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: £16,828,627 (2023)
Annual Expenditure: £12,925,390 (2023)
Geographic Focus: UK-wide, with focus on London and Bradford
Funding Model: Donor-Advised Fund (DAF)

Contact Details

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

Phone: 07585859405

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 specialising in Islamic and ethical philanthropy. The organisation describes itself as “the leading Wealth Impact Manager for the third sector” and operates as a boutique charity custodian. With an annual income of £16.8 million (2023), the organisation serves as an intermediary between philanthropists and high-impact charitable organisations. Mercy Mission UK is also the parent organisation to several significant initiatives including AlKauthar Institute (Islamic education), National Zakat Foundation (zakat collection and distribution), and Charity Right (food security programmes). The organisation ensures 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. Organisations do not apply for grants. Instead, donors contribute funds to Mercy Mission UK, which then identifies and distributes to charitable organisations based on the donor's specified criteria and preferences.

Programmes Managed

Mercy Mission UK directly manages several charitable programmes:

AlKauthar Institute: Islamic educational institute offering courses across multiple cities
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 organisation'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 programmes, 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 works with a network of charity partners and funds organisations 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)

Mr I Mansha (Trustee, appointed 2017)

Zainab Kidwai (Trustee, appointed 2022)

Executive Leadership

Azim Kidwai (Chief Executive Officer)

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

Governance Standards

No trustees receive remuneration, payments, or benefits from the charity. The organisation 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 organisations seeking grants from Mercy Mission UK.

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

Donors (not organisations 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 organisations that match the donor's criteria
Funds are distributed to selected organisations based on donor preferences
Regular impact reports are provided to donors

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

For Organisations

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

A donor's preferences align with the organisation's mission and work
The organisation meets Mercy Mission UK's due diligence standards
The organisation 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
Research & Matching: Organisation identifies suitable charitable partners from their network
Distribution: Funds are distributed to vetted organisations
Impact Tracking: Regular transparency reports provided
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 Organisations Hoping to Be Selected

While there is no application process, organisations 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 organisations meeting their quality standards.

Impact Measurement: Provide clear, data-driven evidence of impact. The organisation 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 recognised as “high performing, best in class” within your sector. Mercy Mission UK positions itself as selective in partner identification.

Key Quote from Leadership

The organisation emphasises their selective approach: “We work with partners to optimise the impact of their giving” and ensures “wealth is channelled 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. Organisations 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 organisation specialises in Islamic and ethical philanthropy, making it most relevant for organisations working with Muslim communities or aligned with Islamic values.

High Standards Required: Only “best in class” organisations 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 Organisation: Mercy Mission UK is also the parent to AlKauthar Institute, National Zakat Foundation, and Charity Right - these are internally managed programmes, not external funding recipients.

Substantial Scale: With current annual throughput of over £12 million, Mercy Mission UK represents a significant player in UK Islamic philanthropy infrastructure.