David Terrace joins the Rothschild Foundation Grants Team as our new Grants Manager. David joins us from the Mercers’ Company in London where he led the grant making programme for Older People and Housing. We asked David to tell us about himself, his background and what he is looking forward to getting involved with at the Rothschild Foundation. Welcome to the team David!

I joined the Rothschild Foundation in April as the new Grants Manager. The main focus of my work is leading the strategic strand of grant making improving food systems in Buckinghamshire. I am also working on the smaller, community grants for grassroots organisations in Bucks as well as being the point of contact for the Charity of the Year and Schools Access Fund projects.

I am excited about making a difference in my local community and understanding more about the specific challenges in Bucks.  I have been Trustee of an organisation in Bucks so I am aware of some of the issues but keen to understand more and help where I can. The range of grant making topics, especially the multi-faceted issue of sustainability and affordability of food in the county, is another important reason why I am excited about the role.  Working in the heart of the countryside rather than the heart of the city is also very appealing!

Previously to working at the Rothschild Foundation, I led the Older People and Housing grant making programme at the Mercers’ Company, a livery company in the City of London. This was a similar role in terms of assessing and managing grant-holders, but with a much narrower thematic focus. I have also worked ‘on the other side’ managing funded programmes for Age UK, Sport England and a social enterprise called Oomph.

Outside of work, I live on the Bucks/Herts border in Berkhamsted with my wife, daughter and cat. I play club cricket (to an increasingly low standard), football and enjoy getting walking in our beautiful countryside. Currently, I don’t hold any Trustee positions (due to taking four months off paternity leave), but I have previously held two positions for an older people’s charity and a sports development charity. I am looking forward to getting stuck in at the Foundation to help it achieve its aims.