Mercer Family Charitable Foundation

Charity Number: 1177988

Annual Expenditure: £0.3M

Stay updated on changes from Mercer Family Charitable Foundation and other funders

Get daily notifications about new funding opportunities, deadline changes, and programme updates from UK funders.

Free Email Updates

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £272,204 (2024)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly available
  • Decision Time: Not publicly available
  • Grant Range: Not publicly disclosed
  • Geographic Focus: Staffordshire (primary focus), with some national and international support (Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Zimbabwe)

Contact Details

Website: www.mercerfamilycharitablefoundation.com

Phone: 7887655102

Address: Blakenhall Park, Bar Lane, Barton Under Needwood, Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire

Overview

The Mercer Family Charitable Foundation was established in 2018 by the Mercer family, fourth-generation farmers who have farmed in rural Staffordshire since 1922. The foundation focuses on supporting local and national issues through three primary areas: education (particularly farming, agriculture and food), healthcare (particularly for those with incurable illnesses), and community facilities in Staffordshire. In the financial year ending September 2024, the foundation had a total income of £286,903 and total expenditure of £272,204. The foundation is run by 8 trustees, none of whom receive remuneration. The Mercer family has demonstrated significant commitment to their charitable causes through both financial grants and substantial land donations, including the 30-acre site donated for the Kids' Village project.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation does not operate formal grant programs with published funding tiers. Instead, they support organizations and projects aligned with their three core areas through trustee-directed giving.

Application Status: The foundation is not currently accepting new applications. Their website states: “We are not currently accepting any new applications; however, please keep an eye on the website for updates about when we will resume our application process.”

Priority Areas

Education - Farming, Agriculture & Food

  • Farm education programs and school visits
  • Food security and healthy eating initiatives
  • Agricultural scholarships and development
  • Farm-to-fork education projects

The foundation runs its own education project through Farmlink, a food and farming education charity, which has been operating since 2014. This project welcomes over 8,000 children annually to participate in hands-on learning experiences through on-farm visits and in-school sessions, having reached almost 60,000 children to date.

Healthcare - Incurable Illnesses

  • Support for children and adults suffering from incurable illnesses
  • Hospice care services
  • Medical facilities and equipment
  • Family support services

Supported organizations include:

  • Ronald McDonald House Birmingham
  • Rainbows Hospice for Children and Young People
  • Kids' Village (UK's first purpose-built holiday village for sick children and their families)

Community - Staffordshire Facilities

  • Community facilities serving people with particular needs
  • Youth organizations and activity centres
  • Mental health services
  • Community support services

Supported organizations include:

  • Burton and District Mind
  • Derbyshire Blood Bikes
  • Patshull Activity Centre (Scouts)

What They Don't Fund

While specific exclusions are not published, the foundation's focus on Staffordshire-based community projects, farming/food education, and healthcare for those with incurable illnesses indicates they do not fund projects outside these parameters.

Helpful Hinchilla

Ready to write a winning application for Mercer Family Charitable Foundation?

Our AI helps you craft proposals that match their exact priorities. Save 10+ hours and increase your success rate.

Get Free Beta Access

Governance and Leadership

The foundation has 8 trustees who receive no remuneration, payments, or benefits from the charity. The foundation is run by the Mercer family, including Rob and Alec Mercer (brothers and 4th generation farmers) and Sally Mercer.

Rob and Alec Mercer established Packington Free Range in 2005 and have become industry leaders in the free-range pork and poultry industry. Rob and Sally Mercer founded Farm Fresh Revolution in 2017, which is supported by the Mercer Family Charitable Foundation.

The Mercer family's approach to philanthropy emphasizes long-term impact, combining financial support with land donations and operational involvement in charitable projects.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not currently have a public application process. The foundation is not accepting new applications at this time. Their website advises potential applicants to “keep an eye on the website for updates about when we will resume our application process.”

Grants appear to be awarded through trustee discretion, with funding directed to organizations and causes aligned with the family's interests and community connections in Staffordshire and the farming sector.

Getting on Their Radar

The Mercer family has strong connections within:

  • The Staffordshire farming and agricultural community through Packington Free Range
  • Education sector partnerships through Farmlink (working with local schools)
  • The Nuffield Farming Scholarships Trust (listed as a sponsor)
  • Local Staffordshire community organizations and charities

Organizations working in farming education, supporting children with serious illnesses in Staffordshire, or providing community facilities in the region may align with the foundation's interests. However, there is currently no mechanism for unsolicited applications.

Decision Timeline

Not publicly available, as the foundation operates through trustee-directed giving rather than an application-based system.

Success Rates

Not publicly available due to the invitation-only nature of the foundation's grant-making.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable while applications are closed. No information available about future reapplication policies once applications reopen.

Application Success Factors

While the foundation does not accept public applications, their funded projects demonstrate clear priorities:

Demonstrated Impact Through Action

The foundation has supported organizations that show tangible outcomes. Farm Fresh Revolution has delivered over 65,000 bags of produce (equating to more than 800,000 individual meals) and reports that 76% of families changed their shopping habits after receiving their bags. The Farmlink project has reached almost 60,000 children with farm-to-fork education.

Long-term Sustainability

Major commitments include donating 30 acres of land for Kids' Village (opening 2027, serving 500 families/4,000 people annually) and securing Patshull Activity Centre's future through a lease until 2040. These demonstrate the foundation's preference for sustainable, lasting impact over short-term interventions.

Staffordshire Connection

Nearly all supported projects have strong Staffordshire roots or serve the local community, from Burton and District Mind to community facilities in the region.

Alignment with Family Values

The Mercer family's farming heritage strongly influences their giving. Projects connecting children to food production, promoting farm education, and supporting agricultural development receive significant attention.

Addressing Critical Needs

Healthcare support focuses specifically on incurable illnesses affecting children and adults, including hospices and respite facilities, reflecting a commitment to helping those facing the most serious health challenges.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Applications currently closed: The foundation is not accepting new applications, with no published timeline for reopening.
  • Trustee-directed giving: Grants appear to be awarded based on trustee discretion rather than competitive application processes, making pre-existing relationships and alignment with family interests crucial.
  • Staffordshire focus: Strong geographic preference for community projects serving Staffordshire, though some national and international work in education and healthcare is supported.
  • Farming and food education priority: The Mercer family's agricultural heritage drives significant investment in farm education and food security initiatives.
  • Substantial non-financial support: The foundation demonstrates commitment through land donations (30 acres to Kids' Village) and long-term lease agreements (Patshull Centre to 2040), not just grant funding.
  • Healthcare focus on incurable illnesses: Support targets children and adults with serious, life-threatening conditions through hospices, respite facilities, and family support services.
  • Operational involvement: The family runs their own charitable projects (Farmlink education, Farm Fresh Revolution) alongside supporting other organizations, suggesting they value hands-on engagement.

🎯 You've done the research. Now write an application they can't refuse.

Hinchilla combines funder's specific priorities with your organisation's past successful grants and AI analysis of what reviewers want to see.

✓

Data privacy and security by default

✓

Your organisation's past successful grants and experience

✓

AI analysis of what reviewers want to see

✓

A compelling draft application in 10 minutes instead of 10 hours

Get Beta Access NowLearn More

References