Donor Advised Fund – The Master Charitable Trust

Making giving simple

As a bank with a long tradition of innovative philanthropy, we understand how philanthropists may feel overwhelmed by administration. Established in 2011, the Master Charitable Trust offers a flexible, efficient alternative to running your own foundation or charity.

Choice and flexibility

The Master Charitable Trust is a Donor Advised Fund (DAF) in which all donors have their own named sub-fund, known as a ‘Giving Fund’. Bringing all these sub-funds together under the Master Charitable Trust umbrella creates a tax-efficient and cost-effective structure. Fees are transparent and competitive.

From 1st October 2026:

You do not need to be a customer of the bank to open a Master Charitable Trust Giving Fund, and funds can support a wide range of charitable objectives: you can give to UK-registered charities, internationally, and to organisations that are not registered but which undertake charitable work.

You can name your Giving Fund (or remain anonymous), involve family members or others, and plan for succession. You can also add to your fund at any time.

Lifting the administrative burden

Our own corporate trustee, Hoares Trustees Limited, undertakes every aspect of administration, including all dealings with the Charity Commission. You will be assigned a philanthropy manager who will provide regular reports and can help identify charities you may wish to support.

Grant recommendations can be made by telephone or email, or at meetings, and we will ensure all donations meet ‘charitable purpose’ and ‘public benefit’ criteria.  

Even more flexible, even greater benefits

The Master Charitable Trust offers a range of additional options, tailored to your philanthropic strategy. For example:

• You can set up one or more Family Giving Funds, facilitating intergenerational involvement.
• You can increase the value of cash contributions by taking advantage of Gift Aid benefits which will be processed by Hoares Trustees Limited.
• You have wide scope to decide how your fund should be managed, with a range of options from simple cash deposits to professional investment management.
• If you are a remittance-based taxpayer, you may be able to donate to the offshore bank account of the Master Charitable Trust (full details on request).
• If you are a US/UK taxpayer, you may be able to claim tax relief in both tax jurisdictions (subject to regulation and personal circumstances).
• You can elect a successor, so that you effectively create a legacy.