Anglo American Foundation

Charity Number: 1111719

Annual Expenditure: £14.5M

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £14.5 million (2020 baseline - more recent figures not publicly available)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
  • Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed (invitation-based applications)
  • Grant Range: Not publicly disclosed (strategic partnerships vary by project)
  • Geographic Focus: South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana, Brazil, Chile, Peru (Anglo American countries of operation)

Contact Details

Website: www.angloamericanfoundation.org

Email: aagf@angloamerican.com

Phone: 020 7968 8888

Overview

The Anglo American Foundation (registered charity 1111719) was founded in 2005 as an independent charity by Anglo American. In 2021, the Foundation received a transformative $100 million special endowment to support sustainability projects. The Foundation's mission is to empower youth to create sustainable and inclusive communities through catalysing green value chains and building resilience. Under CEO Michael Mapstone's leadership since 2022, the Foundation launched a refreshed strategy focused on youth empowerment, economic opportunities, and addressing climate change and unemployment as significant threats to young people. The Foundation operates through strategic partnerships with organizations that have deep local expertise, prioritizing collaboration with young people and communities to realize innovative solutions.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Foundation does not operate traditional grant programs with published funding tiers. Instead, they work through invitation-based strategic partnerships. In 2020, they approved £14.5 million in grants benefiting an estimated 620,000 people globally. In 2022, they maintained a portfolio of 26 grants in 12 countries.

Application Method: Invitation-based only - the Foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals. Organizations are invited to apply directly.

Priority Areas

  • Youth Empowerment: Fostering youth leadership, participation, engagement, wellbeing, and entrepreneurial mindsets
  • Economic Opportunities: Creating jobs, improving incomes, addressing market failures, and opening paths to sustainable livelihoods
  • Green Value Chains: Catalysing sustainable and inclusive communities through environmental initiatives
  • Mental Health: Supporting youth mental health initiatives
  • Sexual and Reproductive Health: Programs focused on youth health and wellbeing
  • Youth Agency: Empowering young people to lead change in their communities
  • Environment: Conservation/biodiversity, water and climate change initiatives
  • Education and Skills: Early childhood development through vocational training and youth development

What They Don't Fund

  • Unsolicited proposals
  • Individual grants or individual fundraising activities
  • Business-related activities
  • Political or religious activities
  • Sponsorships
  • Private company funding
  • Activities outside Anglo American operational countries
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Governance and Leadership

Trustees

Jon Samuel - Chair of the Anglo American Foundation and Group Head of Responsible Business Partnerships for Anglo American. On appointing the Foundation's first independent trustees in 2023, he stated: "We are delighted to welcome Elaine and Mamadou to the Board. As our first independent trustees, they will play an integral role in strengthening the Foundation's governance, while their wide range of expertise and experience will guide us as we embark on our refreshed mission to empower young people to create a greener, fairer future."

Elaine Smith Genser - Independent Trustee. Finance professional who previously worked for Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, and J.P. Morgan in Brazil, currently leads engagement and partnerships for the UN Joint SDG Fund.

Mamadou Biteye - Independent Trustee. Executive Secretary of The African Capacity Foundation, focused on improving Africa's skills-base and capacity-building. Previously served as Managing Director for the Rockefeller Foundation's regional office in Africa and as Vice President for Inclusive Growth and Global Social Impact at Visa.

Leadership Team

Michael Mapstone - CEO. Over 20 years of experience in civil society organizations, previously Director of External Affairs at Charities Aid Foundation. Since 2022, he has spearheaded a new strategy and launched programmes in Southern Africa and Latin America. Mapstone has emphasized: “If you find the right partner, back them” and has challenged philanthropy to “shift capital to match local pace, back ecosystems, and build different tables where communities lead.”

Shingi Bimha - Head of Partnerships and Programmes, Southern Africa. Nearly 20 years' experience in development, leads the Foundation's strategy in Southern Africa.

Verónica Melzi - Head of Partnerships and Programmes, Latin America. Focused on championing youth agency across the region.

Beatrice Watermeyere - Head of Impact and Learning. Passionate about fostering tangible change and empowering people.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

The Anglo American Foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals. Organizations must be invited to apply directly. The Foundation prioritizes local organizations closest to community challenges, seeking partners with deep local expertise in their countries of operation.

Decision Timeline

Not publicly disclosed - the Foundation operates on an invitation basis with strategic partnerships developed collaboratively.

Success Rates

Not publicly disclosed.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - the Foundation does not accept unsolicited applications.

Application Success Factors

Partnership Philosophy

The Foundation operates on the principle: “The people closest to the challenge are closest to the solution.” They prioritize:

  • Local organizations with deep community connections
  • Grassroots and community-focused groups
  • Partners who co-design and collaborate with young people
  • Organizations demonstrating potential for systemic impact
  • Experienced voices bringing innovative, scalable solutions

Recent Funded Projects

  • Empleos Verdes Arequipa (Peru): Led by TechnoServe, strengthened recycling value chains while creating 350+ green jobs for youth and women
  • Waves for Change (South Africa): Social enterprise using surf therapy for youth mental health
  • LUCHA Partnership (Latin America): Helping overlooked founders access capital and tools to grow enterprises putting people and planet first
  • Engineering for People Design Challenge: Award-winning programme in UK and South Africa
  • COVID-19 Relief Efforts: Supporting WeCare programme across Botswana, Brazil, Chile, Namibia, Peru, South Africa, and Zimbabwe

Key Selection Criteria

Funding decisions are guided by:

  • Organizational values alignment
  • Potential to drive systemic impact effectively and efficiently
  • Deep local expertise
  • Collaboration with young people, communities, and co-funding partners
  • Focus on sustainable, relevant programs
  • Ability to empower youth to create a greener, fairer future

Strategic Focus

The Foundation focuses on addressing climate change and unemployment as significant threats to young people, working to unlock green growth in communities and create sustainable jobs.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Invitation-only model: The Foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals - you must be invited to apply or have existing relationships with Anglo American operations
  • Geographic restriction: Only organizations in Anglo American countries of operation are eligible (South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana, Brazil, Chile, Peru)
  • Youth-centricity is essential: All programs must demonstrate meaningful youth participation, empowerment, and leadership
  • Local expertise required: The Foundation prioritizes partners with deep community connections and local knowledge
  • Think systemic impact: Applications should demonstrate potential for scalable, transformative change rather than short-term fixes
  • Green economy focus: Strong preference for projects linking youth employment with environmental sustainability and green value chains
  • Co-design approach: Successful partnerships involve collaboration with young people and communities in program design and implementation
  • Strategic partnership model: The Foundation seeks long-term relationships rather than one-off grants, focusing resources on maximizing impact through strategic partnerships

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