Marjorie & Arnold Ziff Charitable Foundation

The Marjorie & Arnold Ziff Charitable Foundation, established in 1964 by Leeds businessman Arnold Ziff and his wife Dr. Marjorie Ziff, is a family-controlled grant-making foundation dedicated to enhancing civic, cultural, educational, religious, and welfare initiatives primarily in Leeds and West Yorkshire. Rooted in civic pride and intergenerational philanthropy, it emphasizes community service, inclusion, Jewish communal life, and broad access to cultural, educational, and welfare provisions for all ages, faiths, and backgrounds. Its distinctive approach blends targeted support for Leeds' Jewish infrastructure—such as the Ziff Community Centre and Jewish Welfare Board—with civic investments in institutions like Leeds Art Gallery, University of Leeds, Roundhay Park, and health charities, prioritizing projects with trustees' direct involvement for sustainable, high-impact outcomes.

The foundation funds a generalist range of activities, including capital projects (buildings and infrastructure), arts and cultural programmes, education bursaries, health and welfare interventions, and public amenities enhancements. Key beneficiaries include children and young people, older people, those with disabilities, the Jewish community, and the general public, with thematic priorities in Jewish welfare, youth/elderly care, and city-wide cultural heritage.

Eligible applicants are limited to UK-registered charities and academic institutions based in Leeds or West Yorkshire, favoring established medium-to-large organizations capable of major projects; small grassroots groups are unlikely to qualify. It does not accept unsolicited applications, operating invite-only via trustee discretion and direct engagement with known entities—no public forms, deadlines, or open rounds exist, with adhoc meetings throughout the year. Typical grants range from £5,000 to £25,000, occasionally higher for significant initiatives, totaling around £500,000 annually across 80-90 awards.

Distinctive for its selective, relationship-driven model and dual Jewish-Leeds focus, the foundation avoids high-volume funding, operational core costs, emergencies, or projects outside its geographic or trustee interests, ensuring measured support for transformative local impact.