The Sam And Bella Sebba Charitable Foundation

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £3.5 million (split between UK and Israel)
• Success Rate: Not applicable (invitation-only, no open applications)
• Decision Time: Not publicly specified
• Grant Range: £30,000 - £40,000 (typical), occasionally larger to trusted partners
• Geographic Focus: UK and Israel (50/50 split)

Contact Details

Website: https://www.sebbafoundation.org

Email: loren@sebbafoundation.org

Phone: 07809702920

Registered Address: 5 Brayford Square, E1 0SG London

Charity Number: 1191713

Note: The Foundation does not accept unsolicited applications and will not acknowledge them. They undertake their own research in line with current priorities.

Overview

The Sam and Bella Sebba Charitable Foundation was established in 1967 by the late Samuel Sebba, with the name changed in April 2015 to recognize the equal role his wife Bella Sebba played in articulating philanthropic values. The Foundation is a family-led grant-making charity that seeks to create a more humane society by promoting social justice and protecting human rights. Awarding approximately £3.5 million annually split equally between the UK and Israel, the Foundation has funded 151 recipient organisations between June 2020 and July 2025, with total grants amounting to £8,941,146. The Foundation favours adventurous grants for social innovation capable of effecting transformative change and prioritises grants where others are less active, ordinarily supporting grantees with a budget below £1 million per annum.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Foundation operates through three grant committees that make recommendations to trustees. Grants are distributed through an invitation-only process based on the Foundation's own research.

Typical Grant Structure:

• £30,000 - £40,000 per grant (standard range)
• Larger grants occasionally provided to trusted partners
• One to two-year grants for new partners
• Multi-year funding (typically 3 years) favoured for existing partners
• Both core and project funding available

Application Method: Invitation-only - no open applications accepted

Priority Areas

In the UK, the Foundation supports:

• People experiencing homelessness
• Palliative care
• Disability services
• Young people at risk
• Criminal justice initiatives
• Violence against women and girls
• Refugees and asylum seekers
• Social tolerance initiatives
• Access to justice and systemic change through policy work, strategic litigation, or judicial reviews

Key Vulnerable Groups Supported:

• People with disabilities
• Refugees and asylum seekers
• Members of vulnerable communities needing support to prevent and overcome violence

Strategic Approach:

1. Systemic Change: Particular interest in improving access to justice and funding activities that bring about wider systemic change through policy work, strategic litigation, or judicial reviews

1. Piloting New Ideas: Support for medium-sized and larger organisations testing new approaches with potential to transform the lives of vulnerable people and create broader societal change

1. Organisational Development: Interest in supporting small, new organisations that address an unmet need, support an underserved demographic, or take a novel approach to solving known social challenges. Funding can support organisational development including expanding to new locations, diversifying income, monitoring and evaluation, or increasing sector influence

Scaling Potential: The Foundation is especially interested in organisations with potential to scale their activities and deepen their impact, particularly those with plans to contribute towards systemic change in the future

What They Don't Fund

• Large organisations where a grant will not significantly transform the organisation (except for specific programmes addressing a need or sectoral gap identified by the Foundation)
• Organisations with annual budgets significantly above £1 million (ordinarily)
• Unsolicited applications (the Foundation proactively identifies funding recipients)

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Governance and Leadership

Trustees

Chair: Judith Carmel Sebba

Trustees:

• Katherine Ann Evans
• Katie Waring
• Ronit Zmany Armoni
• Brian Laurence Parkinson
• Tali Emodi
• Tamsin Doyle
• Odelia Sebba
• Yoav Tangir

Note: The Sebba family is actively involved in the Foundation and makes up the majority in grant committees and trustees. No trustees receive remuneration, payments, or benefits from the charity.

Leadership Team

Chief Executive Officer: Dr. Loren Treisman - Provides strategic leadership to the Foundation and supports and advises the active Board of Trustees. Dr. Treisman has worked at Executive level in a range of organisations in the charity sector including as CEO of L'Arche, holds a PhD from Cambridge University, and completed the Executive Programme for Not for Profit Leaders at Stanford University's business school.

Structure

The Foundation operates with three committees that make recommendations to the Trustees regarding grant-making decisions.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

CRITICAL: The Foundation undertakes its own research in line with its current priorities and does not accept unsolicited applications. Unsolicited applications will not be acknowledged.

The Foundation operates on an invitation-only basis, proactively identifying and approaching organizations that align with their funding priorities.

Decision Timeline

Not publicly specified due to invitation-only model. Organizations are approached directly when the Foundation identifies alignment with their strategic priorities.

Success Rates

Not applicable - the Foundation does not accept open applications. Organizations are invited to apply based on the Foundation's own research and strategic priorities.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - as the Foundation does not accept unsolicited applications, there is no reapplication process for unsuccessful applicants.

Application Success Factors

For Organizations Hoping to Be Identified

While you cannot apply directly, understanding what the Foundation seeks can help position your organization favorably:

1. Organizational Profile:

• Annual budget typically below £1 million
• Working with vulnerable communities or addressing unmet needs
• Small or new organizations with innovative approaches
• Organizations testing new ideas with scaling potential

2. Project Characteristics:

• Adventurous grants for social innovation
• Potential for transformative change
• Approaches where others are less active
• Activities that address systemic issues rather than just symptoms
• Projects with potential to be scaled or replicated

3. Impact Focus:

• Clear focus on vulnerable populations (disabled people, refugees, asylum seekers, people facing violence, people experiencing homelessness)
• Contributions to broader systemic change through policy work, strategic litigation, or judicial reviews
• Novel approaches to known social challenges

4. Transparency and Learning:

• The Foundation encourages grantees to publicize results of their work so others may learn, irrespective of outcome
• Organizations committed to monitoring, evaluation, and sharing lessons learned

5. Funding Use:

• Open to both core funding and project funding
• Support for organizational development (expanding to new locations, diversifying income, improving M&E, increasing sector influence)

6. Partnership Approach:

• Multi-year relationship potential
• Organizations that value collaborative approaches
• Willingness to share learning and outcomes openly

Grant Data Transparency

The Foundation is committed to transparency and works with 360Giving to publish information about grants using the 360Giving Data Standard. Awarded grants (UK and US only) since 2020 are available to view through 360Giving Insights and on their website.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

1. Direct Application Not Possible: The Foundation does not accept unsolicited applications. Organizations cannot submit proposals but should ensure their work is visible and well-documented online, as the Foundation conducts its own research.

1. Target Profile: Best suited for organizations with budgets under £1 million working on innovative approaches to support vulnerable populations where mainstream funders may not be active.

1. Innovation and Transformation: Emphasize potential for transformative change and systemic impact rather than incremental improvements. The Foundation specifically seeks “adventurous grants.”

1. Multi-Year Vision: While initial grants are typically 1-2 years, the Foundation favours 3-year funding for established partners. Demonstrate long-term sustainability and scaling potential.

1. Flexibility in Funding Type: Both core and project funding are available, including support for organizational development activities like expansion, income diversification, and improved monitoring.

1. Family Foundation Values: As a family foundation with active family involvement in governance, they value personal connection to the mission and ethical approach to grant-making.

1. Transparency Commitment: The Foundation values learning and transparency. Organizations should be comfortable publicizing results and sharing lessons learned, including from unsuccessful initiatives.

References

• Sam and Bella Sebba Charitable Foundation official website: https://www.sebbafoundation.org
• UK Strategy page: https://www.sebbafoundation.org/uk-strategy
• Our Grants page: https://www.sebbafoundation.org/our-grants
• Charity Commission Register of Charities, Charity Number 1191713: https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-details/?regId=1191713&subId=0
• Charity Commission Trustees Information: https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-search/-/charity-details/5164395/trustees
• 360Giving GrantNav - Sam and Bella Sebba Charitable Foundation: https://grantnav.threesixtygiving.org/org/GB-CHC-1191713
• Giving is Great Charity Factsheet: https://givingisgreat.org/charity-factsheet/?regNo=1191713
• Sam and Bella Sebba Charitable Trust WordPress site: https://samandbellasebbacharitabletrust.wordpress.com/