The February Foundation

Charity Number: 1113064

Annual Expenditure: £4.4M

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £4.4 million (2024)
  • Success Rate: 20%
  • Decision Time: Maximum 12 weeks
  • Grant Range: Typically £5,000 (median award)
  • Geographic Focus: England and Wales

Contact Details

Website: www.thefebruaryfoundation.org

Email: rps@thefebruaryfoundation.org

Phone: 01379 388200

Registered Office: 66 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, WC2A 3LH

Contact for Applications: Richard Pierce-Saunderson (Secretary)

Overview

The February Foundation is an independent grant-making charity established in 2006, registered in England and Wales (Charity Number: 1113064). With total income of £8.5 million and annual expenditure of £4.4 million (2024), the Foundation supports registered charities across a broad range of charitable activities. Since its inception, the main focus has been end-of-life care in hospice and hospice-at-home contexts, though the Foundation also funds relief of those in need by reason of youth, age, ill-health, disability, financial hardship or other disadvantage, as well as advancement of education, arts, culture, and heritage. The Foundation operates with complete transparency - no trustees receive any remuneration, payments or benefits from the charity.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

  • Median Award: £5,000
  • Application Method: Rolling basis, permanently open to applications
  • Trustees make decisions: Monthly
  • Funding Types: Core costs, project costs, or capital costs (excluding hospice building projects)
  • Part-funding: The Foundation is happy to part-fund projects

Priority Areas

The Foundation's grant-making policy prioritizes:

  • End-of-life care: Hospice and hospice-at-home services (primary focus since 2006)
  • Relief of need: Supporting those in need by reason of youth, age, ill-health, disability, financial hardship or other disadvantage
  • Empowerment: Charities benefiting persons who are making an effort to improve their lives
  • Care: Charities benefiting persons no longer physically or mentally able to help themselves
  • Long-term impact: Charities which have a long-term beneficial impact on the future of individuals, groups of individuals, or organisations
  • Education: Advancement of education
  • Arts and culture: Advancement of the arts, culture, and heritage

What They Don't Fund

  • Non-registered charities (only registered UK charities eligible)
  • Hospice building projects (capital projects)
  • See the Foundation's website for a complete exclusions list (updated March 2025)
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Governance and Leadership

Trustees/Directors:

  • Mark Raymond Clarke - Director, appointed 2014 (also trustee of Duet Foundation)
  • Michael James Moody - Retired, appointed 2016
  • Richard Pierce-Saunderson - Secretary/Company Director (since 2006)

The Foundation operates with integrity: no trustees receive any remuneration, payments or benefits from the charity. All information provided by applicants is kept confidential.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

The February Foundation keeps the application process intentionally simple - there are no application forms.

Application Requirements:

  • Email your application to Richard Pierce-Saunderson as a Word document or PDF file
  • Maximum length: 2-3 A4 pages in a reasonable font size
  • Do NOT send the application in the body of your email
  • Attach your budget as a separate document
  • Do NOT send links to documents
  • Do NOT send hardcopy applications
  • All correspondence should be by email only

Before Applying:

  • Confirm you are a registered charity
  • Check the eligibility exclusions list on the Foundation's website

Decision Timeline

  • Trustee meetings: Monthly
  • Maximum decision time: 12 weeks from application to notification (unless more information is requested)
  • Acknowledgment: Email applications are acknowledged when processed, not on receipt - allow at least 4 weeks before following up

Success Rates

  • Only around 20% of applications are successful
  • This is a competitive grant program with high application volumes

Reapplication Policy

  • Unsuccessful applicants: Should not re-apply until at least 12 months after their most recent application
  • Successful applicants: Should not re-apply until at least 12 months after receipt of their most recent grant
  • Re-applications can be for continuation of previously funded projects

Application Success Factors

Proven Success Examples

St. Rocco's Hospice - An exemplary case of successful partnership with the Foundation:

  • Received grants from The February Foundation three times in 18 months
  • In 2020, received two grants totalling £11,500
  • Funding enabled opening of four additional inpatient unit beds during COVID-19
  • Grants supported patient care, inpatient unit operations, and counselling services
  • The application shared both current work and future project ideas

Key Application Tips

From the Foundation's guidance:

  • Keep applications concise (2-3 pages maximum)
  • Focus on direct impact on beneficiaries
  • Demonstrate long-term beneficial impact
  • Show how beneficiaries are either making efforts to improve their lives OR are no longer able to help themselves
  • Be transparent about your needs and how the grant will be used
  • Include a clear, separate budget

Strategic Advice:

  • The median award is £5,000 - tailor your request accordingly
  • The Foundation is happy to part-fund projects - don't hesitate to apply even if you need more than £5,000 total
  • For hospice applications: Focus on patient care, essential services, and capacity building (not building projects)
  • Given the 20% success rate, ensure your application clearly aligns with the Foundation's priority areas
  • Demonstrate concrete outcomes and long-term impact

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Alignment is critical: With only 20% success rate, ensure strong alignment with end-of-life care, relief of need, or arts/culture/education priorities
  • Simplicity wins: No forms means your narrative must be compelling and concise - 2-3 pages to make your case
  • Budget matters: Attach a clear, separate budget document showing exactly how funds will be used
  • Think £5,000: This is the median award - structure your request around this amount or clearly justify why more is needed
  • Long-term impact: Emphasize lasting beneficial outcomes, not just immediate outputs
  • Relationship building: Successful applicants can reapply after 12 months, including for continuation funding - this is a potential long-term funding partner
  • Patience required: Allow 4 weeks before following up on acknowledgment, and up to 12 weeks for a decision
  • Perfect for hospices: If you're a hospice or provide end-of-life care, this should be a priority funder given their strong track record in this area

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