ICAEW Foundation
At a glance
Key takeaways
- The Foundation's stated themes are accountancy education and bursaries for disadvantaged students, and it says it supports bodies, charitable trusts or funds for public benefit in areas of particular interest to ICAEW, so a project in those areas is the closest fit.
- Its geographic focus is given as the UK, Northern Ireland, Cyprus, Greece and Hong Kong SAR.
- The annual report shows £446,000 awarded and no grant range is stated, so a modest request is the realistic starting point.
- There is no publicly published application process: research projects and events go to the Research Advisory Board, while grant and bursary applications go to the CAT Board through the Foundation office.
- Students should not apply to the Changing Futures bursary unless they come from a school-leaver background with family income of circa £25,000 pa and do not qualify for any other form of financial assistance, and the only published timing is that participating universities are listed from April to October each year.
Overview
ICAEW Foundation is a charity registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales (charity number 313983).
The ICAEW Foundation aims to support and provide donations to bodies, charitable trusts or funds for the public benefit in areas of particular interest to ICAEW. It offers bursaries, prizes, research and PhD fellowships, teaching fellowships, and library services and heritage. Changing Futures provides university bursaries for talented students from financially disadvantaged backgrounds studying for an accountancy or finance related degree, and Building Futures provides bursaries for students undertaking professional accountancy qualifications in several countries. According to the annual report, it awarded £446,000.
What they fund
Priority Areas
The Foundation's bursary programmes support talented students from financially disadvantaged backgrounds who want to study an accountancy or finance-related degree at university, and students undertaking professional accountancy qualifications. It provides bursaries through universities in the UK and internationally. Its policy also supports the general professional education of suitable people preparing for, entering or engaged in accountancy, including books or fees, and prizes connected with ICAEW examinations. More broadly, it makes grants for selected initiatives where its contribution can make a positive difference. It supports bodies, charitable trusts or funds for public benefit in areas of particular interest to ICAEW. Grant applications for research projects and events are considered by the Research Advisory Board; grant and bursary applications go to the CAT Board for approval through the Foundation office.
Themes
- Accountancy education
- Bursaries for disadvantaged students
Geographic Focus
The UK; Northern Ireland; Cyprus; Greece; Hong Kong SAR.
What they don't fund
- Changing Futures bursary programme only: bursaries are specifically for talented but financially disadvantaged (a family income of circa £25,000 pa) school leavers who would like to study for an accountancy or finance related degree at university; students who specifically do not qualify for any other form of financial assistance or funding
How to apply
For organisational grant applications, including research projects and events, the Research Advisory Board considers applications and recommends them to the trustee. Grant and bursary applications are put to the CAT Board for approval through the Foundation office; the trustee may accept or reject applications considered by the RAB.
Application windows:
- Changing Futures Bursary: Participating universities are listed from April to October annually.
Who can apply:
- Changing Futures Bursary: Bursaries are for talented but financially disadvantaged school leavers wishing to study for an accountancy or finance related degree at university, with family income of circa £25,000 pa; students should not qualify for any other form of financial assistance or funding.
Application success factors
What the charity says:
- It selects initiatives where its contribution can make a positive difference to the outcome.
Where they fund
Where it says it funds
- Cyprus
- Greece
- Hong Kong S.A.R.
- United Kingdom
- Northern Ireland
Similar funders
Funders supporting work similar to ICAEW Foundation.
Five years of accounts
| Financial year | Income | Expenditure | Grants paid | Accounts document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| year to 31 December 2021 | £1,022,507 | £1,108,699 | £219,508 | Accounts for year to 31 December 2021 |
| year to 31 December 2022 | £1,062,697 | £1,124,479 | £219,541 | Accounts for year to 31 December 2022 |
| year to 31 December 2023 | £1,101,586 | £1,107,564 | £265,579 | Accounts for year to 31 December 2023 |
| year to 31 December 2024 | £1,118,447 | £1,194,570 | £274,891 | Accounts for year to 31 December 2024 |
| year to 31 December 2025 | £1,210,526 | £1,380,041 | £446,000 | Accounts for year to 31 December 2025 |
Income vs grants paid
IncomeGrants paid
Total value each financial year
Grants paid stayed within income across the 5 years shown.
- Grants paid, year to 31 December 2021; year to 31 December 2022; year to 31 December 2023; year to 31 December 2024: grants to institutions, as reported on the charity register (Part B).
- Grants paid, year to 31 December 2025: 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
- icaew.com/foundation · read on 30 October 2026
- icaew.com/about-icaew/who-we-are/awards-and-bursaries/icaew-foundation/changing-futures-bursary-programme · read on 30 October 2026
- Annual report (year to 31 December 2025)
This profile draws on the funder’s own website as well as its filed accounts.
Sources last checked on 30 October 2026.
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At a glance
Applying to ICAEW Foundation?
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Applying to ICAEW Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required