Horne Foundation

Charity Number: 283751

Annual Expenditure: £0.2M

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Quick Stats

  • Charity Number: 283751
  • Annual Income: £52,839 (2024)
  • Annual Expenditure: £180,601 (2024)
  • Geographic Focus: Northamptonshire and Oxfordshire
  • Foundation Year: 1984 (registered as charity 1981)
  • Previously Known As: The Kenneth Horne Charitable Trust

Contact Details

  • Email: hornefoundation@googlemail.com
  • Phone: 0247625 7481
  • Address: PO Box 6165, Newbury, RG14 9FY
  • Charity Commission Registration: 283751

Overview

The Horne Foundation was established in March 1984 when the Robert Horne Group, a family-owned paper merchant that moved to Northampton in 1975, became a public company. The foundation's charitable object is the advancement of education. Over the years, it has funded multiple educational and artistic projects in Northamptonshire and several hundred student bursaries supporting quality education. The foundation operates primarily through grant-making, focusing on major educational projects involving new buildings, smaller donations to local projects in the Northampton and Oxfordshire area, and student bursaries for higher education through Northampton schools. The foundation is managed by three trustees who receive no remuneration or benefits from the charity.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Major Educational Building Projects: Grants for significant educational projects that involve new buildings or facilities.

Local Educational Projects: Smaller donations to local educational initiatives in the Northampton and Oxfordshire areas.

Student Bursaries: Financial support for students pursuing higher education through Northampton schools. The foundation has supported several hundred student bursaries since its establishment.

Priority Areas

  • Education and training
  • Arts, culture, heritage, and science
  • Children and young people
  • Providing buildings, facilities, and open spaces for educational purposes

Geographic Focus

  • Northamptonshire (primary focus)
  • Oxfordshire
  • Operating area is specifically limited to these regions
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Governance and Leadership

Current Trustees (as of 2024):

  • Mrs Julie Davenport
  • Miss Tina Horne
  • Mrs Ros Harwood

The foundation has three trustees, none of whom receive any remuneration, payments, or benefits from the charity. The foundation has no employees with benefits over £60,000 and no trading subsidiaries.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

The Horne Foundation does not have a public application process for organizational grants to educational building projects or local initiatives. The foundation appears to operate primarily through trustee discretion for organizational grants.

For Student Bursaries:

  • Schoolchildren: Should apply through their school as the bursary scheme runs in conjunction with the local council. Applications are best made through the head teacher.
  • Students: Should apply in writing to the foundation at the contact address provided.
  • Consideration: Applications are considered twice a year.

The foundation also partners with Northamptonshire Community Foundation to manage The Robert Horne Employee Fund, which provides support for former employees of the Robert Horne Group experiencing financial hardship.

Decision Timeline

Student bursary applications are considered twice annually, though specific decision dates are not publicly available.

Success Rates

The foundation has supported “several hundred student bursaries” since its establishment in 1984, indicating a sustained commitment to supporting students in the region. Specific success rates or application-to-award ratios are not publicly available.

Application Success Factors

For those seeking student bursaries from the Horne Foundation:

  • Work through established channels: Schoolchildren should apply through their schools in partnership with the local council, as the foundation has established working relationships with these institutions.
  • Focus on Northamptonshire connection: The foundation prioritizes students from Northampton schools and the broader Northamptonshire area.
  • Higher education focus: Bursaries are specifically aimed at supporting students pursuing higher education.
  • Demonstrate need: Given the foundation's recent partnership to support those in financial hardship (through the Robert Horne Employee Fund), demonstrating financial need may be important.
  • Written applications for students: Individual students should submit written applications rather than verbal or informal requests.

For organizations seeking grants for educational building projects or local initiatives, building relationships with the trustees would be necessary, as there is no public application process.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • The Horne Foundation is a well-established educational charity with roots in the Robert Horne Group, a paper merchant that was integral to Northampton's business community
  • The foundation focuses exclusively on educational advancement, with a strong geographic focus on Northamptonshire and Oxfordshire
  • There is no public application process for organizational grants to educational projects - these appear to be awarded at trustee discretion
  • Student bursaries have a defined application route through schools and local councils, with applications considered twice yearly
  • The foundation has a track record of supporting “several hundred” student bursaries over its 40-year history
  • Despite modest annual income (£52,839), the foundation's annual expenditure (£180,601) suggests it is drawing on reserves or endowment to fulfill its charitable purposes
  • The foundation operates with a lean governance structure (three unpaid trustees, no employees) keeping administrative costs minimal

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