The Jecda Foundation

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £95,854 (2024)
• Success Rate: Not publicly available (private foundation)
• Decision Time: Not publicly available
• Grant Range: Not publicly specified
• Geographic Focus: UK, particularly youth programs and mentoring initiatives

Contact Details

Email: david.freud@blueyonder.co.uk

Phone: 01304 614663

Address: Eastry Court, Church Street, Eastry, Sandwich, CT13 0HL

Overview

The Jecda Foundation was registered as a charity on 12 February 2007. This private family foundation operates as a grant-making trust managed by members of the Freud family. The foundation's most notable contribution to the charitable sector has been the development and funding of the innovative “Grandmentors” program—an intergenerational mentoring initiative that connects retired volunteers aged 50+ with young people aged 16-24, particularly those transitioning from care or who are NEET (Not in Education, Employment, or Training).

With annual expenditure of approximately £96,000, the foundation makes grants to both individuals and organizations for general charitable purposes. The foundation is particularly associated with Lord David Freud, Baron Freud (former Minister for Welfare Reform 2010-2016), who has been actively involved in developing the Grandmentors program. The foundation represents a focused, family-led approach to philanthropy with a clear emphasis on supporting vulnerable young people through innovative mentoring relationships.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

• Grandmentors Program Funding: Multi-year support to Volunteering Matters (formerly CSV) for the development and delivery of an intergenerational mentoring program. The program was formally launched in June 2010 and received extended support through at least 2019.
• Keep Out Program: Support for the expansion of Keep Out services to Brixton Prison, focusing on supporting young people at risk of or involved in the justice system.

Priority Areas

The foundation's charitable objects include:

• Relief of poverty
• Advancement of education and health
• Advancement of environmental protection or improvement
• Other exclusively charitable purposes for the benefit of the public

In practice, the foundation has focused on:

• Intergenerational mentoring programs
• Supporting young people transitioning from care
• Youth at risk or NEET (Not in Education, Employment, or Training)
• Criminal justice interventions for young people
• Programs that leverage the skills and experience of older volunteers (50+)

What They Don't Fund

As a private foundation with no public application process, the foundation's exclusions are not publicly documented. However, their demonstrated funding pattern suggests a narrow focus on youth mentoring initiatives rather than broad charitable giving.

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Governance and Leadership

The Jecda Foundation is governed by five trustees, all members of the Freud family:

• David Anthony Freud (Lord Freud): The most prominent trustee, Lord Freud is a former Minister for Welfare Reform (2010-2016) and was the architect of Universal Credit. Before entering politics, he was vice-chairman of investment banking at UBS. Lord Freud is also President of Volunteering Matters and has spent the last decade working with them to develop the Grandmentors project.
• Mr Andrew Alexander Freud: Trustee
• Ms Emily Annette Freud: Trustee
• Priscilla Jane Freud: Trustee
• Miss Juliet Freud: Trustee

The foundation operates without paid staff, and no trustees receive remuneration or payments.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

The Jecda Foundation does not have a public application process. This is a private family foundation that makes grant decisions through trustee discretion. The foundation does not accept unsolicited applications from organizations or individuals who are not already known to the trustees.

Getting on Their Radar

Given that this funder does not accept public applications, the following information is specific to their documented approach:

• Lord Freud's Network: As President of Volunteering Matters and former Minister for Welfare Reform, Lord Freud has extensive networks in the youth services, welfare reform, and voluntary sectors. Organizations that operate in these spheres and demonstrate innovative approaches to youth mentoring may naturally come to the attention of the trustees through sector events and policy discussions.

• Intergenerational Focus: The foundation has shown particular interest in programs that mobilize older volunteers to support young people. Organizations pioneering intergenerational approaches may be of interest to the trustees.

• Volunteering Matters Connection: Given the foundation's long-standing relationship with Volunteering Matters as the delivery partner for the Grandmentors program, organizations already working with Volunteering Matters or operating in similar spaces may have indirect routes to trustee awareness.

Decision Timeline

Not publicly available. As a private foundation, decision-making timelines are at the discretion of the trustees.

Success Rates

Not applicable for public applications, as the foundation does not accept unsolicited applications.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable, as there is no public application process.

Application Success Factors

Given that The Jecda Foundation does not accept public applications, traditional “application success factors” do not apply. However, their documented funding history reveals clear patterns:

• Innovation in Intergenerational Programming: The Grandmentors program represented a genuinely innovative approach to youth mentoring. Organizations that can demonstrate similarly innovative approaches that leverage underutilized resources align with the foundation's demonstrated interests.

• Long-term Partnership Model: Rather than making numerous small grants, the foundation appears to prefer deep, sustained partnerships. The Grandmentors program received support from 2010 through at least 2019—nearly a decade of funding.

• Evidence of Impact on Vulnerable Youth: Both funded programs (Grandmentors and Keep Out's expansion to Brixton Prison) focused on particularly vulnerable young people—those transitioning from care, NEET young people, and those involved in the criminal justice system.

• Alignment with Lord Freud's Expertise: As a former Welfare Minister and architect of Universal Credit, Lord Freud has deep expertise in welfare-to-work policies, youth employment, and poverty reduction. Programs that connect to these policy areas may naturally align with trustee interests.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• This foundation does not accept unsolicited applications - it is a private family foundation that operates through trustee-directed grant-making
• The foundation has demonstrated a clear focus on intergenerational mentoring that connects older volunteers with vulnerable young people
• They prefer long-term, strategic partnerships over broad grant distribution, as evidenced by nearly a decade of support for the Grandmentors program
• The foundation values innovation - the Grandmentors concept was described as “innovative” and represented a new approach to youth mentoring
• Annual giving is relatively modest at approximately £96,000, suggesting they make a small number of substantial grants rather than many small ones
• The foundation is closely associated with Lord David Freud, whose expertise in welfare reform, youth employment, and social policy clearly influences funding priorities
• Organizations already working with Volunteering Matters or in the intergenerational mentoring space may naturally come to the foundation's attention through sector networks

Similar Funders

These funders have a similar focus and geographic reach:

• The Considered Ask Foundation
• The Generations Foundation
• The Nagle Family Foundation
• Joseph Levy Foundation
• THE KENORA CHARITABLE FOUNDATION
• Hedley Foundation Limited
• Wellington Management UK Foundation
• The Anthony & Pat Charitable Foundation
• The Greenslade Family Foundation
• IMAGINE FOUNDATION

References

• Charity Commission Register of Charities, The Jecda Foundation (Charity Number 1117914), accessed 30 January 2026, https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-details/?regid=1117914&subid=0
• OpenCharities, The Jecda Foundation, accessed 30 January 2026, http://opencharities.org/charities/1117914
• Volunteering Matters website, various pages on Grandmentors program, accessed 30 January 2026