The Pears Family Charitable Foundation

Charity Number: CUSTOM_97CC795B

Annual Expenditure: £24.4M

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £24.4 million (2024)
  • Total Given Since Founding: Over £500 million
  • Decision Time: Not applicable (invitation-only)
  • Grant Range: £2,500 - £5,000,000
  • Geographic Focus: Primarily UK, with some international funding (Israel, USA, Ghana, Germany)
  • Application Method: Invitation only - no public application process
  • Accepts Unsolicited Applications: No

Contact Details

Address: Haskell House, 152 West End Lane, West Hampstead, London, NW6 1SD

Phone: +44 (0)20 7433 3333

Email: contact@pearsfoundation.org.uk

Website: www.pearsfoundation.org.uk

Overview

The Pears Family Charitable Foundation (registered charity 1009195) was established on 4 March 1992 by the Pears family, principally brothers Mark Pears, David Pears, and Sir Trevor Pears CMG, who serves as the Foundation's full-time Executive Chair. The foundation has given more than £500 million to charity since its establishment and currently invests approximately £20-24 million annually in a range of charitable organizations and causes across the UK and internationally.

The foundation operates as an invitation-only funder, using their experience, networks, landscape reviews, and research to identify partners rather than accepting unsolicited applications. Their strategic approach emphasizes long-term partnerships based on trust, learning, and flexibility, with 70% of grantees receiving consistent funding for 5+ years and 40% for 10+ years. Between April 2015 and March 2025, they made 1,357 grants totaling over £202 million in GBP alone.

The foundation aims to benefit society by promoting understanding of key issues through research and educational programs, driving engagement in social progress across the UK (particularly among young people), and supporting organizations focused on wellbeing for everyone.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Pears Foundation funds across diverse areas but has particular focus on:

Youth Development and Social Action: Major investments include £5 million to the UK Youth Fund plus an additional £2 million pledge in 2024 to support youth organizations tackling the cost-of-living crisis. The foundation also supports the #iwill Fund, focusing on youth social action opportunities in health, social care, and education.

Partnership Funds: While the main foundation funding is invitation-only, Pears Foundation partners with other organizations on specific funds that may accept applications, such as:

  • UK Youth Fund (in partnership with UK Youth) - for youth organizations with annual income under £500,000
  • Pears Youth Fund (in partnership with Leeds Community Foundation)
  • Volunteering Futures Fund (in partnership with DCMS)

Grant Amounts: Grants range from £2,500 to £5,000,000, with significant grants in 2022/23 including £5 million to UK Youth Fund and £1 million each to Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Home-Start UK, and Samaritans.

Priority Areas

Based on their funding history and stated priorities, the foundation focuses on:

  • Youth engagement and development - Creating opportunities for young people to engage positively in their local communities
  • Education - Including Holocaust education, scholarships (such as Pears Scholars at Hebrew University), and school support programs
  • Health and social care - Mental health services, care support, end-of-life care
  • Disability and special needs - Supporting groups that face barriers to participation in society
  • Poverty alleviation and social support - Family support, community engagement
  • Social cohesion and civic engagement - Community building, volunteering, social action
  • Holocaust remembrance and education - Ongoing commitment to this area

What They Don't Fund

Based on criteria from specific Pears-funded programs, the foundation typically excludes:

  • Organizations where youth work is not the primary focus (for youth-specific programs)
  • Statutory organizations such as schools and colleges receiving direct grants
  • Activity that promotes a particular political or religious point of view
  • Activity targeted at a particular group (ethnic, gender, religious, etc.) without good justification
  • Individual applications, expeditions, or overseas travel
  • Unsolicited applications (as an invitation-only foundation)
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Governance and Leadership

Trustees:

  • Sir Trevor Pears CMG (Executive Chair, full-time)
  • Mark Pears
  • David Pears

No trustees receive remuneration, payments, or benefits from the charity.

Professional Team:

  • Amy Braier
  • Bridget Kohner
  • Shoshana Boyd Gelfand
  • Dina Gidron
  • Kari Holtung
  • Rachel Franklin
  • Lucy Murphy

Consultants:

  • Olivia Klevan
  • Rhodri Davies

Key Quote from Leadership:

Sir Trevor Pears on the foundation's philosophy: "For us, 'commitment' comes first. You've got to decide you want to get more involved - that you're going to make a commitment of time as well as money; a commitment to going on a journey with a project or charity."

On supporting youth organizations: “At Pears Foundation, we regularly visit and see first-hand the extraordinary work done by local youth organisations, so we deeply understand the crucial role they play in supporting young people and their communities across the UK.”

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

The Pears Foundation does not have a public application process. This is an invitation-only foundation that proactively identifies and approaches organizations they wish to fund.

According to their official guidance, the foundation “draws on [their] experience, networks, landscape reviews and research to identify [their] partners.” Organizations cannot submit unsolicited applications for consideration.

Exception - Partnership Funds: While the main foundation funding is invitation-only, Pears Foundation occasionally partners with other organizations on specific funds that do accept applications. These include programs like the UK Youth Fund and Pears Youth Fund, which have their own separate application processes managed by partner organizations.

Decision Timeline

Not applicable for the main foundation funding as there is no public application process. For partnership funds that accept applications, timelines vary by program.

Success Rates

Not applicable - the foundation identifies and invites organizations rather than selecting from a pool of applications.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - as an invitation-only funder, there is no formal reapplication process.

Application Success Factors

Since the Pears Foundation operates on an invitation-only basis, the traditional concept of “application success factors” does not apply. However, understanding what the foundation values in its partnerships can be instructive for organizations hoping to be on their radar:

Long-term Partnership Approach: The foundation emphasizes building relationships over time. As stated in their approach: “When we make a grant, we are committing to more than funding; we are starting a relationship.” The data shows 70% of grantees have received consistent funding for 5+ years and 40% for 10+ years, demonstrating their commitment to sustained partnerships.

Core and Unrestricted Funding Philosophy: The foundation gives “core funding – unrestricted grants or funding for essential costs such as staff posts – whenever appropriate because they trust their partners to make their own decisions about what is most needed and where the money should go.” Organizations that can articulate the need for flexible, core funding may align well with this philosophy.

Trust and Mutual Respect: The foundation describes their approach as building “long-term partnerships based on trust, learning and flexibility” with “frank and honest dialogue” with grantees.

Commitment Beyond Money: Sir Trevor Pears emphasizes: "You've got to decide you want to get more involved - that you're going to make a commitment of time as well as money." Organizations should be prepared for an engaged funder who wants to journey alongside them, not just provide financial support.

Focus on Impact and Learning: The foundation conducts “due diligence to assess organizational capacity” and emphasizes research, landscape reviews, and learning throughout their partnerships.

Alignment with Priority Areas: Organizations working in youth development, education, health and social care, disability support, poverty alleviation, Holocaust education, or social cohesion are more likely to align with the foundation's interests.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No public application process exists - This is an invitation-only foundation that identifies partners through its own research and networks rather than accepting unsolicited proposals
  • Focus on long-term relationships - The foundation seeks sustained partnerships (70% of grantees receive 5+ years of funding), not one-off project grants
  • Core funding philosophy - They prefer giving unrestricted grants or funding essential costs, trusting partners to make their own decisions
  • Commitment beyond money - The foundation offers professional development, organizational support, and active engagement alongside financial support
  • Significant funding capacity - Annual giving of £24.4 million with individual grants ranging from £2,500 to £5,000,000
  • Youth sector priority - Particularly strong focus on youth organizations, with major investments in the UK Youth Fund and youth social action programs
  • Partnership funds may offer access - While the main foundation is invitation-only, they partner on specific funds (like UK Youth Fund) that do accept applications - these may be more accessible entry points

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