Infrastructure Industry Foundation

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £376,876 (FY 2023-24)
• Annual Fundraising: £950,000 (2025 Gala)
• Total Raised Since 2019: Over £2.3 million
• Charities Supported: 9+ organizations
• Geographic Focus: UK national
• Grant Distribution: Trustee discretion, no public application process

Contact Details

Website: https://www.infraindustryfoundation.com/

Email: info@infrafoundation.co.uk

Phone: 020 3977 3357

Address: 10 Fenchurch Avenue, London, EC3M 5AG

Charity Nominations: Available through annual gala nomination form at https://www.infraindustryfoundation.com/annualgala

Overview

The Infrastructure Industry Foundation (IIF) was established in 2019 by Infracapital with backing from industry peers across the infrastructure investment sector. Founded in response to a colleague's diagnosis with Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma (ACC), the inaugural fundraising dinner raised £215,000 for The Ella Project, a life-saving cancer research initiative. Since then, the Foundation has evolved into a permanent cross-industry charitable foundation that unites the infrastructure investment sector to support causes close to the hearts of industry members and communities in which they operate. The Foundation raised over £2.3 million through its first five years, supporting nine charitable organizations. The 2025 gala alone raised £950,000 with over 450 professionals from more than 50 firms attending. The Foundation is governed by a volunteer Trustee Board drawn from across the infrastructure investment sector, including professionals from Infracapital, WEIL, GIIA, and PWC.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The IIF operates two core funding streams alongside annual charitable selections:

The Ella Project (Ongoing commitment since 2019)

• Focus: Research into Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma (ACC), a rare head and neck cancer
• Named after Ella Pinney, who worked in the infrastructure industry
• Aims to develop more effective drug treatments for ACC

Social Mobility Initiative (Long-standing commitment)

• Focus: Empowering and equipping young people from least advantaged backgrounds
• Approach: Multi-partner strategy with financial grants and industry engagement opportunities
• Four partner organizations receive ongoing support

Annual Charitable Causes (Selected yearly)

• 2025 supported four new charities: Magic Breakfast, Starlight, Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM), and Alternatives to Cancer
• Selection based on industry member nominations
• Focus on causes relevant to industry professionals or their communities

Social Mobility Partners

1. Career Ready - Provides one-on-one mentoring for students aged 16-18, with monthly workplace meetings
2. Speakers for Schools - Offers opportunities for industry professionals to deliver recorded or live presentations to inspire students about the infrastructure sector
3. The Access Project - Helps talented young people from under-resourced backgrounds access top UK universities
4. The Sutton Trust - Conducts research and implements evidence-based solutions to address barriers to opportunity from early years to workplace

Priority Areas

The Foundation's charitable objects cover:

• Advancement of health or the saving of lives
• Prevention or relief of poverty
• Advancement of education
• Advancement of volunteering and/or the voluntary sector
• Promotion of urban and rural regeneration
• Advancement of environmental protection or improvements

Priority is given to causes that are:

• Close to the hearts of people in the infrastructure investment industry
• Relevant to communities where the industry operates
• Nominated by industry members with compelling justification

What They Don't Fund

Not explicitly stated, but the Foundation focuses exclusively on causes nominated by infrastructure industry members and selected by trustees. Unsolicited applications from organizations without industry connections are unlikely to be considered.

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Governance and Leadership

Structure: Governed by a volunteer Trustee Board comprising professionals from across the infrastructure investment sector

Notable Trustees: Richard Allsopp, Ed Clarke, Ed Gander, Martin Lennon, Jon Philips (representing organizations including Infracapital, WEIL, GIIA, and PWC)

Fellows: The Foundation maintains a group of “Fellows” who help deliver initiatives and support fundraising efforts

Governance Principles:

• No trustees receive remuneration, payments, or benefits from the charity
• All trustees are volunteers
• 8 trustees oversee operations
• 5 additional volunteers support activities

Financial Year 2023-24:

• Total Income: £704,590
• Total Expenditure: £376,876
• Retained for Future Use: £327,714

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process. The Infrastructure Industry Foundation distributes grants exclusively to charities nominated by infrastructure industry members and selected by the Trustee Board.

Grant recipients are chosen through:

1. Industry Nominations: Members of the infrastructure investment sector are invited to nominate causes close to their hearts or relevant to the industry
2. Annual Gala Process: Nominations are accepted through the annual gala nomination form
3. Trustee Selection: The Trustee Board evaluates nominations and selects different causes each year
4. Long-term Partnerships: Some causes (The Ella Project, Social Mobility Initiative) receive ongoing multi-year support

Getting on Their Radar

Connect Through the Annual Gala: The Foundation's annual gala dinner (held in April each year, with the 2026 event scheduled for Thursday, 23rd April at The Chancery Rosewood, London) provides opportunities for:

• Charity Nominations: Industry members can nominate charities through the online form at https://www.infraindustryfoundation.com/annualgala
• Networking: Over 450 professionals from 50+ infrastructure investment firms attend
• Building Relationships: The gala brings together private equity funds, direct investors, and advisors from across the sector

Nomination Requirements: When nominating a charity, industry members must provide:

• Charity name and mission
• Reason for supporting the charity
• Potential impact of an IIF donation
• Connection to the industry (either industry-related cause or personal affiliation)

Industry Engagement: The Foundation emphasizes bringing the infrastructure investment sector together, so charities with existing relationships to sector professionals or those addressing issues affecting industry communities are prioritized.

Decision Timeline

• Annual Selection Cycle: New charities are selected annually, typically announced in connection with the gala dinner
• Gala Timing: Held annually in April (2026 gala: 23rd April)
• Long-term Commitments: Some initiatives like The Ella Project and Social Mobility partnerships receive multi-year support beyond single-year grants

Success Rates

Not publicly disclosed. The Foundation has supported 9+ charities since 2019, with the 2025 gala supporting four new charitable causes.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable due to nomination-based selection process. Previous beneficiaries may be renominated by industry members, and some causes (The Ella Project, Social Mobility Initiative) receive ongoing support across multiple years.

Application Success Factors

Industry Connection is Essential: All successful charities have been nominated by infrastructure industry members. The Foundation explicitly states it selects causes “close to the hearts of people in the infrastructure investment industry” or “relevant to communities where the industry operates.”

Compelling Personal Stories: The Ella Project demonstrates the Foundation's responsiveness to causes with direct personal connections to industry colleagues. Ella Pinney's diagnosis galvanized the entire foundation's creation.

Alignment with Sector Values: The Social Mobility Initiative reflects the infrastructure sector's interest in building diverse talent pipelines and creating opportunities for disadvantaged youth to enter the industry.

Demonstrated Impact Potential: When nominating charities, industry members must articulate the “potential impact of an IIF donation,” suggesting the Foundation prioritizes causes where their contribution can make measurable difference.

Multi-Stakeholder Engagement: The Social Mobility Initiative partners offer complementary capabilities—Career Ready (mentoring), Speakers for Schools (inspiration), The Access Project (university access), The Sutton Trust (research and policy). This suggests the Foundation values charities that can mobilize industry volunteers alongside financial grants.

Health and Youth Focus: Recent selections show strong emphasis on health-related causes (The Ella Project, Starlight, Alternatives to Cancer) and youth/social mobility programs, indicating these align with trustee priorities.

Scalability and Reach: With galas raising up to £950,000 in a single year, the Foundation can make substantial contributions. Charities should demonstrate capacity to effectively deploy significant grants.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• No Direct Application Available: You cannot apply directly to this funder. Access requires nomination by someone within the infrastructure investment sector (private equity funds, direct investors, advisors).
• Build Industry Connections: Attend infrastructure sector events, cultivate relationships with professionals from firms like Infracapital and the 50+ organizations involved with the Foundation.
• Target the Annual Gala: The April gala is the primary vehicle for charity nominations. Connect with industry members who attend (450+ professionals from 50+ firms) to secure nomination.
• Emphasize Personal Connection: The Foundation's origin story shows responsiveness to causes with direct personal relevance to industry members. Your charity's connection to someone in the sector strengthens nomination prospects.
• Demonstrate Industry Relevance: Articulate how your cause relates to infrastructure communities or addresses issues affecting industry professionals and their families.
• Offer Engagement Opportunities: The Social Mobility Initiative shows the Foundation values causes that enable industry members to volunteer time and expertise, not just donate money.
• Think Long-term Partnership: While new causes are selected annually, successful partnerships (The Ella Project, Social Mobility) receive multi-year support, suggesting strong performance can lead to sustained funding.

Similar Funders

These funders have a similar focus and geographic reach:

• Chartered Accountants' Livery Charity
• The Roddick Foundation
• The Newcore Foundation
• The Alchemy Foundation
• THE KENNETH & SUSAN GREEN CHARITABLE FOUNDATION
• The Equitix Foundation
• The Greenslade Family Foundation
• The Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation - London Division
• The Patrick Rowland Foundation
• Ken Dodd Charitable Foundation

References

1. Infrastructure Industry Foundation Official Website - https://www.infraindustryfoundation.com/
2. Infrastructure Industry Foundation Annual Gala Information - https://www.infraindustryfoundation.com/annualgala
3. Infrastructure Industry Foundation Causes Page - https://www.infraindustryfoundation.com/causes
4. Infrastructure Industry Foundation About Page - https://www.infraindustryfoundation.com/about
5. UK Charity Commission - Infrastructure Industry Foundation (Charity Number 1184909) - https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/en/charity-search/-/charity-details/5145456/charity-overview
6. IJGlobal News - “Date set for IIF gala dinner” - https://www.ijglobal.com/articles/172784/date-set-for-iif-gala-dinner
7. Career Ready - Infrastructure Industry Foundation Partnership - https://careerready.org.uk/iif/