Lighten (lighten Education Network)

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £5,220,879 (2023-24)
• Grant Range: Not publicly disclosed - varies by programme
• Geographic Focus: International (30+ countries)
• Application Process: Invitation only - no unsolicited applications accepted
• Founded: 2022

Contact Details

Website: https://www.light-en.org

Registered Address: 7 Clifford Street, London W1S 2FT

Charity Number: 1198876

Note: LightEn identifies opportunities for their programmes and does not accept unsolicited proposals.

Overview

LightEn (Lighten Education Network) is a UK-registered charitable incorporated organisation founded in 2022 with the mission to “raise collective consciousness and help humanity embody the highest levels of love and wisdom.” In its second year of operation (2023-24), the charity distributed £5.22 million in charitable expenditure while receiving £7.8 million in income, primarily from donations. The organisation is backed by billionaire hedge fund manager and philanthropist Sir Chris Hohn and run by his partner, Dr. Kylie Richardson, who serves as CEO.

LightEn operates as a lean organisation with just 9 employees dispersing significant funding across more than 30 countries. The charity takes an unconventional approach to grant-making, stating they “collaborate with our partners in the spirit of deeper connection and meaningful support rather than traditional grant-giving.” Their strategic focus is on supporting excellence in spiritual, consciousness-based, and humanitarian education through three main pathways: a free digital library of educational content, global experiential learning centres, and direct grant support to organisations and individuals.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programmes

LightEn operates several distinct funding streams, all awarded by invitation only:

• Zulma Reyo School of Consciousness Grant: Full scholarships for students to attend a five-year teacher training programme (with optional sixth year) in Mallorca where tools of “Inner Alchemy” are taught. Since 2021, all places have been offered on a gift basis through LightEn's support.

• LightEn Fellowship Grants: Support for individuals dedicated to excellence in spiritual educational service to humanity, including teaching, talks, courses, workshops, writing, video and documentary production.

• LightEn Incubator Programme: Support to help organisations and individuals realise their full potential in consciousness and spiritual education.

• LightEn Writer's Programme: Fellowships enabling individuals to create spiritual educational content with full support including copy editing and publishing across audio, digital and print formats.

Priority Areas

LightEn supports:

• Educational centres and experiential learning programmes focused on consciousness development
• Research projects in consciousness and human evolution
• Teachers and thought leaders in spiritual and humanitarian education
• Conferences and events advancing understanding of consciousness
• Publishing and content creation in spiritual education
• Organisations demonstrating excellence in spiritual education and dedication to service

Example Grant Recipients:

• Zulma Reyo School of Consciousness (ZRSOC) - full programme funding for multi-year teacher training
• TCCHE (The Conference for Consciousness & Human Evolution) - support for conferences, events and online programmes in consciousness and spiritual development

What They Don't Fund

While not explicitly stated, LightEn's focus is exclusively on spiritual, consciousness-based, and humanitarian education. They operate with no religious agenda but maintain a specific focus on consciousness development and inner transformation rather than conventional educational programmes.

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Governance and Leadership

Leadership:

• Dr. Kylie Richardson - CEO
• Backed by Sir Chris Hohn (billionaire hedge fund manager and philanthropist)

Trustee Board: 3 trustees (names not publicly disclosed)

Staffing: 9 employees, including 2 earning £90k-£100k and 1 earning £110k-£120k. The charity also engages 2 volunteers.

According to their registration, no trustees receive remuneration, payments or benefits from the charity.

The organisation's approach reflects the philosophy articulated in their materials: they seek to work “in the spirit of deeper connection and meaningful support” and prioritise organisations and individuals who “demonstrate excellence in spiritual education and are truly dedicated to service.”

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

LightEn does not have a public application process.

The charity explicitly states: “We identify opportunities for our programmes and are not able to accept unsolicited proposals.”

All grants are awarded by invitation only. LightEn proactively identifies and approaches organisations and individuals whose work aligns with their mission. For the Zulma Reyo School of Consciousness, students go through “a rigorous application process” by invitation, with places then awarded free of charge.

Getting on Their Radar

Since LightEn specifically states they cannot accept unsolicited proposals, there is no documented pathway for organisations to apply directly. The charity appears to identify partners through:

• The founders' and trustees' networks in consciousness, spirituality and philanthropic circles
• Existing relationships with teachers and thought leaders in the field
• Their own research and identification of excellence in spiritual education globally

Important Note: Given the invitation-only model and explicit statement that they cannot accept unsolicited proposals, grant writers should not attempt to submit applications to this funder. The charity's approach is fundamentally different from traditional grant-making, operating more as a strategic philanthropic partnership model where the funder initiates relationships.

Decision Timeline

Not publicly disclosed. As an invitation-only funder with a small team managing significant funds, decisions are likely made on a case-by-case basis aligned with trustee meetings and strategic priorities.

Application Success Factors

Given LightEn's invitation-only model, traditional “application success factors” do not apply. However, based on their funded organisations and stated priorities, the following characteristics appear important:

Excellence and Service: LightEn emphasises they support “organisations and individuals who demonstrate excellence in spiritual education and are truly dedicated to service to humanity.”

Consciousness and Transformation Focus: All funded work centres on consciousness development, inner transformation, and spiritual education. The charity specifically seeks work “with the potential to raise consciousness and help humanity embody the highest levels of love and wisdom.”

Non-Religious Spiritual Approach: While deeply spiritual in focus, LightEn maintains “no religious agenda,” suggesting they support universal spiritual principles rather than specific religious traditions.

Collaborative Partnership Philosophy: LightEn describes working “in the spirit of deeper connection and meaningful support rather than traditional grant-giving,” indicating they value close collaborative relationships with partners.

Examples of Funded Work:

• Multi-year teacher training in consciousness development (ZRSOC)
• Large-scale consciousness conferences bringing together leaders in science and spirituality (TCCHE)
• Publishing spiritual educational content
• Establishing experiential learning centres

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• No application possible: This funder explicitly does not accept unsolicited proposals. Do not submit applications.
• Invitation-only model: All partnerships are initiated by LightEn identifying organisations and individuals aligned with their mission.
• Highly specific focus: Only relevant for organisations working in spiritual education, consciousness development, and inner transformation.
• Significant resources: With £5.2m in annual giving and only 9 staff, LightEn can provide substantial support to selected partners.
• Partnership approach: The funder emphasises collaborative relationships over traditional grant-making.
• International scope: Operates across 30+ countries, not limited to UK organisations.
• Not a fit for general education or conventional programmes: The focus is exclusively on consciousness-based and spiritual education with no religious affiliation.

References

1. UK Charity Commission Register - LightEn (Charity No. 1198876): https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/en/charity-search/-/charity-details/5188939

1. LightEn Official Website - Grant Programme page: https://www.light-en.org/grant-programme

1. LightEn Official Website - About page: https://www.light-en.org/about-lighten

1. Spears Magazine (2024) - “Inside the exclusive Zulma Reyo School of Consciousness retreat for business leaders”: https://spearswms.com/wealth/zulma-reyo-school-of-consciousness/

1. The Spectator - “A school for consciousness: how an educational retreat is helping leaders transform their communities”: https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/a-school-for-consciousness-how-an-educational-retreat-is-helping-leaders-transform-their-communities/

1. Cirrico Case Study - “How LightEn Streamlined Grant Management and Boosted Efficiency with Salesforce Nonprofit Cloud”: https://cirrico.com/success-stories/how-lighten-streamlined-grant-management-and-boosted-efficiency-with-salesforce-nonprofit-cloud/

1. TCCHE (The Conference for Consciousness & Human Evolution) Official Website: https://tcche.org/

1. Zulma Reyo School of Consciousness Official Website: https://www.zrsoc.com/