Joffe Charitable Trust
We are a specialist grant-maker. We mainly support work to strengthen financial integrity in the UK and tackle the UK’s dirty money problem. We have a history of supporting high potential UK non-profits which make a difference in low income countries. We take an engaged approach, as a proactive funder.
Overview
Total reviews: 148
Median 12 hours
Latest Reviews
Oct 17, 2022
Funded for amount requested - applied in 2019
Very flexible funder with limited resources focused on ensuring resources support organisational effectiveness and sustainability. Very accommodating and unbureacratic.
What is your relationship with the funder for this experience?
Current or former grantee
If you were funded tell us the outcome
Funded for amount requested
What year was this experience?
2019
How would you rate this funder's accessibility?
3
How successfully do you think this funder is accomplishing its goals as a funder?
3
Tell us one thing that this funder does really well
They are very appraochable and flexible - willing to engage in the development of the proposal and design. They are also clear in their objectives and strategy.
If you had one piece of advice to give to this funder (about grantmaking or anything else), what would it be?
Nohting in particular - it would be great, of course were they better endowed to enable them to extend their excellent approach.
How was your relationship overall with the funder?
Good
If you believe the contents of this review are inappropriate please contact us via email.
Oct 17, 2022
Funded for lesser amount - applied in 2021
Difficult to get in but great, supportive funder.
What is your relationship with the funder for this experience?
Current or former grantee
If you were funded tell us the outcome
Funded for lesser amount
What year was this experience?
2021
How would you rate this funder's accessibility?
3
How successfully do you think this funder is accomplishing its goals as a funder?
2
I don't really know, so am giving the average score above.
Tell us one thing that this funder does really well
Easy but solid reporting regimen.
If you had one piece of advice to give to this funder (about grantmaking or anything else), what would it be?
Do not know this funder well enough to respond.
How was your relationship overall with the funder?
Good
If you believe the contents of this review are inappropriate please contact us via email.
Oct 17, 2022
Funded for amount requested - applied in 2021
Joffe are approachable, friendly and open. They are interested in your strategic impact, and its alignment with their goals (but they are willing to be flexible). They are quite rigorous in their selection process, but also quite generous in the number of grants they give out (i.e. even if they have a lot of questions, persist!) Though the amount of funding they offer is relatively small, they are willing to use their connections to help you with your work and also to approach other funders. I would definitely recommend them as a funder.
What is your relationship with the funder for this experience?
Current or former grantee
If you were funded tell us the outcome
Funded for amount requested
What year was this experience?
2021
How would you rate this funder's accessibility?
3
How successfully do you think this funder is accomplishing its goals as a funder?
2
I wonder sometimes if the range of organisations and the relatively low maximum funding envelope limit effectiveness. I also think the goals they have are 'permanent goals' - i.e. even if we make major wins we will always have to protect them, and there is always the next frontier to push on, so I'm not convinced about spending down.
Tell us one thing that this funder does really well
Honest communication
If you had one piece of advice to give to this funder (about grantmaking or anything else), what would it be?
Consider larger funding envelopes, and consistent (semi-permanent) support for key organisations.
How was your relationship overall with the funder?
Good
If you believe the contents of this review are inappropriate please contact us via email.
Oct 17, 2022
Funded for amount requested - applied in 2022
Joffe are a relatively activist funder and will ask probing questions about organisational governance and management. However this is useful and staff are very willing to engage in supportive conversations about the best way to deliver project outcomes.
What is your relationship with the funder for this experience?
Current or former grantee
If you were funded tell us the outcome
Funded for amount requested
What year was this experience?
2022
How would you rate this funder's accessibility?
2
It's really helpful to small organisations like ours to be able to put in speculative bids.
How successfully do you think this funder is accomplishing its goals as a funder?
2
Tell us one thing that this funder does really well
Supportive challenge
If you had one piece of advice to give to this funder (about grantmaking or anything else), what would it be?
Long term funding is absolutely key to achieving the kind of system change that we are looking for.
How was your relationship overall with the funder?
Good
If you believe the contents of this review are inappropriate please contact us via email.
Oct 17, 2022
Other - applied in 2022
Joffe funds UK-based orgs working in the financial transparency/tax justice space and has a focus on providing start-up and capacity building funding for orgs and/or projects
What is your relationship with the funder for this experience?
Did not apply
If you were funded tell us the outcome
Other
What year was this experience?
2022
How would you rate this funder's accessibility?
3
Alex is open to brainstorming with orgs even if they are not grantees. Very approachable and collaborative.
How successfully do you think this funder is accomplishing its goals as a funder?
3
Joffe funds key orgs in the transparency/financial equity/tax justice space which are critically important to keeping this work going.
Tell us one thing that this funder does really well
Identifying the key players in the policy space
If you had one piece of advice to give to this funder (about grantmaking or anything else), what would it be?
Perhaps consider fewer grants at a higher amount
How was your relationship overall with the funder?
Good
If you believe the contents of this review are inappropriate please contact us via email.
Oct 17, 2022
Funded for amount requested - applied in 2019
Very flexible funder with limited resources focused on ensuring resources support organisational effectiveness and sustainability. Very accommodating and unbureacratic.
What is your relationship with the funder for this experience?
Current or former grantee
If you were funded tell us the outcome
Funded for amount requested
What year was this experience?
2019
How would you rate this funder's accessibility?
3
How successfully do you think this funder is accomplishing its goals as a funder?
3
Tell us one thing that this funder does really well
They are very appraochable and flexible - willing to engage in the development of the proposal and design. They are also clear in their objectives and strategy.
If you had one piece of advice to give to this funder (about grantmaking or anything else), what would it be?
Nohting in particular - it would be great, of course were they better endowed to enable them to extend their excellent approach.
How was your relationship overall with the funder?
Good
Oct 17, 2022
Funded for lesser amount - applied in 2021
Difficult to get in but great, supportive funder.
What is your relationship with the funder for this experience?
Current or former grantee
If you were funded tell us the outcome
Funded for lesser amount
What year was this experience?
2021
How would you rate this funder's accessibility?
3
How successfully do you think this funder is accomplishing its goals as a funder?
2
I don't really know, so am giving the average score above.
Tell us one thing that this funder does really well
Easy but solid reporting regimen.
If you had one piece of advice to give to this funder (about grantmaking or anything else), what would it be?
Do not know this funder well enough to respond.
How was your relationship overall with the funder?
Good
Oct 17, 2022
Funded for amount requested - applied in 2021
Joffe are approachable, friendly and open. They are interested in your strategic impact, and its alignment with their goals (but they are willing to be flexible). They are quite rigorous in their selection process, but also quite generous in the number of grants they give out (i.e. even if they have a lot of questions, persist!) Though the amount of funding they offer is relatively small, they are willing to use their connections to help you with your work and also to approach other funders. I would definitely recommend them as a funder.
What is your relationship with the funder for this experience?
Current or former grantee
If you were funded tell us the outcome
Funded for amount requested
What year was this experience?
2021
How would you rate this funder's accessibility?
3
How successfully do you think this funder is accomplishing its goals as a funder?
2
I wonder sometimes if the range of organisations and the relatively low maximum funding envelope limit effectiveness. I also think the goals they have are 'permanent goals' - i.e. even if we make major wins we will always have to protect them, and there is always the next frontier to push on, so I'm not convinced about spending down.
Tell us one thing that this funder does really well
Honest communication
If you had one piece of advice to give to this funder (about grantmaking or anything else), what would it be?
Consider larger funding envelopes, and consistent (semi-permanent) support for key organisations.
How was your relationship overall with the funder?
Good
Oct 17, 2022
Funded for amount requested - applied in 2022
Joffe are a relatively activist funder and will ask probing questions about organisational governance and management. However this is useful and staff are very willing to engage in supportive conversations about the best way to deliver project outcomes.
What is your relationship with the funder for this experience?
Current or former grantee
If you were funded tell us the outcome
Funded for amount requested
What year was this experience?
2022
How would you rate this funder's accessibility?
2
It's really helpful to small organisations like ours to be able to put in speculative bids.
How successfully do you think this funder is accomplishing its goals as a funder?
2
Tell us one thing that this funder does really well
Supportive challenge
If you had one piece of advice to give to this funder (about grantmaking or anything else), what would it be?
Long term funding is absolutely key to achieving the kind of system change that we are looking for.
How was your relationship overall with the funder?
Good
Oct 17, 2022
Other - applied in 2022
Joffe funds UK-based orgs working in the financial transparency/tax justice space and has a focus on providing start-up and capacity building funding for orgs and/or projects
What is your relationship with the funder for this experience?
Did not apply
If you were funded tell us the outcome
Other
What year was this experience?
2022
How would you rate this funder's accessibility?
3
Alex is open to brainstorming with orgs even if they are not grantees. Very approachable and collaborative.
How successfully do you think this funder is accomplishing its goals as a funder?
3
Joffe funds key orgs in the transparency/financial equity/tax justice space which are critically important to keeping this work going.
Tell us one thing that this funder does really well
Identifying the key players in the policy space
If you had one piece of advice to give to this funder (about grantmaking or anything else), what would it be?
Perhaps consider fewer grants at a higher amount
How was your relationship overall with the funder?
Good