John Ilott Charitable Trust
Colleen Singleton (Chair) - President
James Austin - President Elect
Stephen Brown - Immediate Past President
Denis Kirkcaldie - Past President
Trust Background
This incorporated philanthropic charitable trust, with a capital base of $2.7 million and making annual grants of $100-150,000, was settled in 1960 by Sir John Ilott, a Club Past-President, Past-District-Governor, and Vice-President of RI. After his death in 1973, management of the Trust passed to his son, Jack Ilott, also a Club member and President in 1978-79.
A bachelor with no relatives in NZ, continuation of the Ilott legacy was important to Jack, so in 1992 he negotiated a Trust Stewardship Agreement with the Rotary Club of Wellington in which the Club undertook that, after Jack’s [eventual 1999] death, each year’s President, President-elect, and Immediate Past-President would serve as Ilott Trustees, committed to the vision of the Trust as specified by Jack in this Stewardship Agreement.
To minimise potential discontinuity in governance caused by annual change of Trustees, the Agreement also defined an Advisory Committee of (up to) 5 Rotarians serving a maximum of two x five-year terms. While the Trustees retain authority, the AC can investigate issues and make recommendations to the Trustees to help them achieve the Trust’s objectives.
Trustees have a duty to grow Trust capital to increase real income available for philanthropic use. To this end, the Trust currently uses the National Bank of NZ Private Banking Division to actively manage the investment portfolio within allocation guidelines set by the Trustees. While advised by the Funds Manager and a skilled Treasurer (also a Rotarian), Trustees are ultimately accountable for financial oversight.
Trust Grants Policy
Each December the Trust makes grants of $500-2,500 to a variety of projects which fund:
1. Newly formed groups and organizations needing a little “seed money”
2. Literacy and reading knowledge.
3. Sexual education.
4. Parents
5. Babies and pre-school children.
6. Children and young people
7. Women, including those re-entering the paid work force.
8. Advanced training for individuals already highly skilled in the Arts, and in charitable, educational or other activities which will finally help the community.
Applications
There are no application forms and each enquiry is dealt with soon after it arrives. Applications will be received only from October 1st to November 10th, which is closing day. (Please note: earlier applications will be returned and must be re-submitted).
Timing of Grants
The Trust pays out only once a year – in December.
Purposes of Trust
The Trust seeks to help all purposes which will benefit the community. A preference is given to projects of an educational and preventative nature – ie. “Fence at the top of the Cliff” style rather than “Ambulance at the Bottom” type – even though both are needed.
A grant is looked on as a form of investment by the Trust. The recipient repays it by improved performance after completing the project.
Priorities
The Trust gets many hundreds of enquiries and applications. Many have very high priorities and nearly all are for very useful causes. But income is limited and the money will only go so far.
Applications should detail a specific project – and how it is to be carried out. Only a minority of applications gets a grant, and most are around the $500 - $1,000 mark.
Used for approved purpose
All Grants are approved upon the trust that they are used only for the specific reason(s) shown in the application, or as amended, and on a year only basis.
Reporting
A short report is expected on the progress of the specific approved project, preferably within six months of receipt of the cheque.
Repeat applications
Grants are rarely repeated.
Information to support application
Applicants may help their cause by sending, if available, (Photocopies only of all material):
- Details of their available Government or Local Authority funding or contracts.
- Details of successful and unsuccessful applications recently made to other grant giving groups.
- Accounts for previous 12 months, preferably audited, if an organization.
- Information on size and activity of membership, if an organization.
Other sources of grants
There are other Grant-giving and Grant-receiving Trusts. The Funding Information Service provides easy-to-use computerised information concerning all available sources of funding. It is installed in Citizens’ Advice Bureaux, Public Libraries, Link and other information centres throughout the country. Information is updated every six months.
A “Directory of Philanthropic Trusts” gives similar details of major grant-giving Trusts. It is available in all Public Libraries.
Publication of grant recipients names and projects
Please note that we reserve the right to publish the names and projects of successful applicants.
M J Patchett (Mrs)
Secretary
John Ilott Charitable Trust
Email: secretary@rcw.org.nz