The Reb Moishe Foundation

Quick Stats

• Charity Number: 1106737
• Annual Income: £13,492 (2024)
• Annual Expenditure: £355,929 (2024)
• Geographic Focus: UK (with historical interest in Israel-based education projects)
• Focus Areas: Poverty relief and education within the Jewish community
• Application Method: No public application process

Contact Details

Address: 105 Cavendish Road, Salford, M7 4NB

Phone: 01619507750

Email: rebmoishefoundation@gmail.com

Website: None available

Overview

The Reb Moishe Foundation was established on 12 November 2004 as a UK registered charity with broad charitable objects “to such charitable purposes in such a manner and in such proportions as [the trustees] shall from time to time in their absolute discretion determine.” The foundation's work has been focused on relieving poverty and advancing education amongst the Jewish community, with historical plans to build schools in Israel and support Jewish Orthodox educational matters.

The charity underwent significant governance reforms following a Charity Commission statutory inquiry (2014-2018) which uncovered serious administrative and governance failings. New trustees were appointed by the settlor in 2018, who have since adopted proper policies for grant making, investment, and conflicts of interest. The foundation has been rebuilt following the recovery of over £2.1 million in charitable funds.

Funding Priorities

Priority Areas

• Poverty relief within the Jewish community
• Education advancement, particularly Jewish Orthodox education
• School construction and educational infrastructure (historically focused on Israel)

What They Don't Fund

No specific exclusions are publicly documented, though the foundation's charitable objects indicate a focus on the Jewish community.

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Governance and Leadership

The charity currently has 2 trustees who receive no remuneration or benefits from the charity. Following the Charity Commission inquiry, new trustees were appointed in 2018 who have implemented proper governance structures.

Historical Governance Issues

Between 2014-2018, the Charity Commission conducted a statutory inquiry which found that previous trustees had not discharged their legal duties in terms of governance and administration, particularly regarding protection of funds and expenditure. Key findings included:

• No grant-making policy existed despite annual returns confirming one was in place
• No audit trail to demonstrate grant purposes or whether grants furthered charitable objects
• A £2 million loan facility to a connected private company (Gladstar Ltd) at 24% interest
• The charity operated without a functioning bank account during examination periods

The inquiry resulted in £2,137,736.39 being recovered and transferred to the charity's account on 31 October 2017. The governance issues have since been resolved with new leadership and proper policies in place.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process.

The Reb Moishe Foundation operates on a trustee-discretion basis, with grants awarded at the absolute discretion of the trustees. There is no open application portal, rolling deadline, or published application guidelines. The charity's objects give trustees broad authority to determine charitable purposes, recipients, and grant proportions.

Following the governance reforms in 2018, the charity has adopted a formal grant-making policy (previously absent), but this policy is not publicly available and the foundation does not accept unsolicited applications.

Decision Timeline

Not applicable due to the absence of a public application process.

Success Rates

Not publicly available. The charity does not publish information about the number of grant requests received or awarded.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable as the foundation does not accept public applications.

Application Success Factors

Given the lack of a public application process, the following factors are relevant for understanding this funder:

Historical Funding Approach: The foundation has historically focused on educational infrastructure projects, specifically planning to construct schools in Israel and support Jewish Orthodox educational matters.

Current Governance: Following the 2018 reforms, the charity now operates with proper grant-making, investment, and conflict of interest policies. This represents a significant shift from the period examined during the Charity Commission inquiry (2011-2015) when no such policies existed.

Financial Pattern: The significant disparity between income (£13,492) and expenditure (£355,929) in the most recent financial year suggests the charity is drawing down reserves or operating from previously accumulated funds, including the £2.1+ million recovered during the inquiry.

Focus on Jewish Community: All available evidence indicates the foundation's work is directed specifically toward the Jewish community, with emphasis on poverty relief and education within this demographic.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• No Public Access: This foundation does not accept unsolicited applications; grants are made at trustee discretion
• Reformed Governance: The charity underwent significant governance reforms in 2018 following a Charity Commission inquiry
• Jewish Community Focus: All funding appears directed toward poverty relief and education within the Jewish community
• Educational Infrastructure: Historical focus on building schools and supporting Jewish Orthodox education, particularly in Israel
• Limited Public Information: The foundation maintains minimal public presence with no website and limited publicly available information
• Contact Possible: While there's no application process, the foundation does maintain an email contact (rebmoishefoundation@gmail.com) and phone number
• Significant Assets: Despite modest annual income, the charity has substantial funds available for grant making following the recovery of over £2 million

References

• UK Charity Commission Register of Charities - THE REB MOISHE FOUNDATION (Charity Number 1106737). Available at: https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-details/?regid=1106737 []

• UK Government / Charity Commission (2018). “The Reb Moishe Foundation - Charity Inquiry Report” [Withdrawn]. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/charity-inquiry-the-reb-moishe-foundation/the-reb-moishe-foundation []

• UK Government / Charity Commission (2018). “Over £2 million paid to charity rebuilt by Commission inquiry” [Withdrawn]. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/over-2-million-paid-to-charity-rebuilt-by-commission-inquiry []

• Farrer & Co LLP (2020). “Reb Moishe Foundation: a rare analysis of the rules on Approved Charitable Investments”. Available at: https://www.farrer.co.uk/news-and-insights/reb-moishe-foundation-a-rare-analysis-of-the-rules-on-approved-charitable-investments/ []

• Civil Society (2020). “Lessons from the Reb Moishe Foundation case”. Available at: https://www.civilsociety.co.uk/finance/charitable-investments-tax-avoidance-and-connected-organisations.html []

• Withers Worldwide (2020). “Reb Moishe Foundation: Ruling on Approved Charitable Investments”. Available at: https://www.withersworldwide.com/en-gb/insight/read/reb-moishe-foundation-ruling-on-approved-charitable-investments []