Jigsaw Charity

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £1,846,770 (charitable activities, 2024)
• Total Income: £2,036,393 (2024)
• Decision Time: Case-by-case basis
• Grant Range: Not publicly specified
• Geographic Focus: International (Turkey, Pakistan, Lebanon) and UK poverty relief
• Application Method: Trustee discretion/request basis

Contact Details

Address: Dallas House, Bordesley Green Road, Birmingham B9 4TR

Phone: 0121 7519987

Email: info@jigsaw.charity

Website: www.jigsaw.charity

Overview

JIGSAW CHARITY (registered 1192402) is an entirely volunteer-run Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) established to alleviate the suffering of the world's poorest people. With an annual income of over £2 million (2024), the charity operates across multiple international territories including Turkey, Pakistan, and Lebanon, as well as addressing poverty in the UK. The organization is distinctive in having no paid staff—all operations are conducted by volunteers, with only 5% of donations used for administrative and marketing costs. The charity has established a formal Grant Making Advisory Group that makes recommendations to trustees on the distribution of beneficial grants to individuals and organizations working to prevent or relieve poverty and respond to disasters. All trustees serve without remuneration.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

JIGSAW CHARITY operates through trustee discretion rather than formal grant programs. The charity distributes grants through their Grant Making Advisory Group, which considers requests and situations on a case-by-case basis.

Key Focus Areas for Grants:

• Emergency relief grants for disaster victims
• Poverty alleviation grants to individuals and organizations
• Grants supporting sustainable economic development
• Medical aid and humanitarian assistance
• Support for vulnerable communities in conflict zones

Priority Areas

Geographic Priorities:

• Turkey (Türkiye)
• Pakistan
• Lebanon
• UK (local poverty relief)

Thematic Priorities:

• The prevention or relief of poverty, hunger, or hardship
• Relief of financial need and suffering among victims of natural or other disasters
• Provision of medical aid, housing, counselling, and education
• Sustainable economic development enabling self-sufficiency
• Emergency humanitarian response in conflict zones and high-risk regions

Beneficiary Groups:

• Individuals in poverty or experiencing hardship
• Victims of natural disasters
• Communities affected by conflict
• Organizations working to prevent or relieve poverty

What They Don't Fund

JIGSAW CHARITY operates in high-risk regions with vulnerable populations. While specific exclusions are not publicly documented, their focus is clearly on poverty relief and disaster response rather than broader charitable causes.

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Governance and Leadership

Trustee Structure

• 3 Trustees (none receiving remuneration)
• 20 Volunteers
• No paid employees

Grant-Making Governance

The Trustees have appointed a Grant Making Advisory Group as a sub-group to consider the distribution of beneficial grants and make recommendations in accordance with charitable purposes. However, “any decision whether to award a grant remains solely the responsibility of the trustees.”

According to their Charity Commission filing: “The Trustees will consider any requests or known situations that are eligible for consideration from organisations and individuals alike, with each request or situation considered on its own merits.”

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process.

JIGSAW CHARITY operates on a trustee discretion model. According to their governance documents, trustees “will consider any requests or known situations that are eligible for consideration from organisations and individuals alike, with each request or situation considered on its own merits.”

Organizations or individuals wishing to be considered for a grant should contact the charity directly:

• Email: info@jigsaw.charity
• Phone: 0121 7519987

Be prepared to clearly articulate:

• The nature of the poverty, hardship, or disaster situation
• How a grant would prevent or relieve suffering
• Evidence of need and impact potential
• Alignment with the charity's international focus areas (Turkey, Pakistan, Lebanon) or UK poverty relief

Decision Timeline

Decisions are made on a case-by-case basis by the trustees following recommendations from the Grant Making Advisory Group. No standard timeline is published.

Success Rates

Not publicly available.

Reapplication Policy

Not publicly documented. Given the case-by-case approach, organizations should inquire directly about reapplication possibilities if initially unsuccessful.

Application Success Factors

Since JIGSAW CHARITY operates through trustee discretion rather than open applications, success likely depends on:

1. Clear alignment with poverty relief or disaster response: The charity's objectives specifically focus on “prevention or relief of poverty, hunger or hardship” and “relief of financial need and suffering amongst victims of natural, or other kinds of disasters.”

1. Geographic relevance: Priority appears given to their active operation areas (Turkey, Pakistan, Lebanon) and UK poverty relief.

1. Evidence of direct impact: As an entirely volunteer-run organization with low overhead, they likely prioritize grants that demonstrate clear, direct benefit to vulnerable individuals and communities.

1. Humanitarian urgency: The charity explicitly responds to “disasters and emergencies” and operates in “potentially high-risk regions where emergency aid is required.”

1. Community-based approach: Their stated mission includes “working with local communities - regardless of race, religion or gender,” suggesting preference for grassroots, inclusive projects.

1. Sustainable development focus: Beyond emergency response, they promote “sustainable economic and social development,” including support “to enable individuals to generate a sustainable income and be self-sufficient.”

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• No public application portal - Direct contact via email or phone is necessary to be considered for funding
• Trustee discretion model - All grants decided on individual merits by trustees following advisory group recommendations
• International and UK focus - Primary operations in Turkey, Pakistan, and Lebanon, plus UK poverty relief
• Entirely volunteer-run - No paid staff; 95% of all income goes directly to charitable work
• Poverty and disaster relief focus - Clear priority on alleviating suffering from poverty, hunger, hardship, and disasters
• Flexible consideration - Trustees consider both organizational and individual requests on merit
• Significant resources - With over £1.8 million in annual charitable expenditure, they have capacity for meaningful grants

References

• Charity Commission for England and Wales, JIGSAW CHARITY (1192402), Register of Charities. Available at: https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-details/?regid=1192402&subid=0 (Accessed: November 2025)
• JIGSAW CHARITY, Official Website. Available at: https://jigsaw.charity/ (Accessed: November 2025)
• Charity Commission, Charity Overview and Financial Information for JIGSAW CHARITY (1192402), 2024 accounts
• JIGSAW CHARITY, Fundraising Regulator Directory. Available at: https://www.fundraisingregulator.org.uk/directory/jigsaw-charity (Accessed: November 2025)