John Lewis Partnership Foundation

Charity Number: 1118162

Annual Expenditure: £10.4M
Geographic Focus: Cambodia, China, India, Vietnam, Scotland, Throughout England And Wales

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £10.4 million (across all John Lewis Partnership charitable activities, 2024)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly available
  • Decision Time: Not specified (varies by fund)
  • Grant Range: £2,000 - £30,000 (varies by fund)
  • Geographic Focus: UK (with some international employability projects)

Contact Details

  • Website: www.johnlewispartnership.co.uk/foundation
  • Email: trustsandfoundations@johnlewis.co.uk
  • Phone: 020 7592 5658
  • Registered Office: 1 Drummond Gate, Pimlico, London, SW1V 2QQ
  • Charity Number: 1118162
  • Company Number: 06058796

Overview

The John Lewis Partnership Foundation launched in February 2024, bringing together previously separate UK registered charities and community activities under one unified charitable body. The Foundation is funded directly by the John Lewis Partnership, along with contributions from Partners (employees), suppliers, and customers. With a mission to share skills and resources within the Partnership, the Foundation focuses on social and environmental challenges where it can have a positive impact. The Foundation operates through four distinct funds: the Building Happier Futures Fund (supporting care-experienced people), the Employability Fund (established 2007, supporting vulnerable young people's access to education and employment), the Nature Fund (previously the John Spedan Lewis Foundation, established 1967), and the Golden Jubilee Trust (established 2000, facilitating Partner volunteering). Together with customers, Partners, and suppliers, the Partnership generated £10.4 million for worthy causes in 2024. The Foundation is governed by a board of trustees comprising both internal Partners and external experts, with no trustees receiving remuneration.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Building Happier Futures Fund: £5,000 - £20,000

  • Supports UK-based charities, CICs, and social enterprises working with care-experienced people
  • Focuses on employability (training, skills, experience, education, social skills), education, connection, experience, and advocacy
  • Applications accepted via guidance pack and online form (currently closed, reopens periodically)

Employability Fund: Average grant £10,000 (specific range not disclosed)

  • Supports vulnerable young people in disadvantaged communities accessing education and skills for sustainable employment
  • UK and international projects (particularly in communities connected to John Lewis Partnership supply chain)
  • Example grants: £87,300 (Changing Young Lives Foundation), £99,889 (Blackburn Youth Zone), £450,000 (three-year collaboration with Toybox and British Asian Trust)
  • Applications currently closed

Nature Fund: £2,000 - £30,000

  • Supports UK-based registered charities with annual income under £1 million
  • Focus on protecting UK species and habitats and restoring natural spaces
  • Seeks projects where the Foundation provides at least 50% of total project costs
  • Also offers PhD bursaries
  • Grants awarded twice a year (currently closed)

Golden Jubilee Trust: In-kind support (not monetary grants)

  • Facilitates Partner secondments to UK registered charities for up to six months
  • Supports approximately 50 charity placements annually
  • Over 500,000 hours of volunteer time donated since 2000
  • Applications currently open

Priority Areas

  • Care-experienced people and vulnerable children/young people
  • Youth employability, education, and skills development
  • UK nature conservation, species protection, and habitat restoration
  • Community engagement and social cohesion
  • Disadvantaged communities with connections to John Lewis Partnership

What They Don't Fund

Specific exclusions not explicitly stated, but guidance packs detail eligibility criteria for each fund. Generally, projects must demonstrate charitable purpose and not-for-profit status.

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Governance and Leadership

Chair of Trustees: Dame Oriana Clare Tickell, DBE

Internal Trustees (John Lewis Partners):

  • Marija Rompani: Partner & Director of Sustainability and Ethics
  • Tracy Higgins: Partner & Programme Manager
  • Ceira Thom: Partner & Head of Learning
  • Julie Rushworth: Partner & Waitrose Regional Manager

External Trustees:

  • Nyika Brain: Sustainability and Social Impact Consultant
  • Simon Bishop: CEO, BBC Media Action
  • David Cope: Executive Director for Purpose at the Duchy of Cornwall
  • James Fletcher: Deputy Director of Development, Oxford University

No trustees receive remuneration, payments, or benefits from the charity. The Foundation's governance structure combines internal Partnership expertise with external specialist knowledge in relevant fields.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

Building Happier Futures Fund:

  • Download the guidance pack to check eligibility
  • Complete online application form
  • Email trustsandfoundations@johnlewis.co.uk for queries
  • Applications accepted on a periodic basis (currently closed)

Employability Fund:

  • Check guidance pack for specific eligibility criteria (communities with connection to John Lewis Partnership)
  • Applications currently closed; monitor website for reopening

Nature Fund:

  • Email trustsandfoundations@johnlewis.co.uk to request application materials
  • Specify which fund you're applying to
  • Download guidance pack when applications reopen
  • Decisions made twice annually

Golden Jubilee Trust:

  • Open to John Lewis Partners only
  • Download application guide
  • Applications currently open

Decision Timeline

Specific decision timelines not publicly disclosed. The Nature Fund awards grants twice a year. Projects are normally not supported for more than three years. Contact the Foundation directly for current processing times.

Success Rates

Success rates are not publicly available.

Reapplication Policy

Reapplication policy not specified in public materials. Contact trustsandfoundations@johnlewis.co.uk for guidance on reapplying after an unsuccessful application.

Application Success Factors

Demonstrated Connection: The Employability Fund specifically supports “communities that share a connection to the John Lewis Partnership,” suggesting that demonstrating a link to their supply chain, locations, or operations may strengthen applications.

Clear Focus on Target Groups: Projects must clearly demonstrate how they will support the specific beneficiaries of each fund: care-experienced people (Building Happier Futures), vulnerable young people seeking employment (Employability), or UK nature conservation (Nature Fund).

Employability in the Broadest Sense: For people-focused funds, the Foundation emphasizes employability beyond just job training—including “training, skills, experience, education and social skills.” Applications should demonstrate holistic support.

Sustainable Impact: The Foundation looks for projects with “clearly defined purpose” and “ongoing benefit,” suggesting preference for sustainable, long-term impact rather than one-off activities.

Significant Foundation Contribution: The Nature Fund explicitly seeks to make “a significant contribution to the project with no less than 50% of the total costs being requested,” indicating they prefer to be major funders rather than contributing small amounts to large projects.

Recent Funded Projects as Examples:

  • Catch 22: Career Hive service supporting 100 care-experienced young people with employability skills and career coaching (Greater Manchester)
  • Drive Forward Foundation: Supporting 15 young people with 1-2-1 career support and ambassador training
  • WasteAid: 12-month upskilling program for 100 young waste pickers in South Africa
  • City Girl in Nature: Supporting urban youth connecting with nature
  • Badger Trust: Tracking badger populations and conservation efforts

Partnership Philosophy: The Foundation states, “We want to use our position as an employer and retailer to improve lives and harness the talents of individuals who have grown up in care,” suggesting they value applications that demonstrate how the Foundation's unique position can amplify impact.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Download the relevant guidance pack first: Each fund has specific eligibility criteria detailed in guidance packs—read these thoroughly before applying to avoid wasted effort
  • Demonstrate connection to John Lewis Partnership: Where relevant (especially Employability Fund), show links to their locations, supply chain, or communities where they operate
  • Focus on holistic employability: Don't just propose job training—demonstrate how you'll build transferable skills, confidence, social skills, and long-term career prospects
  • Seek substantial support: The Foundation prefers to make significant contributions (50%+ of project costs for Nature Fund) rather than small grants to large budgets
  • Target smaller organizations for Nature Fund: Annual income must be under £1 million for Nature Fund applicants, suggesting they focus on supporting grassroots and mid-sized charities
  • Monitor application windows: All three grant-making funds operate on periodic application cycles (not rolling), so plan ahead and watch the website for reopening dates
  • Contact the Foundation early: Email trustsandfoundations@johnlewis.co.uk with questions about eligibility or fit before investing time in a full application

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