The Helping Foundation

Charity Number: 1104484

Annual Expenditure: £18.9M

Geographic Focus: Manchester City, Salford City

Stay updated on changes from The Helping Foundation and other funders

Get daily notifications about new funding opportunities, deadline changes, and programme updates from UK funders.

Free Email Updates

Quick Stats

Charity Number: 1104484
Annual Income: £34.8 million (2024)
Annual Expenditure: £18.9 million (2024)
Charitable Activities: £14.4 million (2024)
Primary Funding Source: Investment income (£23.6 million)
Geographic Focus: Manchester City and Salford City
Application Process: No public application process

Contact Details

Registered Address:

1 Allanadale Court

Waterpark Road

Salford

M7 4JN

Previous Address:

59 Kings Road

Prestwich

Manchester

M25 0LQ

Phone: 0161 740 0116

Website: www.thehelpingfoundation.org (currently unavailable)

Company Number: 05070736

Overview

The Helping Foundation is a substantial Orthodox Jewish charity established on 11 March 2004 and registered with the Charity Commission on 22 June 2004. Operating as an endowment-based foundation, it is one of the more significant grant-making charities supporting the Orthodox Jewish community in Greater Manchester. With total income of £34.8 million in its most recent financial year (ending December 2024), the majority derived from investment returns (£23.6 million), the foundation demonstrates a sustainable long-term funding model. The charity distributed £14.4 million in charitable activities in 2024, making grants to both individuals and organizations within the Jewish community. The foundation operates with minimal transparency regarding grant recipients, maintaining privacy around its beneficiaries except where related party disclosures are required. This private trust structure is not uncommon among foundations serving close-knit faith communities.

Funding Priorities

Charitable Objects

The Helping Foundation has three defined charitable purposes:

The Advancement of Education - According to the tenets of the Orthodox Jewish faith
The Advancement of the Orthodox Jewish Religion - Supporting religious institutions and activities
The Relief of Poverty - Among the elderly or persons in conditions of need, hardship or distress in the Jewish community

Who They Help

The foundation makes grants to support:

Individuals - Members of the Orthodox Jewish community experiencing hardship, poverty, or need
Organizations - Charities and voluntary bodies serving the Orthodox Jewish community
Children and young people - Educational and welfare support
Elderly people - Poverty relief and support services
People of particular ethnic or racial origin - Specifically the Orthodox Jewish community

Geographic Focus

The foundation operates primarily in:

Manchester City
Salford City
Wider Greater Manchester area with Orthodox Jewish populations (including Prestwich)

What They Fund

Based on their charitable objects, likely funding areas include:

Orthodox Jewish educational institutions (schools, yeshivas, seminaries)
Religious institutions and synagogues
Poverty relief programs
Elderly care services
Community support organizations
Youth programs aligned with Orthodox Jewish values

Grant Recipients

The foundation maintains significant privacy regarding grant recipients. From 2013 through 2022, the charity did not disclose the identity of grant recipients in its accounts except those disclosed in the related parties section. Historical records show grants have been made to organizations such as Newmarston Ltd (which received £151,972, representing 100% of disclosed donations in one reporting year).

Ready to write a winning application for The Helping Foundation?

Our AI helps you craft proposals that match their exact priorities. Save hours and increase your success rate.

Learn more >

Governance and Leadership

Trustees

The foundation is governed by four trustees:

Rabbi Aubrey Weis - Chair of Trustees
David Neuwirth - Trustee (appointed 17 March 2004)
Rachel Weis - Trustee (appointed 16 September 2011)
Sir Weis - Trustee (appointed 5 March 2014)

None of the trustees receive any remuneration, payments, or benefits from the charity, demonstrating their voluntary commitment to the foundation's mission.

Financial Management

The foundation is structured as an endowment trust with substantial investment assets generating the majority of its income. The 2024 financial breakdown shows:

Total Income: £34.8 million
Donations and legacies: £8.0 million
Investments: £23.6 million (68% of total income)
Other: £3.3 million
Total Expenditure: £16.1 million
Charitable activities: £14.4 million (89% of expenditure)
Raising funds: £1.7 million
Retained for Future Use: £18.7 million

This financial structure suggests the foundation balances current grant-making with long-term sustainability, maintaining a significant endowment to ensure ongoing support for the Orthodox Jewish community.

The foundation's best fundraising year was 2013, when it raised £35.6 million and distributed £10.9 million in grants.

How to Apply to The Helping Foundation

How to Apply

Important Note: The Helping Foundation does not operate a public application process.

This foundation operates as a private trust with grants awarded at the discretion of the trustees. Unlike many grant-making charities, The Helping Foundation does not:

Accept unsolicited applications
Publish application guidelines or forms
Maintain an active website with application information
Disclose grant recipients publicly (except where required for related party transactions)

This operational model is consistent with certain faith-based trusts that make grants through personal knowledge, community connections, and trustee discretion rather than open competitive processes.

How Grants Are Likely Awarded

Based on the foundation's structure and practice, grants are most likely awarded through:

Trustee knowledge and connections within the Orthodox Jewish community
Community referrals from rabbis, community leaders, and existing beneficiaries
Direct trustee discretion based on identified needs in the Manchester/Salford Jewish community
Established relationships with community organizations and institutions

Getting on Their Radar

Given the limited public information available about this foundation's grant-making process, there are no documented specific strategies for getting on their radar. Organizations or individuals within the Orthodox Jewish community seeking support would likely need to:

Be known within the Manchester/Salford Orthodox Jewish community
Have connections to community leaders or institutions familiar with the foundation
Be referred by trusted members of the community

However, these are general observations rather than specific documented approaches unique to this funder.

Note: The lack of specific information in this section reflects the foundation's private operating model rather than any confirmed strategy for applicants.

Timeline

The foundation operates on a calendar year basis (financial year ending 31 December), but specific decision timelines are not publicly available. Given the discretionary nature of grant-making, decisions may be made on an ongoing basis rather than through scheduled funding rounds.

Application Success Factors

Given the absence of a public application process and limited disclosure of grant recipients, specific success factors cannot be determined from available information. However, alignment with the foundation's charitable objects is essential:

Alignment with Orthodox Jewish Values - All funding supports the Orthodox Jewish community and faith
Focus on Core Purposes - Education, religious advancement, or poverty relief
Geographic Relevance - Connection to Manchester/Salford Jewish community
Target Beneficiaries - Supporting vulnerable members of the community (elderly, those in poverty, youth)

Organizations and individuals most likely to receive support are those deeply embedded in the Orthodox Jewish community of Greater Manchester with clear needs aligned with the foundation's three charitable purposes.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

No Public Application Process: The Helping Foundation operates as a private trust without accepting unsolicited applications or publishing grant guidelines
Community-Focused: Exclusively serves the Orthodox Jewish community in Manchester and Salford
Significant Resources: With £18.9 million in annual expenditure and substantial endowment, this is a major funder within its focus area
Privacy-Oriented: Does not publicly disclose grant recipients except where required by regulation (related parties)
Endowment-Based: Primarily funded through investment income rather than ongoing fundraising, ensuring long-term sustainability
Three Clear Purposes: All funding must align with education (Orthodox Jewish), religious advancement (Orthodox Jewish), or poverty relief (Jewish community)
Trustee Discretion: Grants are awarded based on trustee knowledge and discretion rather than competitive application processes
Limited Accessibility: Organizations outside the Orthodox Jewish community or without established connections to the community are unlikely to access funding

For organizations seeking funding for work with the Orthodox Jewish community in Greater Manchester, building relationships within the community and demonstrating clear alignment with the foundation's purposes may be more effective than formal application approaches. However, this foundation's private operating model means it may not be accessible to all organizations, even those with relevant work.