Discover the Chartered Secretaries Charitable Trust and how to get involved

The Chartered Secretaries’ Charitable Trust

 

 

About the Chartered Secretaries’ Charitable Trust

The Chartered Secretaries’ Charitable Trust exists to support individuals connected to The Chartered Governance Institute UK & Ireland (the Institute), to promote learning and development in governance, and to recognise academic excellence.

How we help

Financial support for individuals in need

We provide financial assistance to people experiencing hardship who are connected to the Institute.

Advancing education and training

We advance education in good governance by offering bursaries for a range of Institute sector qualifications and grants for research that supports and develops the governance profession.

Celebrating achievement

We fund annual prizes and awards recognising the highest‑achieving students in Institute qualifying programme examinations.

CGI Studying Photos 3
CGI Studying Photos 7

Who we support

You may be eligible to apply for financial assistance if you are based in the UK, Republic of Ireland or Associated Territories and are one of the following:

  • A current or former member of the Institute
  • A graduate or student of the Institute
  • A current or former employee of the Institute
  • A dependant of a current or former member, graduate, student or employee

Eligibility depends on individual circumstances and the Trust’s grant criteria.

Please refer to our grant aid policies for full details.

Our background

The Trust was established in 2013, bringing together three long‑standing charities:

  • ICSA Benevolent Fund
  • ICSA Education and Research Foundation
  • ICSA Prize Fund

Our charitable roots date back to 1897, when members of the Institute created a Benevolent Fund to support colleagues in need — a tradition that continues today.

 

Contact us at [email protected] or 0207 612 7049 to find out more.

More about us

Donate

Trustees are very grateful for the generous donations received.

The Trust also benefits further, if you Gift Aid your donation. If you are a UK taxpayer, using Gift Aid means that for every £1 you give, the Trust can claim Gift Aid tax relief of 25p from HMRC. This means that a £100 donation can be turned into £125 if Gift Aid is claimed. 

To qualify for Gift Aid, you must pay enough UK Income Tax and/or Capital Gains Tax at least equal to the tax that the Trust reclaims on your donations in the appropriate tax year. The tax you have paid could include tax deducted at source from savings interest, tax on pensions or investments.

Further information can be found on www.gov.uk/donating-to-charity.

Click here option for Gift Aid declaration form

Donations can be made directly to the Trust by cheque or ongoing direct debit, or by Credit Card, Paypal, CAF voucher or ongoing direct debit payments via CAF Donate using the link below:

If you are a member, graduate, student or employee of The Chartered Governance Institute UK & Ireland, please consider becoming a visitor. While no payment is made, appropriate expenses are refunded.

Many of our beneficiaries are elderly and live alone. They obtain great comfort from knowing that they have a direct contact with the Trust through its volunteer visitor scheme. The Trustees also highly value the view of our visitors on the circumstances of beneficiaries and their need for support. Particularly so when the Trust receives a request from a new applicant, or the beneficiary is making a significant request. A visit can identify a specific need, for example help with clothing or gardening, which might not be articulated by the beneficiary in an application form or letter.

Trustees aim that every beneficiary in the UK should have the opportunity to receive two contacts a year from a visitor, where appropriate. While one of these should be a visit, the second contact may be a telephone call. The objectives are to ensure:

  • Beneficiaries are provided with an opportunity to discuss their specific needs, which can then be articulated by the visitor to the Trust on behalf of the beneficiary.
  • Trustees can be confident that resources are targeted to beneficiaries who are most in need.

The number of visits in a year varies for each visitor and depends on the number of beneficiaries near to you. It is therefore possible that a visit might not be called upon by the Trust until a beneficiary emerged in your area.

Please note trustees require that visitors agree to a basic criminal records disclosure prior to any visits being made.

Contact us on [email protected] to find out more.

Contact us

If you need our help, or want to support the work that we do, please contact us.

The Chartered Secretaries’ Charitable Trust
Saffron House
6–10 Kirby Street
London EC1N 8TS

Phone: 020 7612 7049
Email: [email protected]