The Caring Family Foundation

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £3.1 million (2024)
• Grant Range: Up to £25,000 (community grants); up to £30,000 (domestic abuse grants)
• Geographic Focus: UK (primarily London) and Brazil
• Primary Focus: Child poverty, domestic abuse, reforestation
• Application Method: Mixed (competitive applications for community grants; invitation for domestic abuse grants)

Contact Details

Address: First Floor, Unit 6, Berkeley Square House, Berkeley Square, London, W1J 6BQ

Email: info@thecaringff.org

Website: https://thecaringfamilyfoundation.org

Charity Number: 1108870

Overview

The Caring Family Foundation was established in 2005 and relaunched in 2019 by Richard and Patricia Caring with a vision to create a world free from hunger, harm and hurt. The foundation operates as a private family foundation focused on delivering transformational, sustainable and systematic change to tackle poverty and domestic abuse in the UK and Brazil, and to empower Indigenous communities to thrive. Since 2020, the foundation has delivered over 3.5 million meals across the UK and Brazil, distributed more than £5.2 million in project funds and grants, and supported over 10,000 women affected by domestic abuse. The foundation had a total income of £3.6 million in 2024, with charitable expenditure of £3.1 million. Richard and Patricia Caring were awarded The Variety Club 'Chief Barker' Silver Heart Award in 2024 in recognition of their philanthropic work.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Food from the Heart Community Grant

• Grant Amount: Up to £25,000 for 12 months
• Focus: Local community-based projects with food at their centre supporting children and families' mental and physical wellbeing
• Target: 3 charities per funding round
• Eligibility: UK registered charities with annual income under £300,000, based in London, working with children aged 0-17 experiencing poverty
• Application Method: Two-stage process (Expression of Interest, then Full Application Form)

Domestic Abuse Grants

• Grant Amount: Up to £30,000
• Focus: Supporting domestic abuse organizations, particularly those led by and for Black and Minoritised communities
• Application Method: Partnership approach with Women's Aid; not open public application

Strategic Partnerships

• Large-scale partnerships with organizations like The Felix Project (1 million meals delivered to London families)
• Long-term commitments to specific schools and community organizations

Priority Areas

Child Poverty and Food Security

• Community centers and after-school programs involving food
• Projects supporting children's mental and physical wellbeing
• Meal provision programs for children and families
• Organizations demonstrating strong leadership and understanding of community needs

Domestic Abuse

• Services supporting women and children fleeing domestic abuse
• Organizations led by and for Black and Minoritised communities
• Service provision for survivors of domestic violence

Environmental Conservation (Brazil)

• Reforestation and restoration projects in the Amazon rainforest
• Projects empowering Indigenous communities

What They Don't Fund

• Political donations
• Fundraising activities
• Overseas appeals (outside UK and Brazil)
• Marketing promotions
• Land purchases
• Organizations with annual income over £300,000 (for community grants)
• Organizations not based in London (for community grants)

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Governance and Leadership

Founders and Co-Chairs: Richard and Patricia Caring established the foundation in 2019 to feel more connected to the impact and outcome of their philanthropy.

Trustees: 5 trustees (no trustees receive remuneration)

Ambassador: Katie serves as Ambassador for The Caring Family Foundation with responsibility for strategic and operational delivery, as well as financial oversight.

Staff: 4 employees

Volunteers: 65 volunteers

Leadership Perspectives

Richard Caring: "I have supported children's causes... the innocence of a child is something we must protect and cherish."

Patricia Caring: “The UK and Brazil sadly share unprecedented levels of violence, poverty and solely in Brazil, deforestation.”

Patricia Caring has emphasized that “helping people is contagious” and speaks passionately about blending philanthropy with hospitality, leveraging the family's restaurant business (The Ivy Collection and Caprice Holdings) to support fundraising efforts.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

For Community Grants (Food from the Heart):

The foundation runs competitive funding rounds with a structured two-stage application process:

1. Expression of Interest - Submit initial application via Google Form (link provided on website)
2. Full Application Form - Invited organizations submit detailed application
3. Shortlisted Applicant Meetings - Face-to-face or virtual meetings with foundation team
4. Final Decision and Feedback - Successful and unsuccessful applicants notified

Application link: https://forms.gle/JfMeYsGYiF2iZriYA

For Domestic Abuse Grants:

The foundation works through partnership with Women's Aid and identifies organizations through this network. There is no open public application process for domestic abuse grants - organizations are typically identified and invited to apply.

For Strategic Partnerships:

Large-scale partnerships appear to be developed through direct relationship building with the foundation. Contact the foundation directly at info@thecaringff.org to discuss potential partnerships.

Decision Timeline

Based on the 2024 Food from the Heart Community Grant round:

• Expression of Interest deadline: Late March
• Full Application deadline: Mid-April (approximately 3 weeks after EOI)
• Shortlisted interviews: Late April
• Final decision: Early May (approximately 5-6 weeks from full application)

Total timeline: Approximately 6-8 weeks from Expression of Interest to final decision

Success Rates

For the Food from the Heart Community Grant, the foundation aims to fund 3 charities per round from all applicants. Specific application numbers are not publicly available, making it difficult to calculate an exact success rate, but with only 3 grants awarded per round, this is a highly competitive funding opportunity.

Reapplication Policy

No specific reapplication policy is publicly documented. Organizations should contact the foundation directly to inquire about reapplying if previously unsuccessful.

Application Success Factors

Strong Organizational Foundation

The foundation explicitly seeks organizations with “strong leadership and clear organizational vision” and those that “demonstrate understanding of community needs.” Applications should clearly articulate governance structures and strategic direction.

London-Based and Community-Embedded

For community grants, organizations must be based in the London borough where they work. The foundation values organizations with deep roots in their local communities and firsthand understanding of local needs.

Food as a Central Component

For the Food from the Heart Community Grant, projects must have food at their centre - this could include community centers with meal programs, after-school clubs providing food, or projects using food to bring families together.

Focus on Children and Families

All child poverty work must target children aged 0-17 and their families. Applications should clearly demonstrate how the project will support both the mental and physical wellbeing of children experiencing poverty.

Smaller Organizations Welcome

With an income cap of £300,000 for community grants, the foundation actively seeks to support smaller grassroots organizations that may lack resources to apply for funding. Don't be deterred if you have limited fundraising experience.

Alignment with Foundation Values

The foundation was created by Patricia Caring, who is Brazilian, with a focus on the UK and Brazil. Organizations working with marginalized communities, particularly Black and Minoritised communities, appear to be priority beneficiaries, especially for domestic abuse work.

Partnership with The Ivy Collection

The foundation leverages Richard Caring's hospitality businesses (The Ivy Collection and Caprice Holdings) for fundraising campaigns. Organizations should be aware that some funding comes through customer donations at these restaurants during seasonal campaigns.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Small but growing: This is a relatively young foundation (relaunched 2019) with growing grant programs - they're building relationships and establishing their grantmaking approach
• Highly competitive community grants: Only 3 organizations funded per round makes this extremely competitive; applications must be exceptional
• Food + children is the sweet spot: For community grants, projects that combine food provision with children's wellbeing have the strongest alignment
• London focus for community grants: Community grants are restricted to London-based organizations working locally
• Strong preference for smaller organizations: The £300,000 income cap suggests they want to support grassroots organizations
• Partnership approach for larger grants: Significant funding appears to come through strategic partnerships developed directly with the foundation rather than competitive applications
• Values-driven grantmaking: The foundation is led by founders with strong personal commitment to the cause areas; demonstrating shared values is important

References

1. The Caring Family Foundation website - About Us. https://thecaringfamilyfoundation.org/en/about-us
2. The Caring Family Foundation website - Food from the Heart Community Grant. https://thecaringfamilyfoundation.org/en/grant/food_from_the_heart
3. Charity Commission Register - The Caring Family Foundation (1108870). https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-details/?regid=1108870&subid=0
4. UK Fundraising - “The Caring Family Foundation commits extra £225k to support domestic abuse organisations in the UK”. https://fundraising.co.uk/2024/11/26/the-caring-family-foundation-commits-extra-225k-to-support-domestic-abuse-organisations-in-the-uk/
5. The Caring Family Foundation - "The Caring Family Foundation reunites with The Felix Project for its 2024 'Food From the Heart' Campaign". https://thecaringfamilyfoundation.org/en/news/the-caring-family-foundation-reunites-with-the-felix-project-2024-food-from-the-heart-campaign
6. Charity Today News - “The Caring Family Foundation grants £1.3m to domestic abuse charities”. https://www.charitytoday.co.uk/the-caring-family-foundation-grants-1-3m-to-domestic-abuse-charities/
7. Harper's Bazaar UK - “Helping people is contagious: Patricia Caring on blending philanthropy with hospitality”. https://www.harpersbazaar.com/uk/culture/a60111154/patricia-caring-interview/
8. The Caring Family Foundation - "Richard and Patricia Caring Awarded The Variety Club 'Chief Barker' Silver Heart Award 2024". https://thecaringfamilyfoundation.org/en/news/2024-04-28-variety-awards