Impetus - the Private Equity Foundation

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £2+ million (co-investment programme)
• Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
• Decision Time: 3-6 months (typical grant round cycle)
• Grant Range: £100,000 per year
• Geographic Focus: England and Wales

Contact Details

• Website: https://www.impetus.org.uk/
• Email: info@impetus.org.uk
• Phone: 07774 437 701
• Address: 1st Floor, Golden Cross House, 8 Duncannon Street, London, WC2N 4JF

Overview

Founded through the 2013 merger of Impetus Trust (established 2002) and The Private Equity Foundation (2006), Impetus transforms the lives of young people from disadvantaged backgrounds. Since 2013, they have provided £100 million worth of support to partner organisations, including £32.6 million of core unrestricted funding. The organisation applies private equity principles to philanthropy, working with 25+ portfolio organisations. They are uniquely positioned with backing from private equity professionals who bring strategic expertise through board and committee roles. Recent strategic focus includes the £3 million Engage Fund (with Henry Smith Charity) tackling school exclusions and the Connect Fund addressing employment gaps for ethnic minority youth.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programmes

• Skills Grant: £100,000 unrestricted funding for one year (potential for extension) - supporting organisations helping NEET young people into sustained employment
• School Attainment Grant: £100,000 unrestricted funding for one year (potential for extension) - working with organisations supporting underserved students in mainstream schools through teacher CPD and/or school leadership development
• Connect Fund: £100,000 per year for two years - addressing employment gaps for ethnic minority young people
• Engage Fund: Various amounts - tackling school exclusions and supporting Alternative Provision
• Application method: Online applications during specific grant rounds (typically March-April)

Priority Areas

• Education support and school attainment for disadvantaged young people (aged 14-25)
• Employment and skills development for NEET youth
• Social and emotional learning skills development
• Tackling racial disparities in youth employment
• Alternative provision and school exclusion prevention

What They Don't Fund

• Organisations where <50% of beneficiaries are from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds
• Organisations with income below £100,000 in last examined accounts
• Organisations that haven't achieved break-even in at least 2 of past 3 years (unless holding 2+ months operating costs in reserves)
• Work delivered outside England and Wales

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Governance and Leadership

Current leadership includes CEO Susannah Hardyman MBE (joined January 2025) and Chair Bill Benjamin (Ares Management). The board includes trustees from major private equity firms including Alexander Walsh (Blackstone), Arnaud Bosquet (Apax), Christian Lucas (Silver Lake), Filippo Cardini (TowerBrook), and Shani Zindel (Livingbridge), alongside trustees from other sectors including Andy Thoms (Google), Charlie Edwards (The Stone Family Foundation), Lisa Harker (Nuffield Family Justice Observatory), Natasha Porter (Unlocked Graduates), and Sat Singh (Renaissance Foundation). No trustees receive remuneration. The organisation was founded by Stephen Dawson and benefits from continued support from the private equity community.

Leadership quote: “We find, fund and build the most promising charities working with these young people, providing core funding and working shoulder-to-shoulder with their leaders to help them become stronger organisations.”

How to Apply to Impetus - The Private Equity Foundation

How to Apply

• Online eligibility form and application
• Initial application designed to take approximately 2 hours
• Site visits for shortlisted organisations
• Specific grant rounds typically open March-April annually

Decision Timeline

• Grant rounds typically run 4-6 weeks
• Site visits for shortlisted applicants
• Decisions communicated following assessment period

Success Rates

Not publicly disclosed, but they have partnered with 38 organisations from 1,225 identified since 2013.

Reapplication Policy

Organisations can apply to different grant rounds. Unsuccessful organisations that reach site visit stage are compensated for their time.

Application Success Factors

Direct Advice from Impetus:

• “Leadership team and Board committed to improving impact using data”
• Organisations should demonstrate clear outcomes measurement focused on employment, education, or training
• Strong emphasis on supporting ethnic minority-led organisations and those addressing racial disparities
• Financial sustainability is crucial - must demonstrate organisational stability

Recent Successful Partners Include:

• Business Launchpad and Breadwinners (Connect Fund 2025)
• Co-op Academies Trust and The Two Counties Trust (Engage Fund 2024)
• Streets of Growth, School of Hard Knocks, and Empire Fighting Chance (2024)
• Generation UK, IMO Charity, and Sister System (renewed 2025)

Success Terminology:

Uses language around “transformation,” “impact,” “evidence-based,” “sustainable outcomes,” and “closing gaps” between disadvantaged and better-off young people.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Core unrestricted funding approach: Impetus provides flexible funding allowing organisations to use grants where most needed
• Long-term partnership model: Initial grants often lead to multi-year relationships with ongoing support
• Beyond funding support: Access to pro-bono network including PwC and Bain, peer learning forums, and strategic guidance
• Data-driven focus: Strong emphasis on measurement, evaluation, and evidence-based approaches
• Diversity priority: Actively encourages applications from ethnic minority-led organisations
• Private equity expertise: Leverage their unique position by demonstrating how PE principles could strengthen your organisation
• Compensation for time: Unusual practice of compensating unsuccessful finalists shows commitment to respectful process

Similar Funders

These funders have a similar focus and geographic reach:

• Charity Of Sir Richard Whittington
• Young Hammersmith And Fulham Foundation
• Isle Of Wight Foundation
• The Cherry Family Foundation
• The Spoore, Merry And Rixman Foundation
• St Giles-in-the-fields And William Shelton Educational Charity
• Rand's Educational Foundation
• Young K&c
• Huntingdon Freemen's Trust
• Hays Travel Foundation

References

• Impetus Official Website: https://www.impetus.org.uk/
• UK Charity Commission Registry: Charity number 1152262
• Impetus Funding Opportunities: https://www.impetus.org.uk/funding-opportunities
• Recent partnership announcements and news updates from Impetus website
• 360Giving GrantNav data for IMPETUS - THE PRIVATE EQUITY FOUNDATION
• Companies House filing information for company 08460519