The Leslie Smith Foundation

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £238,504 (2024)
• Total Income: £113,048 (2024)
• Success Rate: Not publicly available
• Decision Time: Not publicly available
• Grant Range: Not publicly disclosed
• Geographic Focus: England and Wales
• Established: 1966

Contact Details

• Address: Unit 4 Hill Farm, Kirby Road, Kirby Bedon, Norwich, NR14 7DU
• Phone: 01508 480100
• Email: info@fisherlegal.co.uk
• Charity Number: 250030

Overview

The Leslie Smith Foundation was established by settlement on 10th November 1964 and registered as a charity in November 1966. It is a grant-making body with general charitable purposes operating across England and Wales. With annual grant expenditure of approximately £238,504 (year ending April 2024), the Foundation maintains a focused approach to philanthropy. While retaining their discretionary powers, the trustees have committed to concentrating their grant-making on four key areas: children in the UK with life-changing medical conditions, hospices, education and special needs schools in the UK, and recipients of previous grants. The Foundation is administered through Fisher Legal, a Norwich-based legal firm, and operates with five trustees who maintain a strategic but discretionary approach to funding decisions.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Foundation does not operate distinct named grant programs. Instead, it makes discretionary grants across its priority areas. Specific grant amounts and ranges are not publicly disclosed.

Priority Areas

The trustees have determined to focus primarily on:

• Children with Life-Changing Medical Conditions: Supporting UK charities working with children facing serious medical challenges
• Hospices: Funding hospice care organizations
• Education and Special Needs Schools: Supporting educational institutions, particularly those serving children with special educational needs
• Previous Grant Recipients: Maintaining ongoing relationships with organizations previously funded by the Foundation

Geographic Scope: England and Wales

Important Note: The trustees maintain full discretion in their grant-making decisions while concentrating on these priority areas.

What They Don't Fund

Specific exclusions are not publicly documented. However, the Foundation's narrow focus on the four priority areas listed above suggests that applications outside these areas are unlikely to be successful.

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Governance and Leadership

The Foundation is governed by a board of five trustees who bring expertise in charitable administration and legal matters.

Known Trustees (as of recent filings):

• Deborah Fisher - Also serves as trustee for the Sloane Robinson Foundation, The Queen Anne's Gate Foundation, and The River Farm Foundation
• Emma Olive Rutherford Hayles
• Matthew Leslie Rutherford Hayles

Administrative Structure:

• The Foundation employs no staff members with benefits exceeding £60,000
• One or more trustees receive payments or benefits from the charity for providing services
• Legal and administrative services are provided through Fisher Legal in Norwich

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process.

The Leslie Smith Foundation operates on a trustee-discretion model. There is no public application portal, published guidelines, or formal application forms available. Grants appear to be awarded based on trustee knowledge, research, and discretion rather than through an open competitive process.

The Foundation's stated priority of funding “recipients of previous grants” suggests it maintains ongoing relationships with existing beneficiaries and may operate primarily through these established connections.

Implication for Applicants: Organizations seeking funding should not expect to submit a standard application. Any approach would need to be speculative and relationship-based.

Application Success Factors

Given the closed nature of the Foundation's grant-making, traditional application success factors do not apply. However, the following insights may be relevant:

Alignment Factors:

• Strong fit with priority areas: The Foundation has clearly defined its focus on children with life-changing medical conditions, hospices, education/special needs schools, and previous recipients. Organizations working in these areas are the only likely beneficiaries.
• Established track record: The preference for funding previous grant recipients suggests trustees value proven organizations with demonstrated impact.
• Geographic relevance: Operating within England and Wales is essential.
• Size considerations: With annual grant expenditure of approximately £238,504, this is a relatively modest funder. Organizations should have realistic expectations about potential grant sizes.

Relationship Building:

• Given the trustee-led model, connection to the trustees or their professional networks may be a factor in grant decisions.
• The link to Fisher Legal (through contact details and trustee Deborah Fisher) suggests the legal and philanthropic networks in Norfolk may be relevant.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• No public application process exists - This Foundation operates entirely on trustee discretion without public applications
• Very specific focus areas - Only organizations working with children with life-changing medical conditions, hospices, special needs education, or previous recipients should consider this funder
• Preference for existing relationships - The explicit mention of “recipients of previous grants” as a priority suggests new organizations face significant barriers to access
• Regional connection may matter - Based in Norfolk and administered through a Norwich legal firm, regional connections may be relevant
• Modest funding capacity - With annual giving around £238,000, this is a small foundation with limited grant-making capacity
• Trustee expertise in multiple foundations - Trustee Deborah Fisher's involvement with multiple charitable foundations suggests cross-foundation relationships may exist
• Relationship-based approach required - Without formal applications, any approach would need to focus on building relationships with trustees or their networks

References

• The Charity Commission for England and Wales - The Leslie Smith Foundation (250030): https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/en/charity-search/-/charity-details/250030
• Giving is Great - The Leslie Smith Foundation Charity Factsheet: https://givingisgreat.org/database/charity-factsheet/?regNo=250030
• Open Corpdata - The Leslie Smith Foundation LEI Information: https://opencorpdata.com/lei/2138003WBKTZFEF3AU41
• Charity Choice - The Leslie Smith Foundation Profile: https://www.charitychoice.co.uk/the-leslie-smith-foundation-148124