The Sir John Fisher Foundation

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: ??1,000,000 - ??2,000,000
• Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
• Decision Time: 3 months
• Grant Range: ??1,000 - ??20,000
• Geographic Focus: Barrow-in-Furness and Furness Peninsula (Cumbria), with some national support for maritime, medical research, and musical causes
• Active Portfolio: Approximately 75 active grants

Contact Details

Website: www.sirjohnfisherfoundation.org.uk

Email: grants@sirjohnfisherfoundation.org.uk (Grants Officer)

Phone: 07776968245

Address: Grants Officer, Sir John Fisher Foundation, Cooke's Studios, 104 Abbey Road, Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, LA14 5QR

Pre-Application Support: Optional workshops available via MS Teams. The Foundation encourages applicants to contact them before applying if unsure about any questions on the application form.

Overview

The Sir John Fisher Foundation is a charitable trust established in 1980 by Sir John and Lady Maria Fisher to continue their tradition of supporting the Barrow-in-Furness community. Sir John Fisher was Chairman of James Fisher & Sons plc (one of the world's oldest shipping companies, founded in 1847) and received a knighthood for his work at the Ministry of War Transport during WWII, playing an important role in the evacuation of Dunkirk and the D-Day landings. Lady Maria Fisher was a renowned opera singer (Maria Elsner) before the war. The Foundation invests ??1-2 million annually across approximately 75 active grants, focusing on organizations that serve needs and grow ambitions in the Barrow-in-Furness area. In 2024, the Foundation incorporated as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO number 1209607) to modernise its operations while maintaining its original mission. The Foundation strives to be “a supportive, flexible and open funder, deeply rooted in the local area since 1980.”

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Main Grants: ??1,000 - ??20,000

• Application deadlines: March 1st and September 1st annually
• Decisions made at trustee meetings in May and November
• Applicants typically hear back within 3 months
• Online application form or downloadable Word document

Small Grants: Up to ??4,000

• Suited to small projects, events, equipment purchases
• Ideal for new or unconstituted groups
• Decision within 3 months
• Rolling basis throughout the year

All grants are for a maximum of 12 months duration. The Foundation receives around 150 applications per year.

Priority Areas

The Foundation funds six main categories:

1. Community: Projects working with disadvantaged community members and in disadvantaged areas
2. Arts: Opportunities that raise aspirations in the arts
3. Music: Musical causes and education, including some national support
4. Education: Educational opportunities and projects
5. Health: Medical research and disability projects (medical research category currently closed to new applications)
6. Maritime: Maritime causes, with some national support

Funding Types: Both capital projects and revenue funding (core costs, salaries, and project costs) are accepted for consideration.

Geographic Focus: Generally limited to organizations based in and working for the benefit of people living in and around Barrow-in-Furness and the Furness Peninsula. For organizations outside the local area, trustees wish to see evidence of an existing relationship in the area, longevity of support, and working in partnership with other local organizations. Maritime, medical research, and musical causes may receive national support in some cases.

What They Don't Fund

• Projects for individual benefit
• Sponsorship
• Expeditions
• Religious promotion
• Animal welfare
• Pressure groups
• Retrospective funding (projects already completed)
• Statutory responsibilities
• Medical research (category currently closed to new applications)

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Governance and Leadership

Trustees (as of 2024-2025)

The Foundation is governed by seven volunteer trustees who receive no remuneration, payments, or benefits from the charity:

• Dr David Hart Jackson - Chair (appointed August 2024)
• Julie Elizabeth Barton - Trustee (appointed August 2024)
• Thomas Peter Meacock - Trustee (appointed August 2024)
• Grace Isobel Mercer - Trustee (appointed August 2024)
• Elizabeth Sophie Schofield Steinhart - Trustee (appointed August 2024)
• Graham Paul Servante - Trustee (appointed April 2025)
• Susan Patricia Jenkins - Trustee (appointed April 2025)

Senior Staff

• Pippa Smith - Executive Officer (oversees grant-making and works closely with the board on strategy)

The Foundation recently recruited new trustees to support its work, seeking individuals who could “make an impact, through influencing how grant funding is spent in the local community.”

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

Main Grants (up to ??20,000):

• Deadlines: March 1st and September 1st
• Decisions: May and November trustee meetings
• Timeline: 3 months from submission to decision

Small Grants (up to ??4,000):

• Rolling basis throughout the year
• Decisions: Early year and summer meetings
• Timeline: Within 3 months

Application Methods:

• Online application form via website
• Downloadable Word document (email or postal submission)
• Submit to: grants@sirjohnfisherfoundation.org.uk

Required Documentation:

• Completed application form
• Previous year's accounts (within 18 months)
• Safeguarding policy
• Governing document/constitution (if not registered with Charity Commission)

Eligibility:

• Registered charities
• Charitable Incorporated Organisations (CIOs)
• Social enterprises
• Unregistered community organizations with separate bank account and appropriate constitution with dissolution clause

Decision Timeline

• Applications reviewed at trustee meetings
• Applicants typically hear back within 3 months
• Grant payments made once a month at the end of the month after receiving completed paperwork
• Unsuccessful applicants contacted with feedback available on request

Success Rates

The Foundation receives around 150 applications per year and maintains a portfolio of approximately 75 active grants at any time. Specific success rate percentages are not publicly disclosed.

Reapplication Policy

Unsuccessful applicants will be contacted and can request feedback. Specific waiting periods or restrictions on reapplication are not publicly stated. The Foundation encourages dialogue with applicants.

Application Success Factors

Foundation's Own Advice

“Please contact us prior to applying if you are unsure about any questions on the application form.”

The Foundation offers optional workshops via MS Teams to support applicants through the application process.

Priority Considerations

The Foundation makes funding decisions based on need, prioritizing:

• Projects working with the most disadvantaged members of the community
• Projects in the most disadvantaged areas
• High project impact
• Evidence of good governance
• Community involvement
• Diverse funding sources (not over-reliant on single funder)
• Projects deliverable within 12 months

Recent Funded Projects (Examples)

• Wild About Rivers (2023): ??1,500 for education work in Barrow-in-Furness
• Barrow History Society (2016-2018): Funding for website updates and heritage plaques at sites of local heritage interest

Key Language and Terminology

The Foundation emphasizes:

• “Serving needs and growing ambitions”
• “Raising aspirations” (particularly in arts, music, and education)
• “Disadvantaged members of the community”
• “Locally rooted”
• “Supportive, flexible and open funder”

Standing Out

• Demonstrate clear local impact in Barrow-in-Furness area
• Show how your project addresses disadvantage or raises aspirations
• Provide evidence of strong governance structures
• Highlight community involvement in project design/delivery
• Show diverse funding mix
• For organizations outside the area: demonstrate existing local relationships, longevity of support, and partnership working with local organizations
• Contact the Foundation before applying if you have questions or want to discuss your proposal

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Local focus is critical: Unless your work is in maritime, medical research, or music with national scope, you must demonstrate clear benefit to Barrow-in-Furness and the Furness Peninsula
• Need-based funding: The Foundation prioritizes disadvantage and need above all else. Clearly articulate who you're helping and why they need support
• Be proactive about contact: The Foundation actively encourages pre-application discussions and offers workshops. Use these resources
• Plan for 12-month projects: All grants are capped at 12 months duration, so frame your proposal accordingly
• Two clear routes: Choose Small Grants (up to ??4k, rolling) for smaller needs or Main Grants (up to ??20k) for larger projects with fixed deadlines
• Revenue funding is welcome: Unlike many funders, core costs, salaries, and project costs are explicitly accepted alongside capital projects
• Show community involvement: Evidence of community participation in project design and delivery strengthens applications
• Flexible and supportive approach: The Foundation describes itself as flexible and open. If uncertain, ask rather than guessing

References

• Sir John Fisher Foundation official website - Our Funding page: https://sirjohnfisherfoundation.org.uk/our-funding/
• Sir John Fisher Foundation official website - Application page: https://sirjohnfisherfoundation.org.uk/application/
• Charity Commission Register - THE SIR JOHN FISHER FOUNDATION (277844): https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/en/charity-search/-/charity-details/277844
• Charity Commission Register - THE SIR JOHN FISHER FOUNDATION (1209607 - new CIO): https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/en/charity-search/-/charity-details/5246409
• Yorkshire Funders - Trustee recruitment opportunity: https://www.yorkshirefunders.org.uk/news/trustee-recruitment-opportunity-sir-john-fisher-foundation/
• South Cumbria Rivers Trust - Sir John Fisher Foundation funding for education work in Barrow: https://scrt.co.uk/news/sir-john-fisher-foundation-funding-for-education-work-in-barrow/
• Business Crack - Trustee appeal from Sir John Fisher Foundation: https://businesscrack.co.uk/2024/11/26/trustee-appeal-from-sir-john-fisher-foundation/
• Pippa Smith LinkedIn profile (Executive Officer): https://www.linkedin.com/in/pippasmithceo/