Why we do what we do
We're here to help you achieve your goals and overcome every challenge along the way.
All our services for charities are free of charge, thanks to the generosity of the volunteers, trusts, foundations, corporate partners and donors who support our work.
How it all started
In 1988 HRH The Princess Royal challenged staff, students and alumni of Cranfield University to use their skills to benefit the voluntary sector. As a result, Cranfield Trust was founded. Just a year later we became a registered charity and although we have adapted to changing needs and introduced new services over the years, our ethos has never faltered.
To this day we have the same passion and enthusiasm to build successful charities. Our large and extensive network of skilled volunteers provide valuable business advice, guidance and skills to thousands of charities across the UK every year. As Patron of the Trust, HRH The Princess Royal, continues to be an active supporter and advocate of our work.
About us
Cranfield Trust is a national charity and the UK's leading provider pro bono business support for the voluntary sector. For more than 30 years we have been adding value to the lives of people across the country, by providing free business skills to help build successful charities.
Every year our network of over 1,300 highly skilled volunteers from the commercial sector shares knowledge and experience with charities by providing independent advice and support on everything from business planning, to charity governance, and financial management.
Over the years we have developed services to meet the growing needs of the voluntary sector. To complement our flagship management consultancy service, we also offer mentoring, telephone advice and a series of topical masterclasses and webinars. We are able to deliver all our valuable services free, thanks to the generous support of volunteers, charitable trusts and foundations, individual givers, major donors, corporate supporters and legacies.
Our Purpose
Our purpose is to empower charities with confidence and capabilities to thrive.
Our Vision
Our vision is for strong and effective charities that change lives and our society.
Our Mission
Our mission is to harness the skills and knowledge of volunteers to help charities adapt, succeed and deliver social change.
Our Values
We care and connect
We lead with compassion. We nurture positive relationships by listening & building trust, & collaborate with empathy, understanding & support.
We learn and lead
We value & develop knowledge, skills, & experience to help build successful charities & we aim to be at the forefront of issues & trends facing the charity sector.
We focus on impact
We strive for excellence, focus on results & achieve success for our clients, volunteers & organisation, shaping a world that offers opportunities for everyone.
We meet the moment
We face the challenges of our times head on, being creative & agile to anticipate & adapt to the changing needs of our society.
We raise the bar
We take pride in the quality of our work, always striving to exceed expectations & raise standards, while engaging a diverse range of talent, skills & perspectives from the communities we serve.
We are proud to be one of the founding members of the UK Pro Bono Association - alongside Reach Volunteering and Pilotlight - a collaborative network to promote skills-based volunteering and to make pro bono professional skills more accessible to the charities that need and would like them.
The UK Pro Bono Association brings together 33 organisations that promote and provide pro bono services and support. Some are focussed on specific professions, such as law, accountancy and property, while others focus on specific sectors to support, such as education or homelessness.
To make it easier for charities to find their way to support, members have signed a pledge to signpost and guide charities to the right support, if that member organisation is not best placed to provide it.
So if you contact Cranfield Trust for pro bono support and we can't provide it, we'll signpost you to an organisation that can.