Famos Foundation Trust

Famos Foundation Trust, registered charity number 271211, was established on 23 March 1976 as a specialist funder dedicated to advancing orthodox Jewish life in the UK. Its core mission focuses on supporting orthodox Jewish religious education, relieving poverty within the community, and maintaining religious institutions and practices. Rooted in the values of tzedakah (charitable giving), religious observance, and communal responsibility, the Trust prioritises initiatives that ensure faith continuity, educational access, and welfare for those in need, fostering a stable orthodox Jewish community where poverty does not impede religious living.

The Trust funds targeted activities such as Torah study programmes, yeshivas, religious schools, financial aid for basic needs and disadvantaged families, and maintenance of synagogues and community centres—all exclusively for the UK orthodox Jewish population. It supports grants for core costs, projects, capital improvements, and direct welfare, emphasising outcomes like enhanced faith-based education, improved living standards, and robust religious infrastructure.

Eligible applicants are limited to UK-registered charities and community groups serving orthodox Jewish communities, with a preference for small to medium-sized established entities; there are no strict income thresholds, but beneficiaries must align precisely with orthodox values. Funding is UK-only, with no support outside this scope.

Grants typically range from £1,000 to £20,000, awarded discretionally by trustees on an ad hoc basis to pre-selected, known organisations or individuals. Unsolicited applications are not accepted, with no public deadlines, forms, or open calls—making it essential for applicants to have prior trustee connections. Distinctively, the Trust excludes all non-orthodox Jewish causes, setting it apart as a narrowly focused specialist funder for UK orthodox religious and welfare needs.