Contact info
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Call:
+38 (068) 133-35-89
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Write:
lumex.inbox@mail.com
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Visit:
742 Crescent road, Toronto, Canada
Send request
Welcome to Filantri
Philanthropy,
Verified.
Bespoke advisory for donors, foundations, and corporations
looking to maximise their social impact.
Organisations
that independently verify impact
Donors
who distrust donation usage
Accountability is
not a report.
It's a system.
Honest about complexity
Philanthropy is harder than it looks. Tax structures, charity law, governance obligations, cross-border giving; each is a discipline in its own right. We tell you what we know, what falls outside our scope, and who you need alongside us.
Built for verification, not narrative
Grounded in sector expertise
Three types of client.
One standard of work.
01.
The transitioning
public figure
Leaders leaving institutional, or political roles who want to convert influence into lasting social impact. We handle the structural and governance complexity: charitable incorporation, public benefit requirements, trustee appointments. So you can focus on the mission.
- Vehicle selection (DAF vs. indep. charity)
- Charity Commission application
- Board and trustee appointments
- Governance framework design
- Public profile and comms strategy
02.
The high-net-worth
donor
Individual donors and family offices moving beyond ad hoc giving toward structured philanthropy. We help you establish the right vehicle: an independent foundation, a DAF via NPT-UK, or a combination of both, and build measurement systems that show where your capital is actually going.
- DAF vs. indep. charity assessment
- UK/US cross-border giving structures
- Grantmaking programme design
- Family philanthr. / succession planning
- Impact measurement frameworks
03.
The foundation seeking
accountability
Established foundations whose current reporting tells them what they spent, not what they achieved. We design outcome measurement frameworks, governance upgrades, and, where appropriate, blockchain-based verification that makes your impact claims independently auditable.
- Governance health check and upgrade
- Theory of Change facilitation
- Impact measurement and MEL systems
- Blockchain transparency advisory
- Strategic repositioning
Why Filantri Advisory
exists.
Governance was weak. Measurement was narrative. Reporting served funders, not beneficiaries. And the hardest question, "Is this actually working?" was almost never asked honestly.
Our advisory is built on the belief that rigour and compassion are not opposites. The same analytical discipline that makes financial advisory trustworthy can be applied to philanthropic advisory. Heart-centred wealth, grounded in evidence.
"Filantri exists to ask the hardest question, and help build the systems that can answer it."
— C J Russell, Founder.
Eight core
service areas.
01.
Formation & Structure
The first question is whether an independent UK charity is the right vehicle at all. We assess your options: NPT-UK DAF, independent charity, or hybrid - then structure accordingly.
- Vehicle assessment (DAF vs charity)
- Structure Assessment Report
- Trustee governance framework
- Charity Comm. application support
- HMRC charitable status guidance
02.
Governance
Most governance failures are not dramatic. They are the slow accumulation of unclear roles, undocumented decisions, and trustees who don't know what they're signing off on.
- Governance health check
- Board composition review
- Trustee Code of Conduct
- Conflicts of Interest Policy
- Alignment to the Charity Gov. Code
03.
Strategic Impact Planning
Strategy grounded in what can actually be measured, not just what sounds compelling. We build outcome frameworks from the evidence up, not the PowerPoint down.
- Theory of Change facilitation
- External environment scan
- Organisational capacity assessment
- IMP dimension mapping
- Strategic plan and annual review cycle
04.
Impact Measurement
You cannot manage what you do not measure. Honest measurement is a genuine act of courage. We build systems that tell you what's working and, critically, what isn't.
- Indicator framework
- Data collection system design
- Evaluation methodology
- Annual impact report structure
- IRIS+, SROI, and Social Value mapping
05.
Funding & Fundraising
Sustainable philanthropy needs diversified income. We map the funding landscape relevant to your charitable objects and design a strategy across all income streams.
- Funding landscape mapping
- Major donor strategy
- Grant pipeline development
- Impact investment readiness
- Social Impact Bond scoping
06.
Blockchain Transparency
The most meaningful development in philanthropy infrastructure since the internet. Understand which tools are appropriate and how to position blockchain transparency as a credibility signal.
- Blockchain landscape briefing
- Platform selection advisory
- Crypto giving policy design
- On-chain grant tracking scoping
- Hypercerts impact credentialing
07.
Communications & PR
Impact that cannot be communicated does not compound. We help you build the external narrative that connects transparent, evidence-based work to the audiences it needs to reach.
- Stakeholder communications strategy
- Annual report narrative development
- Public-facing impact narrative
- Media strategy
- Trustees' Annual Report support
08.
Operational Management
The administrative and operational infrastructure that many new charities underestimate, and that experienced charities often allow to drift. We bring financial discipline into the charitable context.
- Financial controls design
- Budget and cash flow frameworks
- Management accounting for charities
- Grantmaking programme design
- Ongoing compliance monitoring
Blockchain Transparency
Radical
Accountability
by Design.
In the non-profit sector, trust is your most valuable
currency. Blockchain technology acts as a Digital
Moral Compass, ensuring that every contribution is
tracked, every expense is verified, and every impact
is measurable in real time.
Transparent
pricing.
Formation Package
/ engagement
UK charity formation advisory - Phases 1 to 4. From structure assessment through to registration, orientation, and starter impact framework.
- Structure Assessment Report
- Governance framework design
- Charity Comm. application support
- New Charity Orientation Pack
- Impact Measurement starter framework
- HMRC charitable status guidance
- Gift Aid and VAT registration guidance
Strategic Advisory
/ per month
Ongoing monthly advisory: governance, impact, funding, and communications. Suited to established foundations and growing organisations.
- Monthly strategy sessions
- Governance and board advisory
- Impact reporting support
- Funding pipeline guidance
- Regulatory change monitoring
- Implementation support
- Priority access for urgent matters
Bespoke Engagement
/ project based
Complex formations, international structures (UK + US), blockchain advisory, governance reviews, or large foundation mandates, scoped individually.
- Governance health check
- Blockchain advisory
- Theory of Change facilitation
- Organisational capacity assessment
- US sister foundation advisory
- Full operations audit
- Custom research and deliverables
General
questions.
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No. Filantri is a consulting practice, not a law firm. We advise on structure, governance, and impact strategy. Where legal drafting is required - for constitutional documents, trust deeds, or regulatory filings - we refer to and work alongside qualified charity law solicitors. Legal fees are billed directly by the solicitor.
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A DAF (Donor-Advised Fund) is a philanthropic account with a sponsoring charity like NPT-UK, which operates in the UK and the US. You make an irrevocable contribution, gain immediate tax relief, and recommend grants to your chosen causes. Benefits include quick setup, grantmaking anonymity, simultaneous Gift Aid and US tax benefits, and the ability to donate complex assets. However, NPT-UK maintains legal control, and you can't hire staff or create a public identity through a DAF. We assess whether a DAF, an independent charity, or a combination is best for you.
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No. Formation is one part of what we do. We work with established foundations and philanthropic vehicles at any stage: from governance improvement to strategic repositioning, impact measurement, grantmaking design, or operational support. If your foundation has existed for ten years but you've never built a Theory of Change, or your governance has drifted, or you cannot honestly answer what your giving has achieved, that is exactly the kind of mandate we take on.
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Yes. This is one of the scenarios we specifically prepare for. The Charity Commission process has a minimum elapsed time (typically 6–12 weeks for the Commission to process an application), but the groundwork, i.e. structure, governance, charitable objects and trustee appointments, can be done in parallel and in advance. We can begin immediately and have the application ready to submit as quickly as the solicitor can produce the constitutional documents.
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Current practical applications include: 1) crypto donations via platforms like The Giving Block; 2) on-chain grant tracking for transparency-first foundations with recorded, verifiable disbursements; and 3) Hypercerts for organisations issuing independently verified impact credentials. Full outcome-linked conditional disbursement suits larger, resource-rich organisations. We assist in finding tools that match your capacity and goals.
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Scale and honesty, primarily. Large consultancies offer breadth of resource; we offer depth of focus and senior attention on every mandate. We also operate from a principle that large consultancies rarely advertise: we will tell you when your strategy is not working. That is a function of genuine independence, not of size.
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Our primary expertise is UK charity law and the Charity Commission. For clients requiring international structures, particularly US 501(c)(3) formation for a sister charity, we can scope a separate international advisory engagement, working alongside appropriate local legal counsel. We also advise US-based charities or foundations seeking to engage UK taxpaying donors through the NPT-UK designated fund route as a more tax-efficient alternative to direct giving.
Enquiries
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Call:
+44 (0) 20 3137 9002
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Email:
info@filantri.com
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Post:
Filantri Advisory
A trading style of Russells Associates Ltd
27 Old Gloucester Street, London
WC1N 3AX, England
Let’s Talk
We endeavour to answer all enquiries within 48 hours.
Whether you are exploring the right charitable vehicle for the first time, looking to strengthen an existing foundation's governance, or navigating a cross-border giving structure - a brief conversation is the right place to start.
Use the form below or reach out directly.
*All enquiries are treated with strict confidentiality.