Mercy Mission Uk

Charity Number: 1122922

Annual Expenditure: £12.9M

Geographic Focus: Throughout London

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Quick Stats

Charity Number: 1122922
Annual Income: £23,494,674 (2024)
Annual Expenditure: £21,657,071 (2024)
Total Deployed: £40 million since inception
Organizations Funded: 150+
Programs Supported: 200+
People Helped: 100,000+
Geographic Focus: UK-wide, with focus on London and Bradford
Funding Model: Donor-Advised Fund (DAF)

Contact Details

Address: BFT House, 203 Westgate, Bradford, West Yorkshire, BD1 3AD

Phone: 020 8935 5095

Email: info@mercymission.org.uk

Website: www.mercymission.org.uk

Overview

Founded in 2007 by Tawfique Chowdhury, Mercy Mission UK is Europe's leading donor-advised fund specializing in Islamic and ethical philanthropy. The organization describes itself as “the leading Wealth Impact Manager for the third sector” and operates as a boutique charity custodian. Since inception, Mercy Mission UK has deployed £40 million through its network of over 150 partner organizations, supporting 200 programs and helping 100,000 people. With an annual income of £23.5 million (2024), the organization serves as an intermediary between philanthropists and high-impact charitable organizations. Mercy Mission UK is also the parent organization to several significant initiatives including AlKauthar Institute (Islamic education), National Zakat Foundation (zakat collection and distribution), and Charity Right (food security programs). The organization uses its proprietary Community AI platform to track charitable impact using public data and artificial intelligence, ensuring that donor funds are matched with “mission aligned, well governed impact partners.”

Funding Priorities

Operating Model

IMPORTANT: Mercy Mission UK operates as a donor-advised fund (DAF), not a traditional grant-maker with a public application process. Organizations do not apply for grants. Instead, donors contribute funds to Mercy Mission UK, which then identifies and distributes to charitable organizations based on the donor's specified criteria and preferences.

Programs Managed

Mercy Mission UK directly manages several charitable programs:

AlKauthar Institute: Premier Islamic educational institute offering courses across 25 cities to over 57,000 students
National Zakat Foundation: Collects and distributes zakat to support local Muslims in need
Charity Right: Established 2013, focuses on providing food to chronically hungry people worldwide
Ramadan TV: Educational broadcasting initiative

Priority Areas

The organization's charitable objects focus on:

BAME Community Capacity Building: Developing skills within British Muslim communities to enhance participation in contemporary society and better engage with civil society

Poverty Relief: Prevention and relief of poverty or financial hardship globally by providing grants, items, and services to individuals in need and/or charities working to prevent or relieve poverty

Religious Harmony: Promoting religious harmony by supporting community programs, showcasing Islamic values in community service, and replacing fear with opportunities for positive engagement

Social Inclusion: Working with people socially excluded on grounds of ethnic origin, religion, belief, or creed to relieve their needs and assist integration into society

Islamic Faith Advancement: Advancing the Islamic faith globally through events, lectures, and literature distribution via various media

Funding Focus

Mercy Mission UK uses a “vast network of high performing, best in class, charity partners” and funds organizations that are:

Mission-aligned with donor values
Well-governed with strong accountability
Data-proven and impact-focused
Nation-building causes
Supporting ethical and Islamic philanthropy principles

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Governance and Leadership

Trustees

Mohammad Shahid Ikram (Chairman, appointed 2016)

Proven investment professional with esteemed career at highest level
Former CIO at Aviva group
Currently senior advisor to one of the largest private wealth offices
Brings institutional investment expertise to philanthropic sector

Fara Muhammad (Trustee)

Specialist in Waqf (Islamic endowment) and Endowment law
Advises sovereign funds and family offices on governance and ESG standards
Provides expertise in Islamic finance and philanthropic structures

Zainab Kidwai (Charity Secretary, appointed 2022)

HR professional from Rolls Royce
Expertise in AI applications and equity/diversity initiatives
Brings corporate governance and people management experience

Mr I Mansha (Trustee, appointed 2017)

Executive Leadership

Azim Kidwai (Chief Executive Officer)

Social entrepreneur with over a decade of experience in Islamic philanthropy
Leads strategic direction and operational management

Specialist Advisors

Lord Russ Rook

Focuses on interfaith community development
Government engagement and public policy expertise

Lord Krish Ravel

Leadership development expert
Bridges Hindu and broader UK communities

Governance Standards

No trustees receive remuneration, payments, or benefits from the charity. The organization has implemented comprehensive governance policies including safeguarding, complaints handling, conflict of interest management, financial reserves policy, risk management, and internal financial controls.

How to Apply to Mercy Mission Uk

How to Apply

There is no public application process for organizations seeking grants from Mercy Mission UK.

Mercy Mission UK operates as a donor-advised fund (DAF), which means:

Donors (not organizations seeking funding) approach Mercy Mission UK with funds they wish to donate
Mercy Mission UK conducts consultation meetings to understand the donor's values and preferred causes
Mercy Mission UK researches and identifies organizations that match the donor's criteria
Funds are distributed to selected organizations based on donor preferences
Regular impact reports are provided to donors

The organization states: “All funds are segregated by client and are distributed only to mission aligned, well governed impact partners.”

For Organizations

Organizations do not apply to Mercy Mission UK directly. Instead, organizations may be identified and selected by Mercy Mission UK when:

A donor's preferences align with the organization's mission and work
The organization meets Mercy Mission UK's due diligence standards
The organization operates in priority areas of interest to Mercy Mission UK's donor base

DAF Process for Donors

For philanthropists considering using Mercy Mission UK's services:

Initial Consultation: Meeting to explore values and causes
Tailored Approach: Mercy Mission UK designs a high-impact portfolio using social value economics
Research & Matching: Organization identifies suitable charitable partners from their network
Distribution: Funds are distributed to vetted organizations
Impact Tracking: Regular transparency reports using the Community AI platform
Ongoing Management: Comprehensive oversight and charity research

Minimum Contribution: Flexible - “However much you feel is necessary”

Tax Benefits: Available through the DAF structure

Donor Control: Donors retain decision-making authority over which causes or charities receive their funds

Application Success Factors

For Organizations Hoping to Be Selected

While there is no application process, organizations that wish to be considered for funding through Mercy Mission UK's donor network should:

Strong Governance: Demonstrate well-governed operations with robust accountability structures. Mercy Mission UK conducts extensive due diligence and only works with organizations meeting their quality standards.

Impact Measurement: Provide clear, data-driven evidence of impact. The organization uses Community AI platform and values “data proven” causes.

Mission Alignment: Align with Islamic values and ethical philanthropy principles. As stated: “Every donation is ethically and morally invested in ways that align with your values.”

Priority Area Focus: Work in areas of interest to Mercy Mission UK's donor base - BAME community development, poverty relief, religious harmony, social inclusion, or Islamic faith advancement.

Transparency: Maintain high standards of transparency and reporting. Mercy Mission UK provides regular impact reports to donors and requires partners to support this.

Quality Standards: Be recognized as “high performing, best in class” within your sector. Mercy Mission UK positions itself as selective in partner identification.

Key Quote from Leadership

The organization emphasizes their selective approach: “We work with partners to optimise the impact of their giving” and ensures “wealth is channeled into high impact, data proven, nation building causes.”

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

Not a Traditional Funder: Mercy Mission UK is a donor-advised fund, not a grant-maker with public application processes. Organizations cannot apply for funding directly.

Donor-Driven Model: All funding decisions are driven by individual donor preferences and values, making it impossible to predict funding availability or priorities in advance.

Islamic Philanthropy Focus: The organization specializes in Islamic and ethical philanthropy, making it most relevant for organizations working with Muslim communities or aligned with Islamic values.

High Standards Required: Only “best in class” organizations with strong governance, proven impact, and data-driven results are selected as funding partners.

Alternative Relationship: Rather than viewing this as a funding opportunity, consider it as a potential intermediary if working with Muslim philanthropists who use Mercy Mission UK as their giving vehicle.

Parent Organization: Mercy Mission UK is also the parent to AlKauthar Institute, National Zakat Foundation, and Charity Right - these are internally managed programs, not external funding recipients.

Substantial Scale: With £40 million deployed since 2007 and current annual throughput of over £21 million, Mercy Mission UK represents a significant player in UK Islamic philanthropy infrastructure.