Ford Family Foundation
At a glance
Key takeaways
- Only charitable or not-for-profit organisations can apply, so individuals and for-profit businesses should look elsewhere.
- The Foundation's grant-making stays flexible across charitable purposes, and its stated themes are social enterprise, cancer support, knife crime prevention, food poverty and environmental sustainability, so a project in one of these areas is a natural fit.
- Trustees favour applications that benefit a significant number of beneficiaries, particularly in economically deprived areas, and they prefer established organisations, so show your reach and track record.
- Its stated geographic focus is Stockport and Nairobi, which is worth checking against your work, and applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
- The grant range is not stated, so ask the Foundation what size of request it expects before you set a figure.
Overview
Ford Family Foundation is a charity registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales (charity number 1188878).
The Ford Family Foundation is a charity registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales. It was set up to address the fact that the work of social enterprises goes largely unnoticed, and it exists to back social entrepreneurs and help their ventures grow and make an impact. It has donated over £3m to enable grants of £100k–£250k each to more than 20 CICs, and its latest annual report records £445,000 awarded.
What they fund
Priority Areas
The Foundation provides grants and social investments to charities and social enterprises for activities, services and outcomes that constitute a charitable use of funds for public benefit. Its website describes identifying social entrepreneurs leading Community Interest Companies and not-for-profit companies, and offering significant grants and mentoring to help them grow and make an impact. Its grant-making remains flexible across charitable purposes. Trustees favour applications benefiting a significant number of beneficiaries, from charitable or not-for-profit organisations, particularly those working in economically deprived areas; established organisations are preferred. Its philanthropic capital has supported work on cancer support, knife crime prevention, food poverty and environmental sustainability.
Themes
- Social enterprise
- Cancer support
- Knife crime prevention
- Food poverty
- Environmental sustainability
Geographic Focus
Stockport; Nairobi.
How to apply
Applicants make applications for grants that further the Foundation’s objective, which the trustees consider.
Who can apply:
- Applicants must be charitable or not for profit organisations.
Application success factors
What the charity says:
- Applications should benefit a significant number of beneficiaries.
- The Foundation prefers organisations working in economically deprived areas.
- The Foundation prefers established organisations.
Where they fund
Where it says it funds
- Nairobi
- Stockport
Similar funders
Funders supporting work similar to Ford Family Foundation.
Grants
The largest grants to organisations in this funder’s latest annual report:
- Real Direction£325,000year to 31 December 2024
- Beechwood£50,000year to 31 December 2024
- Ignite Grant£50,000year to 31 December 2024
- Charlies Promise£20,000year to 31 December 2024
Grant examples taken from the funder’s filed accounts.
Five years of accounts
| Financial year | Income | Expenditure | Grants paid | Accounts document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| year to 31 December 2020 | £18,885 | £1,500 | — | Accounts for year to 31 December 2020 |
| year to 31 December 2021 | £45,500 | £1,560 | — | Accounts for year to 31 December 2021 |
| year to 31 December 2022 | £1,654,615 | £310,413 | £226,250 | Accounts for year to 31 December 2022 |
| year to 31 December 2023 | £7,810 | £119,000 | — | Accounts for year to 31 December 2023 |
| year to 31 December 2024 | £166,843 | £571,651 | £445,000 | Accounts for year to 31 December 2024 |
Income vs grants paid
IncomeGrants paid
Total value each financial year
In 1 of the 2 years shown, grants paid exceeded income.
- Grants paid, year to 31 December 2022: grants to institutions, as reported on the charity register (Part B).
- Grants paid, year to 31 December 2024: grants awarded in the year, as reported in the accounts.
Figures from the charity’s filed accounts and its register entry. The document icon links to the charity’s entry on the Charity Commission register, where its filed accounts can be found.
Sources
Registers and filings
Other sources
- fordfamilyfoundation.co.uk/home-page-2 · read on 31 October 2026
- fordfamilyfoundation.co.uk · read on 31 October 2026
- Annual report (year to 31 December 2024)
This profile draws on the funder’s own website as well as its filed accounts.
Sources last checked on 31 October 2026.
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At a glance
Applying to Ford Family Foundation?
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Applying to Ford Family Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required