Kfc Foundation

Charity Number: 1163560

Annual Expenditure: £0.6M

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £500,000-£615,000 (varies by year; 2024 represented biggest funding round with £500k to 150+ causes)
  • Success Rate: Competitive (exact rate not disclosed)
  • Decision Time: 8-10 weeks from application deadline
  • Grant Range: £6,000 total (£3,000 per year over 2 years)
  • Geographic Focus: UK-wide (local to KFC restaurant locations)
  • Founded: 2015
  • Total Distributed Since Launch: Over £10 million

Contact Details

Website: https://www.kfcyf.org.uk/ and https://www.kfc.co.uk/kfc-foundation

Email: UK-KFC-Foundation@yum.com

Phone: 7837093381

Charity Registration: England & Wales 1163560; Scotland SC046098

Pre-application Support: Email UK-KFC-Foundation@yum.com to be notified when grants open

Overview

The KFC Youth Foundation (formerly KFC Foundation) was established in 2015 as the corporate foundation of the KFC restaurant chain in the UK. Since its launch, it has distributed over £10 million to community groups providing education, career, and personal growth opportunities for young people across the UK. The Foundation's mission is to “do charity the right way, by doing it on our doorstep; in the communities in which we operate.” With an annual giving typically around £500,000-£615,000, the Foundation specifically targets small grassroots charities (income under £400,000) working with the most vulnerable young people aged 11-25. The 2024 funding round was their biggest to date, awarding grants to more than 150 local causes. In 2023, the Foundation awarded 88 grants totaling £615,263, consisting of 87 community grants (£212,830) and a major donation to Comic Relief. The Foundation receives its income from multiple streams, including KFC restaurants.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Community Grants Programme: £6,000 total (£3,000 in year one + £3,000 in year two)

  • Two-year funding commitment to grassroots organizations
  • Applications typically open annually in January for a four-week window
  • Rolling basis within the application window

Note: The grants programme is currently under review and aims to reopen in January 2026. The Foundation is “taking time to reflect on how our grants programme can best serve the communities and individuals we support.”

Priority Areas

Target Age Group: Young people aged 11-25 years old

Priority Groups (must make up the main percentage of project users):

  • Care leavers
  • Those experiencing homelessness
  • Young carers
  • Young parents
  • Refugees
  • Young people at risk of or with experience of the criminal justice system

Types of Support Funded:

  • Safe social spaces for young people
  • Mentoring programmes
  • Work programmes and employment skills
  • Life skills development
  • Early intervention projects that help young people create firm foundations
  • Sports-based programs (where sport is used as a vehicle for building life skills, mentoring, and/or improving employment chances)

Geographic Focus: Projects must be local to a KFC restaurant location

What They Don't Fund

  • Organizations with annual income exceeding £400,000
  • Organizations that have existed for less than 12 months
  • Projects serving young people outside the 11-25 age range
  • Projects where priority groups do not make up the main percentage of users
  • Projects that cannot demonstrate positive results within 12 months of receiving KFC funding
  • Organizations whose work is broader than the Foundation's specific focus areas (applications are deprioritized if not closely aligned with funding aims)
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Governance and Leadership

Foundation Manager: Louise (6+ years in role)

Foundation Administrator: Thalia Beaty (joined 2021, manages Community Grants Programme)

Trustees: Include Claire, who has been associated with Kefco (a KFC franchisee) and has been a leading voice in shaping the Foundation's work

Key Guidance from Leadership

Thalia Beaty, Foundation Administrator, emphasizes: "Make sure you have read the guidelines for the grant-maker's funding aims and priority groups before you apply." She notes that alignment with the Foundation's priorities is crucial, and if your organization's scope is broader, you must clearly specify how the grant would support their specific priorities.

On AI usage in applications: Beaty cautions that while AI can be valuable for reducing administrative burden, applications written entirely by AI “might not make sense or miss out many key details.” Use AI as a structural aid, not a replacement for thoughtful grant writing.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

Two-Stage Process:

  • Only invited applicants proceed to this stage
  • Notification of EOI results determines who can submit full applications

Application Window: Typically opens annually in January for a four-week window

Current Status: Programme under review until January 2026

Decision Timeline

Stage 1 - Expression of Interest Results: Applicants notified from the week commencing late March

Stage 2 - Final Application Results: Applicants notified of final decisions from mid-April

Grant Payment: Successful applicants receive payment in late May or June

Total Timeline: Approximately 8-10 weeks from application deadline to decision notification

Success Rates

The Foundation is highly competitive. In 2024, their biggest funding round awarded grants to more than 150 organizations. The exact success rate is not publicly disclosed, but the Foundation notes they receive numerous applications from ineligible organizations, which frustrates both applicants and the Foundation team.

Reapplication Policy

12-Month Waiting Period: Unsuccessful applicants may not apply again within 12 months of their previous application unless specifically invited to reapply by the Foundation.

Application Success Factors

Direct Advice from the Foundation

  1. Read Guidelines Carefully: Thalia Beaty emphasizes this is the most important step. Many applications fail due to ineligibility that could have been avoided.
  1. Demonstrate Strong Alignment: When resources are limited, the Foundation prioritizes applicants whose work closely aligns with their funding aims. Generic applications fare poorly.
  1. Clearly Specify How Grant Supports Priorities: If your organization's scope is broader than the Foundation's focus, explicitly detail how their grant would support their specific priority groups and age range.
  1. Ensure Priority Groups Form Majority: Your proposal's users must be predominantly from the priority groups (care leavers, homeless youth, young carers, young parents, refugees, or those with criminal justice system experience).
  1. The Video Matters: The 2-minute video is a key component. Foundation staff note that "the kids love making the little video - it means they really feel like 'they' have won the grant." Involve the young people you serve in creating it.
  1. Demonstrate Local Connection: Projects must be local to a KFC restaurant. The Foundation's mission is doing “charity on our doorstep.”
  1. Show Results Within 12 Months: Be clear about positive outcomes you'll demonstrate within the first year of funding.
  1. Avoid AI-Generated Applications: While AI can help with structure, applications entirely written by AI miss key details and lack authenticity.

Examples of Funded Projects

  • Youth Shedz Cymru (Wales): Funding enabled 5 Youth Shedz in 5 different towns to update their spaces. Kinmel Bay, for example, did a full makeover, clearing out their Shed and fitting electricity, preparing for summer activities.
  • KFC Youth Foundation Hub (Middlesbrough): The Foundation opened their first dedicated hub in March to provide a permanent space for young people.
  • £90k to London Charities: In recent rounds, the Foundation has made significant investments in local areas, distributing substantial grants to multiple organizations in specific regions.

Common Reasons for Rejection

  • Organization income exceeds £400,000
  • Not focused on 11-25 age group
  • Priority groups don't form the main percentage of users
  • Organization has existed for less than 12 months
  • Project not local to a KFC restaurant
  • Application lacks clear alignment with Foundation's specific priorities
  • Generic or AI-generated applications missing key details

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  1. Eligibility is Non-Negotiable: Before investing time in an application, rigorously check your organization meets all eligibility criteria: income under £400,000, existing for 12+ months, serving ages 11-25, priority groups forming majority of users, and local to a KFC restaurant.
  1. Be Specific, Not Generic: The Foundation receives many applications and prioritizes those with strong alignment. Clearly articulate how your work directly serves their priority groups and geographical focus.
  1. Invest in the Video: The 2-minute video is a unique element that allows personality and impact to shine through. Involve the young people you serve - it creates authenticity and demonstrates engagement.
  1. Two-Year Commitment: The £6,000 total is spread over two years (£3,000 annually). Structure your proposal to show sustainable impact across this timeframe with demonstrable results in year one.
  1. Plan for January Application Windows: Applications typically open in January for four weeks. Contact UK-KFC-Foundation@yum.com to be notified when applications open, and prepare materials in advance.
  1. Understand the 12-Month Reapplication Rule: If unsuccessful, you must wait at least 12 months unless specifically invited to reapply sooner. Get feedback if possible to strengthen future applications.
  1. Emphasize Early Intervention and Foundation-Building: The Foundation wants to fund work that helps young people “create firm foundations” through early intervention. Frame your work in this context.

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References