James Percy Foundation

Charity Number: 1144494

Annual Expenditure: £9.6M
Geographic Focus: Ethiopia, India, Malawi, Rwanda, Tanzania, Zambia

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Income: ??9,609,875 (2023)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly available
  • Decision Time: Multi-stage process (specific timeline not disclosed)
  • Grant Range: ??100,000 - ??200,000 per year (new partners)
  • Geographic Focus: India and Sub-Saharan Africa (Ethiopia, Malawi, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia)

Contact Details

  • Website: www.jamespercyfoundation.org
  • Email: info@jamespercyfoundation.org
  • Phone: 0208 123 7988
  • Note: Foundation does not accept unsolicited requests; contact first to discuss opportunities

Overview

The James Percy Foundation is an independent UK grant-making foundation registered with the Charity Commission (charity number 1144494) in September 2011. The foundation's mission is to "reduce the 'opportunity gap' by providing more opportunities to those born in disadvantaged environments," operating on the belief that geographic location should not determine a person's potential. With annual income exceeding ??9.6 million (2023), the foundation supports evidence-based projects in health, education, and poverty alleviation across India and Sub-Saharan Africa. The foundation primarily awards multi-year project-specific grants between ??100,000-??200,000 annually, requiring partners to demonstrate sustainability, value for money, and collaboration with national governments.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Standard Grants for New Partners

  • Grant range: ??100,000 - ??200,000 per grant year
  • Eligibility cap: Maximum 20% of organization's annual income (e.g., ??1 million minimum income required for ??200,000 grant)
  • Grant periods: Typically 1-3 years
  • Different limits may apply to existing partners
  • Project-specific funding (will consider partial project funding)

Application Method: Not currently accepting unsolicited applications; potential partners must first contact the foundation to discuss opportunities

Priority Areas

Health

  • Maternal, newborn, and child health projects
  • Addressing main causes of child mortality
  • Healthcare worker training
  • Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) projects with proven long-term sustainability
  • Nutrition and food fortification programs

Education

  • Projects backed by compelling evidence of impact on learning outcomes
  • Must demonstrate measurable effects on educational achievement

Poverty Alleviation

  • Projects addressing significant needs in disadvantaged communities
  • Sustainable interventions with measurable outcomes

Geographic Focus: Projects must be in stable areas of priority countries: Ethiopia (new applications temporarily suspended), India, Malawi, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia

What They Don't Fund

  • Research projects
  • Disaster relief or emergency COVID-19 specific projects
  • Religious or political causes
  • Individual sponsorships
  • General appeals
  • Conferences
  • Projects in unstable areas
  • Organizations without established in-country presence
  • Projects not collaborating with national governments
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Governance and Leadership

Trustees:

  • Eduard Huntingford Lhuillier (Appointed September 2011)
  • Martine Helene Suzanne Lhuillier (Appointed September 2011)
  • Henry Page (Appointed July 2013)

The foundation operates with a small board structure and no trustees receive remuneration, payments, or benefits from the charity. A grant-selection committee, whose members participate in field visits and applicant support, oversees the rigorous multi-stage application review process.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

  1. Initial Contact: Contact the foundation to discuss funding opportunities (no unsolicited applications accepted)
  2. Concept Note: Submit concept note meeting Grant-Selection Criteria
  3. Due Diligence Review: Foundation conducts thorough organizational assessment
  4. Full Proposal: Submit detailed project proposal
  5. Field Visit: Grant-selection committee visits (currently suspended, but may resume)
  6. Trustee Decision: Final review and approval by trustees

Decision Timeline

Specific timeframes not publicly disclosed, but the foundation acknowledges the process is lengthy. The multi-stage process includes concept note review, due diligence, proposal development, potential field visits, and trustee review.

Success Rates

Success rates and application numbers are not publicly available.

Reapplication Policy

No specific reapplication policy information is publicly available. Unsuccessful applicants should contact the foundation directly for guidance.

Application Success Factors

Partner Requirements (Non-Negotiable)

  • Registered charity status
  • Annual income over ??1 million
  • Proven 3-year track record addressing relevant issue
  • Established in-country presence in priority country
  • Active collaboration with national government (not parallel work)

Key Selection Criteria

  • Evidence-Based: Projects must have strong evidence of effectiveness
  • Sustainability: Demonstrate long-term viability beyond grant period (particularly critical for WASH projects)
  • Measurable Impact: Specific, measurable targets required
  • Value for Money: Cost-effectiveness is essential
  • Significant Need: Must address substantial, documented problems
  • Monitoring & Evaluation: Robust M&E plans required

Recent Successful Projects

Health/WASH:

  • RCPCH Rwanda perinatal quality improvement: ??600,000 over 3 years
  • IRC WASH Uganda: ???681,818 (March 2022 - February 2025) benefiting 186,900 people
  • Water For People Rwanda: ??600,000 reaching nearly 1 million people

Nutrition:

  • CARE International India (Project Vruddhi): ??600,000 to avert 40,000 stunting cases
  • Nutrition International Malawi: $749,580 to maintain vitamin A coverage
  • Sanku Tanzania maize fortification: Reached 470,000 people with fortified flour

Application Tips

  • Grant-selection committee members are available to assist during application process
  • Foundation welcomes applications for partial project funding (not necessarily full budget)
  • For WASH projects specifically: must provide evidence of achieving long-term sustainability in previous projects
  • Education projects: compelling evidence of learning outcomes is essential
  • Foundation values collaboration with government over parallel implementation

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • High Capacity Bar: Only organizations with ??1 million+ income and strong 3-year track records need apply; this is a funder for established organizations, not emerging groups
  • Evidence is Everything: Whether health, WASH, or education, you must demonstrate proven approaches with measurable outcomes???no pilots or experimental models
  • Sustainability Over Innovation: The foundation prioritizes long-term impact and sustainable models over novel approaches; show how your work continues beyond funding
  • Government Partnership Essential: Applications must demonstrate active collaboration with national governments; working in parallel is not acceptable
  • Multi-Year Commitment: With 1-3 year grant periods, the foundation invests in deeper partnerships rather than one-off projects
  • Contact First: Do not submit unsolicited proposals; initial conversation to discuss fit is required before formal application
  • Geographic Specificity: Ensure your project is in stable areas of priority countries (Ethiopia applications currently suspended)

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