The Rhodes Trust
The Rhodes Trust is an educational charity and public charity that supports postgraduate study and fellowship programmes. Its Rhodes Scholarship, based at the University of Oxford, provides a fully funded opportunity for selected students from around the world to pursue postgraduate study there. The Trust’s website describes its mission as bringing together and developing exceptional people committed to addressing the world’s challenges.
The Rhodes Trust at a glance
In short: The Rhodes Trust reported $2.5M in grants paid in 2025 (a total; its filing lists no individual grants). Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Grants paid (2025)
- $2,520,299 — reported as a total on the IRS filing, without an itemized list
- +2151.5% vs 2024
- Total assets
- $765,810,545
- +2.6% vs 2024
- Revenue (2025)
- $81,148,666
- -3.7% vs 2024
- Net investment income (2025)
- $32,052,376
- +0.7% vs 2024
- Expenses (2025)
- $79,251,374
- +10.8% vs 2024
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated October 2026.
How to apply to The Rhodes Trust
- Contact
Phone: (540) 227-7444
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Rhodes Trust funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Grant Size Distribution
3 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 1 grant of 3 (33%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Rhodes Scholarship is open to talented applicants from around the world, with selection organized through geographic constituencies. The Trust’s 125th Anniversary Strategic Plan identifies Africa, India and China as key existing geographies for deepening scholarship expansion. Its 2024 filing reports outreach and programme activity across multiple constituencies, including China, East Africa, Saudi Arabia and Zambia. These programme details do not establish a broader geographic focus for the Trust’s grantmaking.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2023 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $112K (2024) to $2.5M (2025). In 2025 it reported $2.5M in grants paid, as a total without an itemized list.
Hatched bars: grants paid as reported on the IRS filing, which lists no individual grants for that year.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Tony Blair Institute for Global Change | Catalyst grant to continue work on the 'Always On' agenda. | $99,502 |
| Rhodes Incubator | Operational support | $12,438 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $765,810,545 | $81,148,666 | $79,251,374 | $2,520,299 | Total only | $32,052,376 |
| 2024 | $746,709,320 | $84,251,911 | $71,523,463 | $111,940 | 2 | $31,844,707 |
| 2023 | $703,062,608 | $50,816,028 | $61,385,864 | $438,052 | 1 | $11,563,776 |
| 2021 | $768,671,339 | $24,702,604 | $37,192,040 | — | — | $273,424 |
| 2020 | $669,107,400 | $150,102,603 | $36,785,889 | — | — | $18,480,218 |
| 2019 | $562,515,784 | $42,714,545 | $32,245,205 | — | — | $15,409,312 |
"Total only": grants paid as reported on the IRS filing, which lists no individual grants for that year.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Trust’s 2024 filing states that its primary exempt charitable and educational purpose is to support the maintenance of selected overseas students at Oxford University. Its website states a broader mission: building a better world through global fellowship programmes that develop and connect compassionate, innovative, public-spirited people committed to solving humanity’s challenges.
The Trust’s programmes include the Rhodes Scholarship and partnerships involving the Schmidt Science Fellows, Rise, the Mandela Rhodes Foundation and the Atlantic Institute. The Trust’s 2024 filing describes the Mandela Rhodes Foundation as providing young leaders from across Africa with scholarships to study at universities in South Africa and a residential leadership development programme. The filing also describes the Atlantic Institute’s work connecting Atlantic Fellows and programme staff through events and convenings.
Grantmaking
The IRS filing data reports two grants totalling $111,940 in 2024 and one grant totalling $438,052 in 2023. Typical grant size cannot be established from these totals and counts alone. No grantee names or grant amounts are provided here. The 2025 filing reports no grants.
The Rhodes Scholarship is a programme award for postgraduate study at Oxford, not a grant programme for outside applicants. The Trust’s website says the award covers Oxford course fees and provides an annual stipend; for 2025–26, the stated stipend is £20,400 per annum.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Sir John Bell as Chairman. Trustees listed on that filing are Andrew Banks, Christopher Oechsli, Douglas Beck, Dr Menaka Guruswamy, Dr Peter Stamos, Dr Tariro Makadzange, Fred Swaniker, Glen James and Mike Fitzpatrick.
The Rhodes Trust is led by Elizabeth Kiss, Warden & CEO on every filing since 2019; 14 of 35 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Elizabeth Kiss
Warden & CEO
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$121K (2019) → $319K (2025)
Rick Trainor
Interim Warden & CEO
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Evie O'Brien
Atlantic Institute Executive Director
Atlantic Institute Interim Executive Director → Atlantic Institute Executive Director, 2023
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$155K (2020) → $293K (2025)
Megan Kenna
Ssf Executive Director
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$252K (2021) → $336K (2025)
John Boothroyd
Chair of Ssf Academic Council
New on the 2025 filing
20 hrs/week
$205K (2025)
John Bell
Chairman
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Julia Palejowska
Finance Director
Head of Accounting & Financial Stategy → Head of Finance & Accounting, 2021
Head of Finance & Accounting → Finance Director, 2023
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$120K (2019) → $179K (2025)
Mat Davies
Director of Estates
Estates Director → Head of Estates & Facilities, 2021
Head of Estates & Facilities → Director of Estates, 2024
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$129K (2020) → $150K (2025)
Rachel Wood
Director of Development
Head of Advancement, Engagement & North America → Directorofadvancementandengagement & Northamerica, 2023
Directorofadvancementandengagement & Northamerica → Director of Development, 2025
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$161K (2021) → $204K (2025)
Muloongo Muchelemba
Rise Director of Selection
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$226K (2023) → $260K (2025)
Christine Norton
Ssf Director of Budget & Operations
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$177K (2025)
Andrew Banks
Trustee
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Glen James
Trustee
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Peter Stamos
Trustee
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Professor Elleke Boehmer
Trustee
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Robert Sternfels
Trustee
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Tariro Makadzange
Trustee
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Swati Mylavarapu
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Douglas A Beck
Trustee
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Professor Dapo Akande
Trustee
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Fred Swaniker
Trustee
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mike Fitzpatrick
Trustee
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Professor Charlotte Deane
Trustee
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Robert Harrison
Trustee
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Menaka Guruswamy
Trustee
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Professor Sir Nigel Shadbolt
Trustee
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Christopher Oechsli
Trustee
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Neeti Johnson
Trustee
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Professor Catherine O'Regan
Trustee
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Joyce Knight
Former Director of Us Operations
Director of Us Operations → Former Director of Us Operations, 2025
On filings since 2019
$136K (2019) → $215K (2025)
Louise Dearnley
Deputy Warden for the Rhodes Scholarship
Strategic Projects Director → Director of Selection & Outreach, 2023
Director of Selection & Outreach → Deputy Warden for the Rhodes Scholarship, 2025
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$105K (2019) → $218K (2025)
Peter Anderson
Chief Financial Officer & Chief Operating Officer
COO & Finance Director → COO & CFO, 2021
COO & CFO → Chief Financial Officer & Chief Operating Officer, 2023
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$177K (2019) → $155K (2025)
Rodolfo Lara Torres
Chief Engagement & Development Officer
Director of Progammes & Alumni Relations → Director of Global Engagement & Programmes, 2021
Director of Global Engagement & Programmes → Chief Engagement & Development Officer, 2025
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$196K (2019) → $219K (2025)
Matt Goode
Ssf Deputy Executive Director
Ssf External Affairs & Fellows Support → Ssf Deputy Executive Director, 2024
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$112K (2020) → $224K (2025)
Georgia Giatras
Deputy Warden for Operations, Finance, Partnerships & CFO
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (25)
- Former: Catherine O'Regan (2019–2024) — Trustee
- Former: Chris Oechsli (2020–2024) — Trustee
- Former: Neeti Bhalla (2020–2024) — Trustee
- Former: Dame Helen Ghosh DCB (2019–2023) — Trustee
- Former: Doyin Atewologun (2023) — Dean of Scholarships
- Former: Dilip Shanghvi (2019–2021) — Trustee
- Former: Donald J Gogel (2019–2021) — Trustee
- Former: Judge Karen Stevenson (2019–2021) — Trustee
- Former: Mike Fitzpartick (2019–2021) — Trustee
- Former: Professor Karen O' Brien (2019–2021) — Trustee
- Former: Professor Ngaire Woods (2019–2021) — Trustee
- Former: Natasha Forrest (2021) — Ai Associate Ed: Operations & Organisational Development
- Former: Alasdair Maclay (2019–2020) — Director of Strategy & Development
- Former: Nicholas Oppenheimer (2019–2020) — Trustee
- Former: Penelope Brook (2019–2020) — Director of the Atlantic Institute
- Former: Megan Wheeler (2020) — Ssf Executive Director
- Former: Charles Conn (2019) — Warden & CEO
- Former: Dominic Barton (2019) — Trustee
- Former: Erica Mirick (2019) — Deputy Director of Development
- Former: John Hood KNZM (2019) — Chairman
- Former: John Mccall Macbain (2019) — Trustee
- Former: John Wylie Am (2019) — Trustee
- Former: Nadiya Figueroa (2019) — Dean of Scholarships, Director of Leadership & Change
- Former: Professor Dame Carol Robinson DBE (2019) — Trustee
- Former: Professor Margaret Macmillan (2019) — Trustee
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $336K, to Dr Megan Kenna (SSF Executive Director). 14 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about The Rhodes Trust
How much does The Rhodes Trust give each year?
The Rhodes Trust reported $2.5M in grants paid in 2025 on its 2025 IRS Form 990, as a total without an itemized list of grants. In 2024 it gave $112K across 2 grants.
How large is The Rhodes Trust?
The Rhodes Trust reported $765.8M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $81.1M.
What does The Rhodes Trust fund?
The Trust’s 2024 filing states that its primary exempt charitable and educational purpose is to support the maintenance of selected overseas students at Oxford University. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Rhodes Trust?
The Rhodes Trust has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
Where does The Rhodes Trust make grants?
The Rhodes Scholarship is open to talented applicants from around the world, with selection organized through geographic constituencies. The Trust’s 125th Anniversary Strategic Plan identifies Africa, India and China as key existing geographies for deepening scholarship expansion.
What is The Rhodes Trust's EIN?
The Rhodes Trust's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 98-6000867. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(3)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS June 3, 2020)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 13, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
The filing figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0. About GrantGraph Open
Figures come from The Rhodes Trust's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
The Rhodes Trust down — hundreds of funders to go?