The Safera Foundation

Charity Number: 1138949

Annual Expenditure: £0.3M

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Quick Stats

Charity Number: 1138949
Annual Giving: Approximately £333,629 (2024)
Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed
Grant Range: Varies by project (specific amounts not publicly disclosed)
Geographic Focus: UK (particularly London), India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka

Contact Details

Phone: 020 8843 5400

Website: www.safera.org (access restricted)

Address: Registered in Harrow, United Kingdom

Note: This is a private family foundation that does not provide public contact details for grant applications.

Overview

THE SAFERA FOUNDATION is a private family foundation founded by Sakina and Fakhruddin Suterwalla and registered as a UK charity in 2011. The foundation's name is derived from the first names of the founders' three children: SAlim, FEmida, and RAzia, who serve as trustees alongside their parents. Mr. Fakhruddin Suterwalla is Chairman of the TRS Group of Companies (established 1959), which specializes in sourcing and distributing ethnic food products. The foundation's income is primarily derived from gift aid provided by Mr. Suterwalla for general charitable purposes. In the year ending October 2024, the foundation had an income of £110,626 and expenditure of £333,629. The foundation supports a variety of charitable causes working to alleviate poverty, assist in crisis regions, and improve living standards, with particular focus on education of the underprivileged in South Asia and promoting Islamic identity through arts, culture, and media. The British Pakistan Foundation recognized SAFERA as their Patron of the Month in February 2019.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation operates as a traditional private family trust with no formal grant programs or public application process. Grants are awarded at the discretion of the trustees to charitable organizations and groups involved in charitable activities.

Priority Areas

Geographic Focus:

Education of the underprivileged in India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka
UK-based charitable organizations (particularly in London)
International development and crisis relief

Thematic Priorities:

Education and training
Advancement of health and saving lives
Prevention and relief of poverty
Overseas aid and famine relief
Accommodation and housing
Arts, culture, heritage, and science
Environment, conservation, and heritage
Economic and community development
Agricultural support programs among subsistence farming communities
Promoting Islamic identity through arts, culture, and media

Known Beneficiaries:

According to available information, the foundation has supported organizations including:

Developments in Literacy (DIL)
Shukre lilahee scholarships
Acumen
The Salaam Centre
The Khaayal Theatre
The Aziz Foundation
The Prince's Trust
The British Pakistan Foundation
The Bush Theatre
LGT

What They Don't Fund

Information about specific exclusions is not publicly available, though the foundation's registered purposes indicate a focus on general charitable causes aligned with their priority areas.

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Governance and Leadership

Trustees (5 total):

Fakhruddin Taherally Suterwalla - Co-founder and trustee, also connected to THE TRS FOUNDATION. Chairman of TRS Group of Companies (established 1959).

Sakina Fakhruddin Suterwalla - Co-founder and trustee

Salim Fakhruddin Suterwalla - Trustee (appointed 14 September 2014)

Femida Moosajee - Trustee (appointed 17 September 2014)

Razia Rashid Chinchanwala - Trustee

The foundation operates as a close family trust with all five trustees being members of the Suterwalla family. No trustees receive any remuneration, payments, or benefits from the charity. The charity does not have any trading subsidiaries.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process. THE SAFERA FOUNDATION is a private family foundation where grants are awarded at the trustees' discretion. The trustees select charitable organizations who are themselves registered charities and groups of people involved in charitable activities to receive gifts and donations.

The foundation's income is derived from gift aid provided by Mr. F.T. Suterwalla for general charitable purposes, and grant decisions are made internally by the family trustees without accepting unsolicited applications.

Getting on Their Radar

While THE SAFERA FOUNDATION does not accept unsolicited applications, the foundation has demonstrated support for organizations working in their priority areas. Based on their documented giving patterns, they have supported:

Arts and cultural organizations: The foundation has provided support to The Khaayal Theatre and The Bush Theatre, indicating interest in Islamic and diverse cultural programming
Education initiatives: Support for Developments in Literacy (DIL) and scholarship programs focused on South Asian education
Established UK charities: Partnerships with well-known organizations such as The Prince's Trust and The Aziz Foundation
British-Pakistani initiatives: Recognition as Patron of the Month by the British Pakistan Foundation suggests engagement with organizations strengthening UK-Pakistan ties

The foundation appears to identify beneficiaries through the trustees' existing networks in business (TRS Group), South Asian diaspora communities, Islamic cultural initiatives, and established UK charitable sectors.

Decision Timeline

Not publicly disclosed. As a private family foundation operating on trustee discretion, decision timelines are not structured around public application cycles.

Success Rates

Not applicable - the foundation does not accept public applications.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - the foundation does not accept public applications.

Application Success Factors

As a private family foundation that does not accept unsolicited applications, there is no formal application process. However, organizations that have received support share common characteristics:

Profile of Funded Organizations:

Registered UK charities with established track records
Organizations working on education, poverty alleviation, and community development in India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka
Arts and cultural organizations promoting Islamic identity and diverse cultural expression
Well-known national charities with strong governance (e.g., The Prince's Trust)
Organizations with connections to British-Pakistani communities and South Asian development

Foundation Values:

Based on the foundation's stated mission and giving patterns, they prioritize:

Alleviating poverty and improving living standards
Supporting education for underprivileged communities, particularly in South Asia
Assisting in crisis regions with humanitarian needs
Promoting Islamic identity through arts, culture, and media
Agricultural support for subsistence farming communities
Organizations working with children, young people, elderly people, and people with disabilities

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

Private family foundation: THE SAFERA FOUNDATION does not accept unsolicited grant applications; all grants are awarded at trustee discretion
South Asian education focus: Strong emphasis on education of underprivileged communities in India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka
Dual geographic focus: Supports both UK-based charities (particularly in London) and international development in South Asia
Cultural and religious identity: Interest in promoting Islamic identity through arts, culture, and media initiatives
Family-driven philanthropy: Income derived from gift aid by founding trustee Mr. F.T. Suterwalla; decisions made by close family trustees
Relationship-based giving: Organizations likely come to the foundation's attention through trustee networks in business, South Asian diaspora communities, and established UK charitable sectors
Not accessible for cold applications: Organizations seeking funding should focus on building visibility and relationships within the British-Pakistani business and philanthropic community rather than direct approaches