The Trust does not accept unsolicited requests for funding. Rather, the Trust works directly with partners to imagine and co-create projects for potential funding by the Trust.
The Trust does not raise funds through requests for donations from the public. All funding support provided by the Trust currently comes from income from our endowment. This endowment is currently managed by Evelyn Partners, signatories to the United Nation’s Principles of Responsible Investment and following the stewardship code laid down by the Financial Reporting Council. Where possible the Trust looks for ethical investments to promote; greenhouse gas emissions reductions, environmental quality (e.g. enhance biodiversity, limit forest loss), food and nutritional security (reduce both under and over nutrition), and equitable partnerships (e.g. enhancing community-led social enterprises).
The Williamson Trust is run by a dedicated team of three Trustees tasked with delivering the charitable aims of the Trust. They work with our partners to ensure the Trust’s financial stability, and to build a growing portfolio of empowered individuals, organisations and projects that deliver our Healthy Planet, Healthy People vision. The Trustees act as ambassadors for the Williamson Trust, and articulate its successful change making.
Dr David E Salt, PhD, FRSE
Emeritus Prof Plant Biology
Chief Scientific Officer NuKoKo
Editor, runner and potter.
Dr Karen N Salt, PhD
Senior leader in research policy
Specialist in community partnerships and systems change
Race and governance scholar
Writer & lover of books
Keith Fountain, BA
Retired barrister,
Gardener
Sports fan
The Williamson Trust adopts an Ethics Policy based on guidelines published by the British Academy.
The Williamson Trust requires the projects it funds to be conducted in an ethical manner.
The following considerations apply to all projects:
- Accurate reporting of findings and a commitment to enabling others to replicate results where possible;
- Fair dealing in respect of other persons and their intellectual property;
- Proper employment conditions for staff;
- Honesty to project staff and community members about the purpose, methods and intended and possible use of the project results and any risks involved;
- Confidentiality of information supplied by those involved in the project (unless otherwise agreed); and
- Impartiality of those involved in the project towards its subject.
Additionally, projects may raise one or more of the following considerations:
- The involvement of human participants;
- The involvement of human remains (e.g. traceable to living descendants);
- The use of non-human animals;
- Destructive analysis of historic artifacts;
- Projects that may result in damage to the natural or historic environment;
- The use of sensitive social, economic or political data.
Wherever necessary, appropriate consent should be obtained from or on behalf of participants or others affected by the work.
Applicants should indicate whether their proposed project raises any special ethical issues, and whether their application has been approved by the relevant authority.
Projects that do not have access to formal ethical scrutiny and approval should briefly describe any special ethical issues, and explain how they will be addressed.