The Central British Fund For World Jewish Relief

Charity Number: 290767

Annual Expenditure: £21.3M
Geographic Focus: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Belarus, Bosnia And Herzegovina, Burma, Colombia, Ethiopia, Georgia, Greece ... [14 more]

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Income: £17.3 million (2023-24)
  • Annual Expenditure: £21.3 million (2023-24)
  • People Supported: 140,000+ (2023-24)
  • Geographic Focus: International - works in 21 countries across Europe, Asia, Africa and South America
  • Application Method: Partnership-based (does not actively seek new partnerships)
  • Accepts Unsolicited Applications: No - works through established partner networks

Contact Details

UK Headquarters:

Oscar Joseph House

54 Crewys Road

London NW2 2AD

Phone: 020 8736 1250

Email: info@worldjewishrelief.org

Website: www.worldjewishrelief.org

Partnership Enquiries: Contact via email for partnership discussions, though the organization does not actively seek new partnerships.

Overview

Founded in 1933 as the Central British Fund for German Jewry to help refugees from Nazi-Europe, World Jewish Relief is now the UK Jewish community's international development and humanitarian agency. Operating for over 90 years, the organization works in 21 countries supporting vulnerable Jewish communities and reaching beyond the community to assist people in crisis.

In 2024, World Jewish Relief achieved significant recognition: His Majesty King Charles III retained his Royal Patronage (the first time a Monarch has served as Patron), and Chief Executive Paul Anticoni received an OBE for services to vulnerable people. Under Anticoni's 19-year leadership, the organization has grown exponentially, now supporting over 140,000 people annually through 52 projects delivered by 28 partner organizations.

The charity's work is guided by Jewish values of Tzedakah (Justice), Hesed (Loving kindness), Tikkun Olam (Repairing the World) and Welcoming the Stranger, complemented by principles of Partnership and Collaboration, Integrity, Action, Excellence and Humility. World Jewish Relief holds special consultative status at the United Nations (granted by ECOSOC in 2012) and is a member of the Start Network.

Funding Priorities

Programme Areas

World Jewish Relief funds three main types of projects:

1. Humanitarian Action & Emergency Response

  • Disaster Fund for rapid response to international emergencies
  • Climate-related disasters and conflict situations
  • Recent responses include Turkey-Syria earthquake (£750,000), Morocco earthquake (£275,000)
  • Support through Disaster Preparedness Initiative (DPI) network of local partners
  • 17 humanitarian and 4 climate projects supported in 2023-24, reaching over 57,000 people
  • Distributed 7,150+ food parcels, £37,500 in cash, 5,500+ non-food items and hygiene kits

2. Supporting Vulnerable Jewish Communities

  • Elderly Jews in Former Soviet Union (Ukraine, Moldova, Belarus, Georgia, Poland, Russia)
  • Funding for homecare, medical expenses, and food
  • Gifts in Kind programme delivering donated materials
  • Home repair and renovation in harsh winter conditions
  • Supporting approximately 10,000 Jews including Survivor Generation
  • Dementia care training programme in partnership with Jewish Care and JDC
  • Communities in Uganda, Ethiopia, Israel

3. Livelihoods & Sustainable Employment

  • Employment and vocational training programmes in Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya
  • Agricultural training and business development (Business TransFARMing projects)
  • Climate resilience programmes in Nepal, Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Philippines
  • STEP (Specialist Training and Employment Programme) in the UK for refugees
  • UK programmes are government-funded and delivered directly by World Jewish Relief

Priority Themes

Women and Girls: Prioritizing needs of women, girls, and marginalized communities across all programmes

Climate Resilience: Climate resilience portfolio established in 2022, focusing on adaptation and building community resilience to climate impacts

Refugee Integration: STEP programme supports Ukrainian and Hong Kong BN(O) refugees in England with employment and English language training

Capacity Building: Investing in local organizations to build skills and capacity for long-term sustainability

Geographic Focus

Europe: Ukraine, Moldova, Belarus, Georgia, Poland, Russia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Greece

Africa: Uganda, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Kenya, Mozambique

Asia: Bangladesh, Philippines, Nepal, Afghanistan, Burma (Myanmar)

Americas: Colombia, Haiti

Middle East: Turkey, Israel

UK Programmes: England-wide refugee employment support (STEP)

What They Don't Fund

While explicit exclusions are not publicly documented, World Jewish Relief:

  • Does not accept open grant applications - works through established partner networks
  • Focuses on international development and humanitarian work, not UK domestic Jewish community support
  • Delivers UK programmes directly rather than funding UK-based organizations
  • Does not actively seek new partnerships
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Governance and Leadership

Board of Trustees

Maurice Helfgott - Chair of Trustees (personal connection: his father was one of 732 orphaned child survivors rescued by the organization post-WWII)

The charity has 12 Trustees total. No trustees receive remuneration, payments, or benefits from the charity.

Executive Leadership

Paul Anticoni OBE - Chief Executive (19 years in role)

Paul was awarded an OBE in the King's Birthday Honour List for services to vulnerable people. Maurice Helfgott praised him: “Paul leads our organisation with immense professionalism, as well as with kindness, humour and humility. This Honour recognises the immense passion and dedication with which he has led World Jewish Relief.”

Paul's quoted reflections on the Kindertransport: “During one of the darkest chapters of human history, the Kindertransport serves as an important reminder of the bravery and resilience of individuals whose lives were shattered by Nazi persecution.”

Dina Brawer - Executive Director, World Jewish Relief USA

Senior Team: Seven employees earn between £60,000-£140,000 annually. Total staff: 150 employees plus 10 volunteers.

Royal Patronage

His Majesty King Charles III - Royal Patron (retained patronage in May 2024, the first time World Jewish Relief has had The Monarch as Patron)

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

World Jewish Relief does not have a public application process for grant funding.

The organization works through a partnership model with established local NGOs, INGOs, charities, non-profit organizations, community organizations, and humanitarian agencies. They explicitly state: “World Jewish Relief does not actively seek new partnerships.”

For UK Organizations: World Jewish Relief does not make grants to UK-based organizations. Their UK programmes (primarily STEP refugee employment) are delivered directly by World Jewish Relief staff and are government-funded.

For International Organizations: Partnership opportunities are very limited and by invitation. The organization states: “If you would like to find out more, we encourage you to contact us” - suggesting they are willing to discuss potential partnerships but are not actively recruiting partners.

Partner Selection Criteria

When World Jewish Relief does enter partnerships, they seek organizations with:

  • Specific expertise and critical local knowledge to meet community needs
  • Alignment with values and standards of personal and professional conduct
  • Robust organizational processes for complaints management and safeguarding
  • Financial accountability and technical performance capability
  • Understanding of local community needs
  • Commitment to locally-led approaches where partners make decisions and guide resource allocation

World Jewish Relief invests in local organizations to build both their skills and capacity, making projects sustainable over the longer-term.

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - no public application process. Partnership discussions are conducted on a case-by-case basis through direct contact.

Success Rates

Not applicable - no public application rounds.

Monitoring and Accountability

Partners must:

  • Advise World Jewish Relief of all serious complaints within 7 days
  • Have organizational processes aligned with World Jewish Relief's safeguarding and complaints policies
  • Adhere to high standards of data protection and privacy
  • Report on project progress and outcomes
  • Meet financial accountability requirements

World Jewish Relief invests in professional independent evaluations (working with firms like Key Impact) and reports to regulatory bodies, Trustee Board, and donors as required.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • This is not an open grant-making funder - World Jewish Relief works through established partnerships with local NGOs internationally and delivers UK programmes directly. They do not accept unsolicited grant applications.
  • Partnership opportunities are by invitation only - They explicitly state they “do not actively seek new partnerships,” though they are willing to discuss possibilities if contacted.
  • For international NGOs: If you have established programmes in their geographic areas (FSU, East Africa, South Asia) serving vulnerable populations, particularly elderly Jewish communities, refugees, or those affected by climate disasters, relationship-building through sector networks (Start Network, UN forums) may be the best approach.
  • Locally-led is essential - They place significant trust and decision-making power in local partners, so demonstrate strong local roots, community knowledge, and organizational capacity.
  • Evidence of impact matters - Their reporting emphasizes quantifiable outcomes (employment rates, income increases, participant satisfaction). Partners should have robust M&E systems.
  • Values alignment - While serving people of all backgrounds, the organization is rooted in Jewish values. Understanding and respecting this foundation, particularly concepts of justice, loving kindness, and repairing the world, is important.
  • Long-term sustainability focus - They invest in partner capacity building for sustainable impact, not just short-term projects. Demonstrate commitment to systems strengthening and long-term community development.

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