justice; Sustainable Future; Northern Ireland) plus a participatory Grassroots Movements Fund and an emerging Reparations Programme, running multiple application cycles annually and assessing applications through specialist committees composed of trustees, staff and co-optees.

Product overview

JRCT is a Quaker-led independent grant-making foundation established in 1904, offering a portfolio of grant programmes to support people addressing root causes of conflict and injustice. Its grant-making portfolio consists of six distinct funding programmes: Peace and Security, Power and Accountability, Rights and Justice, Sustainable Future, Northern Ireland, and Grassroots Movements. Additionally, JRCT is developing a Reparations Programme to address historic injustices related to its endowment's origins. The organization does not operate as a technology platform or SaaS product, but rather as a traditional charitable foundation that makes grants to civil society organizations working across peacebuilding, human rights, environmental sustainability, and democratic accountability.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Peace and Security Programme A grant-making programme supporting approaches to defence and security which prioritise peace, non-violence and human rights. Targeted at organisations working on root causes of conflict.
• Power and Accountability Programme A grant-making programme supporting organisations working for a world in which power is more equally shared and powerful institutions are accountable to wider society.
• Rights and Justice Programme A grant-making programme supporting organisations that uphold equality and human rights in support of racial and religious minorities.
• Sustainable Future Programme A grant-making programme funding imaginative and inclusive approaches to tackling the climate crisis and building a just and equitable economy in order to protect the planet for future generations.
• Northern Ireland Programme A grant-making programme supporting organisations and individuals whose work to promote peace, equality, inclusion and human rights contributes to the ongoing transformation of the Northern Ireland conflict.
• Grassroots Movements Fund A participatory grant-making pilot fund supporting grassroots social movements working for transformative systemic change, with grant decisions made by a Movement Assembly composed of people with direct experience of the issues addressed.
• Reparations Programme A newly established programme to address the legacy of JRCT's endowment which originates from the Rowntree Company, known to have profited from systems of colonial exploitation. Led by Head of Reparations Keon West and developed with affected communities, historians, legal experts and other partners.

Named customers11 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Tudor Trust: UK independent grant-making trust supporting small charities and community organisations. Highly comparable in responsive, trust-based funding approach and applicant-focused assessment philosophy.
• LankellyChase Foundation: UK independent foundation focused on systemic change across poverty, criminal justice, and mental health. Directly comparable in mission-driven, long-horizon grant-making targeting root causes.
• Sigrid Rausing Trust: UK endowed grant-making trust funding human rights, social justice, and accountability work. JRCT's Chair Jonathan Heawood was formerly Director of Programmes here, evidencing direct overlap in funder networks, programme areas, and applicant pool.
• Barrow Cadbury Trust: UK independent Quaker-family foundation funding social justice, criminal justice reform, and participatory democracy. Strongly comparable in mission, governance heritage, and trust-based grant-making model.
• Paul Hamlyn Foundation: UK endowed foundation funding social justice, education, and the arts with a focus on disadvantaged communities. Highly comparable in grant-making scale, open-application processes, and commitment to long-term core support.
• Henry Smith Charity: One of the UK's largest independent grant-makers, supporting charities across social and welfare priorities. Comparable in funding scale, multi-programme structure, and long-term strategic approach.
• Esmée Fairbairn Foundation: One of the largest UK independent endowed foundations, supporting social change, the environment, and arts. Comparable in funding scale, endowment-driven model, and long-term strategic grant-making.
• Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF): Sister Rowntree organisation established in 1904 from the same Joseph Rowntree endowment. Both are independent York-based grant-makers, but JRF focuses on poverty and housing while JRCT focuses on conflict and injustice — making them the closest structural peer, complementing rather than competing with JRCT's priorities.
• Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation (UK Branch): UK office of a major international endowed foundation supporting social and cultural causes. Comparable in trust-based, multi-programme grant-making structure and similar scale of annual giving.

Broad incumbents

• Open Society Foundations (UK): Large global foundation funding human rights, democracy, and accountability. While operating at much greater scale and breadth, directly comparable in the rights, justice, and accountability themes that JRCT's Power and Accountability programme addresses.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/jrctinfo
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/joseph-rowntree-charitable-trust
• Instagraminstagram.com/jrct_uk

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust