Good Deed Foundation

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £84,560 (2023)
• Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
• Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed (trustee discretion)
• Grant Range: Not publicly disclosed
• Geographic Focus: Not specified, discretionary
• Application Process: No public application process - trustee discretion only

Contact Details

Address: 1 Manchester Square, London, W1U 3AB

Phone: 020 3219 2600

Charity Registration: 1041053

Established: 16 September 1994

Note: There is no public application process. The trustees identify and select grant recipients at their discretion.

Overview

The Good Deed Foundation is a private grant-making trust established in 1994 by trust deed. Operating entirely at the discretion of its three trustees, the Foundation made grants totalling £84,560 to charitable organizations in 2023 (compared to £116,015 in 2022). The Foundation supports charitable work across four core areas: religious advancement, education, poverty relief, and health. All grants awarded are unrestricted, providing recipient organizations with maximum flexibility in deploying funds. The Foundation has a close relationship with the Keren Mitzvah Trust, which shares the same address and trustees, and to which it awarded £23,500 in grants in 2023. The charity undertakes no direct charitable activities but fulfils its mission exclusively through grant-making.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Foundation operates a single discretionary grant-making program with no fixed application cycles or published criteria. Awards are made on a case-by-case basis following trustee deliberations.

• Discretionary Grants: Amount varies - all grants unrestricted
• Decision Method: Individual consideration by trustees based on proposed use of funds

Priority Areas

The Foundation has historically supported organizations working in:

• Religious Advancement: Supporting faith-based organizations and religious charitable work
• Education: Funding educational initiatives and institutions
• Poverty Relief: Supporting anti-poverty programs and organizations serving people in financial need
• Health: Grants to health-related charities and medical support organizations

Beneficiary Groups

The Foundation's charitable objectives encompass support for:

• People of particular ethnic or racial origin
• Elderly people
• People with disabilities
• Children and young people
• The general public
• Other charities and voluntary bodies

What They Don't Fund

The Foundation does not provide information about exclusions, as all grant decisions are made at trustee discretion based on each proposal's individual merit.

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Governance and Leadership

Trustees

The Foundation is governed by three trustees who serve without remuneration:

• Mr. Manny Weiss - Trustee with involvement in multiple charitable organizations including the Keren Mitzvah Trust and the Henry M. Jackson Foundation (USA)
• Mr. Alan McCormack - Trustee
• Mr. Neil Bradley - Trustee

The trustees share governance responsibilities with the Keren Mitzvah Trust, with both charities administered from the same London address. No trustees receive any payments or benefits from the charity, ensuring all funds are directed toward charitable purposes.

Operational Structure

The Foundation has no employees and operates as a pure grant-making entity with no trading subsidiaries. Trustee meetings are held as needed to consider grant applications and oversee the Foundation's investments, which generate income to support grant-making activities.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process. The Good Deed Foundation operates entirely at the discretion of its trustees, who identify and select grant recipients without a formal application procedure.

According to the Foundation's own description: “The recipients of donations by the Foundation are agreed by the Trustees who, in their deliberations, consider the use to which the recipients propose to put their respective donations, with each grant considered on its own merit.”

Organizations cannot submit unsolicited applications. Grant decisions are made through trustee deliberations based on proposals brought to their attention through existing relationships and networks.

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - there are no application deadlines or published decision timeframes. Grants are awarded on a rolling basis as trustees identify appropriate charitable causes.

Success Rates

Not applicable - without a public application process, success rate data is not relevant or available.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - organizations cannot apply or reapply as there is no application process.

Application Success Factors

Since the Good Deed Foundation operates without a public application process, there are no application success factors to consider in the traditional sense. However, the Foundation's approach does reveal some key characteristics:

Trustee Discretion and Individual Merit: The Foundation states that “each grant is considered on its own merit” with “no specific criteria required to be met before an application may be put forward.” This suggests the trustees value flexibility and case-by-case assessment rather than rigid eligibility requirements.

Focus on Charitable Use: Trustees consider “the use to which the recipients propose to put their respective donations,” indicating that clear articulation of how funds will be deployed for charitable purposes is important to their decision-making.

Unrestricted Funding Philosophy: All grants are awarded without restrictions, demonstrating trust in recipient organizations to determine the most effective use of funds. This suggests the Foundation values organizational leadership and autonomy.

Relationship-Based Grant-Making: The significant grants to Keren Mitzvah Trust (£23,500 in 2023, £80,000 in 2022), which shares trustees and address with the Foundation, indicates that personal knowledge of organizations and their work likely plays a role in grant decisions.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• No Public Application Process: This is not a funder where proactive applications can be submitted. The trustees identify grant recipients at their discretion.
• Unrestricted Funding: All grants are unrestricted, providing recipient organizations with complete flexibility in fund deployment.
• Four Core Focus Areas: Religious advancement, education, poverty relief, and health define the Foundation's charitable interests.
• Small to Medium Grant Maker: With £84,560 in total grants awarded in 2023, this is a modest-sized grant maker with a focused approach.
• Relationship-Driven: The significant grants to Keren Mitzvah Trust and lack of public application process suggest existing relationships and trustee knowledge of organizations drive funding decisions.
• Consistent but Declining Activity: Grant-making has continued steadily since 1994, though 2023 giving (£84,560) decreased from 2022 (£116,015).
• Investment-Funded Model: The Foundation generates income from investments to support its grant-making activities, providing ongoing sustainability.

Similar Funders

These funders have a similar focus and geographic reach:

• Spiers Family Foundation Limited
• The Finborough Foundation
• PADWA CHARITABLE FOUNDATION
• THE LILI TAPPER CHARITABLE FOUNDATION
• AMT Foundation Limited
• The Wyn and Ken Lo Memorial Foundation
• The Macfarlane Family Foundation
• THE JMCMRJ SORRELL FOUNDATION
• The Neon Foundation
• The Edgware Foundation

References

• Charity Commission for England and Wales, Good Deed Foundation (Charity Number 1041053): https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/en/charity-search/-/charity-details/1041053
• The Good Deed Foundation Report and Financial Statements, Year Ended 31 December 2023, Charity Commission register
• OpenCharities, Good Deed Foundation profile: http://opencharities.org/charities/1041053
• Charity Commission trustee information for Good Deed Foundation
• IMG Trust article on Manny Weiss: https://imgtrust.ky/impact-insight/manny-weiss/