John Pearce Foundation

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £1,476,380 (2021)
• Success Rate: Not publicly available
• Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed
• Grant Range: No set minimum or maximum
• Geographic Focus: UK (within 15 miles of major racing centres), Hong Kong, and occasionally international

Contact Details

• Website: https://www.johnpearce.org/
• Email: JPFoundation@bentleyreid.co.uk / JPFoundation@johnpearce.org
• Phone: 020 7222 8081
• Address: c/o Bentley Reid & Co (UK) Ltd, 29 Queen Anne's Gate, London, SW1H 9BU

Overview

The John Pearce Foundation was established in 2018 as a registered UK charity (number 1181348) following a bequest from the late John Leitch Colmere Pearce, a successful businessman and passionate thoroughbred racing enthusiast who died in January 2017 at age 98. The Foundation was created to support Mr. Pearce's favoured charitable causes and continue his lifelong passion for horse racing and breeding. With annual giving of £1,476,380 in 2021 (compared to £316,817 in 2020), the Foundation has rapidly scaled its grant-making activities. The Foundation focuses on three main areas: supporting current and former participants in horseracing and thoroughbred breeding who are in need (both human and equine), promoting equine welfare, and funding palliative care services. The Foundation accepts applications from both registered charities and non-registered entities from the UK and Hong Kong, with exceptional consideration for other international locations.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Foundation operates three main funding streams with no set grant amounts:

1. Racing & Breeding Support

• No minimum or maximum grant size
• Funds projects, research, core costs, and capital projects
• One-off or multi-year grants available
• Rolling application basis

2. Education & Training

• Must link to racing & breeding or palliative care sectors
• Supports educational initiatives for industry participants
• No set grant size
• Flexible funding arrangements

3. Palliative Care

• Geographic restriction: UK locations within 15 miles of major racing centres (Newmarket, Lambourn, Malton) or Hong Kong
• Supports organizations providing palliative and end-of-life care services
• No set grant size
• Welcomes innovative projects with demonstrable need

Priority Areas

Racing & Breeding:

• Welfare of current and former racing industry participants in need
• Retired racehorse care and retraining programs
• Equine welfare initiatives for ill-treated or retired horses
• Industry support programs (e.g., hardship grants, education support)
• Projects with substantial potential impact on the racing community

Palliative Care:

• End-of-life care services for elderly individuals or those with life-limiting illness
• Organizations serving communities near UK racing centres or in Hong Kong
• Innovative palliative care delivery models
• Programs with high demonstrable need

Education & Training:

• Educational opportunities linking to racing/breeding sector
• Training programs for industry participants
• Skills development initiatives with clear connection to palliative care or racing

What They Don't Fund

The Foundation explicitly excludes:

• Applications that solely benefit individual jockeys or trainers
• Projects focused only on promoting the racing industry
• Retrospective funding (for work already completed)
• Religious activities or political activities
• Individual advocacy-only initiatives (palliative care stream)

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Governance and Leadership

Trustees

The Foundation is governed by three trustees, all appointed in 2018:

Rupert Bentley (Chair)

• Chief Executive of Bentley Reid since 2007, became Chairman in 2019
• Oversees the Foundation's strategic direction

Nicolas Bentley

• Co-trustee supporting the Foundation's mission

Michael John Winarick

• Co-trustee contributing to governance

Note: No trustees receive any remuneration, payments, or benefits from the charity.

Foundation Administration

The Foundation is administered through Bentley Reid & Co (UK) Ltd, reflecting the professional management approach of the trustees.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

Application Method: Online only through the Foundation's website

• Racing & Breeding: https://www.johnpearce.org/apply/start?id=9
• Education & Training: Apply through designated portal
• Palliative Care: https://www.johnpearce.org/apply/start?id=956

Important Note: Email and postal applications will NOT be considered. All applications must be submitted through the online portal.

Pre-Application Guidance: Applicants are strongly advised to “take a few minutes to read the guidance” before submitting to ensure project alignment with the Foundation's scope.

Application Requirements

Applicants must provide:

• Evidence of regulatory compliance and governance structure
• Details of management structure, trustees, and significant individuals
• Financial viability information and organizational track record
• Clear explanation of why the proposed work is needed and how the need was identified
• Evidence of past, present, or pending efforts to address similar needs
• Specific project details including management approach, resource requirements, cost breakdown, timeline, and activity milestones
• For racing/breeding applications: explanation of how past/present racing/thoroughbred breeding industry participants would benefit

Decision Timeline

Decision Timeframe: Not publicly disclosed. The Foundation notes that “due to administrative resource, unsolicited applications will not be acknowledged.”

Application Status: In-scope applicants may be asked to submit further information and answer specific questions as required during the review process.

Success Rates

Success rates are not publicly available. However, the Foundation's significant increase in grant-making from £316,817 in 2020 to £1,476,380 in 2021 suggests growing capacity and willingness to fund suitable projects.

Reapplication Policy

The Foundation does not publicly specify a reapplication policy or waiting period for unsuccessful applicants.

Application Success Factors

Examples of Funded Projects

Major Grants:

• Retraining of Racehorses: £160,500 (co-funded with Racing Foundation) for the project 'Improving the Framework to Support Horses' First Step Out of Training' (2025)
• COVID-19 Industry Support: Contributed to three-quarters of a million pounds fund with Racing Foundation to support Racing Welfare hardship grants during pandemic
• Return to School Grants: Funded grants of £100 per child (up to four children per family) for racing industry families through Racing Welfare

Strategic Approach

The Foundation demonstrates:

• Partnership funding: Willingness to co-fund major initiatives with other racing charities like the Racing Foundation
• Crisis response: Quick mobilization during COVID-19 to support industry workers
• Holistic support: Funding both direct welfare support and capacity-building projects
• Long-term thinking: Support for multi-year grants and continuation of established work

Standing Out

Innovation welcomed: The Foundation “particularly welcomes applications which are innovative or have an element of risk where the demonstrable need is great.”

Demonstrate clear need: Applications should show strong evidence of identified need and explain how the need was determined.

Industry connection: For racing/breeding grants, clearly articulate how current or former industry participants will benefit.

Geographic specificity: For palliative care, ensure your location falls within 15 miles of Newmarket, Lambourn, or Malton in the UK, or is based in Hong Kong.

Flexible funding requests: The Foundation considers project costs, research costs, core costs, and capital projects, so tailor your request to actual needs.

Continuity and innovation balance: The Foundation funds both “continuation of established work” and “innovative projects,” suggesting they value proven approaches as well as new solutions.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• No set grant sizes: The Foundation does not impose minimum or maximum grant amounts, allowing applicants to request what they genuinely need.

• Partnership opportunities: The Foundation co-funds with other racing charities, so consider collaborative approaches or mention other funding partners.

• Innovation valued highly: Explicitly state if your project is innovative or involves calculated risk with high potential impact—the Foundation specifically welcomes these applications.

• Geographic precision matters: For palliative care grants, verify your location falls within the 15-mile radius of specified racing centres before applying.

• Online applications only: Do not attempt email or postal applications; they will not be considered.

• Expect limited communication: Due to limited administrative resources, unsolicited applications will not be acknowledged, so do not expect confirmation of receipt unless you're shortlisted.

• Be thorough and evidence-based: The application requires substantial detail about organizational capacity, need identification, and project management—prepare comprehensive documentation.

• Legacy alignment: Understanding John Pearce's biography—his lifelong passion for racing, his Hong Kong roots, his business acumen, and his generosity—can help frame applications that align with the Foundation's founding values of supporting the racing community and palliative care.

References

• John Pearce Foundation official website: https://www.johnpearce.org/
• UK Charity Commission Register, John Pearce Foundation (Charity No. 1181348): https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-details/?regid=1181348&subid=0
• Racing Foundation press release: “Retraining of Racehorses receives £321,000 grant from the Racing Foundation and the John Pearce Foundation”: https://www.racingfoundation.co.uk/release-retraining-of-racehorses-receives-321000-grant-from-the-racing-foundation-and-the-john-pearce-foundation/
• Giving is Great charity factsheet, John Pearce Foundation: https://www.givingisgreat.org.uk/database/charity-factsheet/?regNo=1181348
• Suffolk News: “Newmarket-based charity Racing Welfare offers grants to help racing workers during coronavirus crisis” (2020)
• John Pearce Foundation application pages for Racing & Breeding, Education & Training, and Palliative Care
• Charity Commission financial accounts showing £1,476,380 in grants awarded in 2021 vs £316,817 in 2020