Sf Foundation

Charity Number: 1105843

Annual Expenditure: £7.3M
Geographic Focus: Israel, Switzerland, United States

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £4,049,493 (income for year ending 31 January 2024)
  • Annual Expenditure: £7,324,907 (year ending 31 January 2024)
  • Grant Types: Grants to individuals and organizations
  • Geographic Focus: Israel, USA, and international Jewish community
  • Application Type: Private/invitation-based (no public application process)
  • Trustees: 3 (unpaid)

Contact Details

Address: 143 Upper Clapton Road, London E5 9DB, United Kingdom

Email: sffoundation143@gmail.com

Charity Registration: 1105843 (UK Charity Commission)

Company Number: 05213113

Website: sf-foundation.co.uk (may have intermittent availability)

Overview

The SF Foundation is a UK-registered private grant-making charity founded in 2004 and dedicated to advancing the Jewish religion, Jewish religious education, and alleviating poverty within the Jewish community worldwide. The foundation distributes substantial resources, with annual expenditure of over £7.3 million against annual income of approximately £4 million, demonstrating a significant commitment to its charitable mission.

The foundation operates as a private trust controlled by three unpaid trustees: Rivka Niederman (Chair), Hannah Lipschitz, and Miriam Schreiber. The charitable objects specifically focus on “the advancement and furtherance of the Jewish Religion and Jewish Religious education and the alleviation of poverty among the Jewish community throughout the world,” with additional discretion for trustees to support “other charitable activities” as determined appropriate.

The foundation maintains an active presence in Israel, the USA, and internationally, making grants to both individuals and charitable organizations aligned with its Jewish community focus.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The SF Foundation makes discretionary grants to individuals and organizations in the following areas:

  • Religious advancement and education: Furthering Jewish religious practice, knowledge, and education
  • Poverty alleviation: Supporting Jewish individuals and communities facing financial hardship
  • Community support: General charitable activities serving the Jewish community (at trustees' discretion)

The foundation supports work across multiple charitable categories including general charitable purposes, education and training, health advancement, disability services, poverty relief, overseas aid, religious activities, arts and culture, human rights, religious harmony, and other charitable purposes.

Priority Areas

  • Advancement of Jewish Religion and Religious Education
  • Alleviation of poverty among Jewish communities
  • Jewish community support and development
  • Activities in Israel and the broader Jewish diaspora

What They Don't Fund

The foundation's charitable objects limit funding to activities serving the Jewish community or advancing Jewish religious education and welfare. The foundation is unlikely to fund:

  • Activities not directly serving or benefiting the Jewish community
  • Work without a charitable purpose
  • Initiatives unrelated to Jewish religious advancement or poverty alleviation
  • Activities falling outside the trustees' discretionary charitable purposes
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Governance and Leadership

The SF Foundation is governed by three unpaid trustees who collectively oversee all grant-making decisions:

  • Rivka Niederman - Chair
  • Hannah Lipschitz - Trustee
  • Miriam Schreiber - Trustee

The trustees take an active role in grant-making decisions and may also determine other charitable activities beyond the stated objects. The structure as a private trust with unpaid trustees suggests a family or community-based foundation with direct trustee involvement in grant decisions.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

This foundation does not have a public application process. The SF Foundation operates as a private grant-making trust and does not accept unsolicited grant applications from the general nonprofit community or general public. Instead, grants are awarded at the discretion of the trustees based on their assessment of alignment with the charitable objects and their identified priorities.

Organizations and individuals seeking support from this foundation will need to engage directly with the trustees or have an established relationship with the foundation through its networks and community connections.

Getting on Their Radar

While the SF Foundation does not have a public application process, the following strategies may increase visibility to the trustees:

  • Direct contact: Organizations may contact the foundation via email (sffoundation143@gmail.com) to introduce themselves and inquire about potential funding opportunities, though there is no guarantee of a response or consideration.
  • Community networks: The trustees' involvement in the Jewish community suggests they identify funding opportunities through their existing networks, community connections, and organizational relationships within Jewish religious and cultural institutions.
  • Alignment demonstration: Organizations that can clearly demonstrate strong alignment with Jewish religious education or poverty alleviation within the Jewish community are more likely to attract trustee attention.
  • Established relationships: The most likely pathway to funding is through existing relationships with the trustees or with organizations already known to the foundation through prior collaborations.

Decision Timeline

No information is publicly available regarding decision timelines for grant awards, as decisions are made at trustee discretion without published application processes.

Success Rates

No information is publicly available regarding application numbers or success rates, as grants are awarded through trustee discretion rather than competitive application processes.

Reapplication Policy

No reapplication policy exists, as the foundation does not have a formal application process.

Application Success Factors

As a private trust without public application guidance, there are limited published insights into what appeals to these specific trustees. However, the following factors based on their documented charitable objects are likely important:

  • Alignment with Jewish community: Clear focus on serving Jewish religious communities, advancing Jewish education, or addressing poverty within the Jewish community
  • Trustee network connection: Existing relationships with or visibility to the three trustees or organizations they support
  • Impact demonstration: Ability to articulate clear charitable impact aligned with the foundation's objects
  • Community credibility: Demonstrated credibility and trust within Jewish community networks where the trustees are active

Organizations seeking consideration should emphasize how their work advances Jewish religion and education or alleviates poverty within the Jewish community.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Private Foundation Status: This is a private grant-making foundation without a public application process; grants are determined entirely at trustee discretion
  • No Formal Applications: Unlike public grant-makers, this foundation does not accept competitive grant applications or publish application guidelines
  • Direct Engagement Required: Organizations interested in this funder must establish direct contact with the trustees or rely on existing community connections
  • Clear Mission Alignment Essential: Any funding opportunity will require very clear alignment with the specific charitable objects: Jewish religious advancement, education, or poverty alleviation
  • Relationship-Based Funding: The most viable pathway to funding is through existing relationships, board connections, or visibility within the Jewish community networks where the trustees are active
  • Substantial Funding Available: With annual expenditure exceeding £7.3 million, the foundation distributes significant resources, though this is at the trustees' discretion
  • Geographic Focus: The foundation actively supports work in Israel and the USA; organizations operating in these regions may find greater receptivity

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