Firstfruit Ventures

Quick Stats

• Registered Charity Number: 1201893
• Annual Giving: £142,812 (2024)
• Annual Income: £158,346 (2024)
• Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed
• Grant Range: Not publicly disclosed
• Geographic Focus: England and Wales, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon
• Application Method: No public application process

Contact Details

Address: 15 Selkirk Close, Worthing, BN13 1PR

Email: hwolmarans@wornet.org

Phone: 01903824399

Charity Commission Registration: Charity Number 1201893

Overview

FIRSTFRUIT VENTURES is a recently established charitable company registered with the Charity Commission on 9 February 2023 (Company Number 13560206). In its first full year of operation (2024), the charity distributed £142,812 in grants with total income of £158,346. The organisation operates as a grant-making charity, working both throughout England and Wales and internationally in the Middle East region, specifically in Egypt, Israel, Jordan, and Lebanon.

The charity's mission focuses on two core areas: preventing and relieving poverty through education, training, and sustainable income generation programmes; and providing humanitarian assistance to people displaced by war, famine, political instability, religious persecution, or genocide. FIRSTFRUIT VENTURES operates exclusively through grant-making to other charities and not-for-profit organisations rather than through direct service delivery. The charity is supported by 10 volunteers and maintains a lean operational structure with three trustees who serve without remuneration.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

FIRSTFRUIT VENTURES operates through trustee-directed grant-making rather than formal grant programmes with published guidelines. The charity makes grants to other charities and not-for-profit organisations working in their priority areas. Specific grant amounts and programme details are not publicly disclosed.

Application Method: No public application process; grants appear to be awarded through trustee discretion and existing relationships.

Priority Areas

The charity's registered charitable objectives identify two main funding priorities:

1. Poverty Prevention and Relief

• Education and training programmes that enable sustainable income generation
• Support for individuals to become self-reliant
• Skills development initiatives
• Economic empowerment programmes

2. Humanitarian Assistance for Displaced Populations

• Relief for people fleeing war and armed conflict
• Support for victims of famine
• Assistance to those displaced by political instability
• Aid for those facing religious persecution or genocide

Geographic Focus:

• Domestic operations throughout England and Wales
• International work concentrated in the Middle East (Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon)

What They Don't Fund

As a newly established charity with no published grant guidelines, specific exclusions are not publicly documented. However, based on their charitable objectives:

• Direct grants to individuals (they work through other charities and not-for-profit organisations)
• Organisations outside their geographic focus areas
• Projects unrelated to poverty relief or humanitarian assistance

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Governance and Leadership

Trustees

Hugo Wolmarans (Chair)

• Appointed: 11 August 2021
• Occupation: Regional Leader of International Charity
• Contact: hwolmarans@wornet.org
• Based in Worthing, West Sussex

Colin Seadon

• Appointed: 6 December 2021

Christine Margaret Anne Perkins

• Appointed: 11 August 2021

Governance Structure

The charity operates as a charitable company with three trustees who collectively control the work, management, and administration. No trustees receive remuneration, payments, or benefits from the charity. The organisation has no trading subsidiaries and maintains a volunteer workforce of 10 people. The charity's reporting is up to date with the Charity Commission.

How to Apply to Firstfruit Ventures

How to Apply

FIRSTFRUIT VENTURES does not have a public application process. The charity appears to identify and support organisations through trustee discretion and existing networks rather than accepting unsolicited applications.

Grants are awarded to other charities and not-for-profit organisations working in the charity's priority areas, particularly in the Middle East region and areas of England and Wales. The trustees appear to direct grant-making based on their knowledge of organisations working in poverty relief and humanitarian assistance.

Decision Timeline

Not publicly disclosed. As grants are made through trustee discretion rather than a formal application cycle, decision timelines are not standardised or published.

Success Rates

Not applicable, as there is no public application process.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable, as there is no public application process.

Application Success Factors

As FIRSTFRUIT VENTURES does not accept public applications, traditional application success factors do not apply. However, organisations working in their priority areas might note the following:

Geographic Alignment: The charity has a specific focus on the Middle East region (Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon) alongside work in England and Wales. Organisations operating in these regions appear most likely to align with the charity's interests.

Thematic Focus: The charity's objectives emphasise:

• Programmes that enable people to generate sustainable income and achieve self-reliance (rather than short-term relief)
• Support for displaced populations fleeing conflict, persecution, or disaster
• Education and training as pathways out of poverty

Organisational Structure: FIRSTFRUIT VENTURES explicitly makes grants to “other charities and not-for-profit organisations” rather than providing direct services or supporting individuals. Organisations must be established charities or not-for-profits to be eligible.

Operational Philosophy: With a lean structure of three volunteer trustees and no staff, the charity appears to focus on efficient grant distribution rather than extensive due diligence processes, potentially favouring organisations with established track records.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• No public application process - This charity awards grants through trustee discretion rather than open applications
• Recent establishment - As a charity registered in 2023, they are still in early operational stages with limited public information
• Geographic specificity - Strong focus on Middle East operations (Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon) alongside UK work
• Intermediary model - Only funds other charities and not-for-profits, not individuals or direct service delivery
• Dual mandate - Combines poverty relief through economic empowerment with humanitarian assistance for displaced populations
• Modest scale - With approximately £140,000 in annual grant-making, this is a small foundation
• Relationship-driven - Absence of public application suggests grants flow through trustees' existing networks and knowledge of the sector

Similar Funders

These funders have a similar focus and geographic reach:

• The Sobell Foundation
• The James Grace Trust
• Alliance Family Foundation Limited
• The Shaarei Chesed Trust
• Zouq Foundation
• Foux Foundation
• The M Y A Charitable Trust
• The Velvet Foundation
• The Manny And Brigitta Davidson Charitable Foundation
• The Rofeh Trust

References

• Charity Commission for England and Wales. (2024). “FIRSTFRUIT VENTURES - Charity Overview (1201893).” Register of Charities. https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-search/-/charity-details/5211558/full-print

• Charity Commission for England and Wales. (2024). “FIRSTFRUIT VENTURES - Contact Information.” Register of Charities. https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-search/-/charity-details/5211558/contact-information

• Charity Commission for England and Wales. (2024). “FIRSTFRUIT VENTURES - Trustees.” Register of Charities. https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/en/charity-search/-/charity-details/5211558/trustees

• Fundraiso. (2024). “FIRSTFRUIT VENTURES.” https://www.fundraiso.com/en/organisations/firstfruit-ventures