Merky Foundation Limited

Charity Number: 1186891

Annual Expenditure: £0.8M

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £778,590 (charitable activities expenditure, year ending August 2024)
  • Total Pledge: £10 million over 10 years (2020-2030)
  • Success Rate: Not applicable (invitation-only)
  • Decision Time: Not applicable (no public application process)
  • Grant Range: £500,000 (known major grant) + ongoing scholarship funding
  • Geographic Focus: United Kingdom only
  • Application Method: No public application process

Contact Details

Registered Office:

Brown Mcleod Ltd

The Old Workshop

1 Ecclesall Road South

Sheffield, S11 9PA

Phone: 0114 268 4747

Email: bmc@brownmcleod.co.uk (accountants - not for grant applications)

Website: https://www.merkyfoundation.org.uk

Charity Number: 1186891

Note: The email and phone provided are for the foundation's accountants, not for grant applications.

Overview

The #Merky Foundation was established in 2019 by British musician Stormzy (charity number 1186891) with a bold commitment to racial justice and educational equity. In June 2020, the foundation pledged £10 million over 10 years to organizations, charities, and movements committed to fighting racial inequality, justice reform, and black empowerment within the UK. With annual charitable expenditure of approximately £778,590 (year ending August 2024) and total income of £872,450, the foundation operates with a lean structure of just 2 trustees and focuses the vast majority of resources (89%) directly on charitable activities. The foundation's strategic approach emphasizes transformational funding through major grants, educational scholarships primarily at Cambridge University, and sector-changing initiatives rather than traditional open grant-making. Recent initiatives include the groundbreaking Merky FC program launched in 2022, which addresses diversity in the football industry through paid professional placements in partnership with major clubs including Manchester United and Fulham.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Major Strategic Grants

  • Range: £500,000 confirmed grants to selected partner organizations
  • Method: Invitation only / Trustee discretion
  • Focus: Transformational funding for organizations aligned with foundation mission

Stormzy Scholarships at Cambridge University

  • Number: 32+ scholars funded to date (as of 2023), with 30 additional scholars planned 2024-2026
  • Coverage: Full tuition fees and maintenance grants for duration of course
  • Eligibility: Black UK students from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds
  • Partnership: Expanded through £2 million HSBC UK commitment

Merky FC Initiative (launched 2022)

  • Multi-year, paid professional placements in football industry
  • Partnership with 10+ leading organizations including Manchester United, Fulham, Sky Sports
  • Career program started January 2023
  • Focus on off-pitch diversity and career pathways

Priority Areas

The foundation is committed to:

  • Racial equality and justice reform within the UK
  • Educational advancement for Black and minority ethnic students
  • Self-empowerment, liberation, and wellbeing in the Black community
  • Economic inclusion and employment opportunities addressing discrimination
  • Sector diversity initiatives (e.g., football industry through Merky FC)
  • Scholarship and bursary programs primarily, but not exclusively, at Cambridge University
  • Social inclusion and strengthening social, economic, educational, and political capital of Black people

What They Don't Fund

  • Organizations outside the United Kingdom
  • Causes unrelated to racial equality, Black empowerment, or educational advancement
  • General operating costs of organizations not strategically aligned with foundation mission
  • Individual requests outside the Stormzy Scholarship program structure
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Governance and Leadership

The MERKY FOUNDATION LIMITED operates with a streamlined governance structure of 2 trustees. The foundation is governed by a Memorandum and Articles incorporated on 7 August 2018, as amended by special resolution dated 14 November 2019.

Key Governance Principles:

  • No trustees receive remuneration, payments, or benefits from the charity
  • No employees receive benefits over £60,000
  • The charity has no trading subsidiaries
  • 89% of total expenditure goes directly to charitable activities
  • Only 8% spent on raising funds (£67,620 in year ending August 2024)

The foundation operates with the stated charitable purpose: “For the public benefit, to advance the education of BAME (Black and Minority Ethnic) students through the provision of bursaries tenable at primarily, but not exclusively, Cambridge University.”

Founder's Commitment:

Stormzy's personal commitment to the foundation reflects his broader activism. In announcing the £10 million pledge in June 2020, the foundation positioned itself as part of the response to the Black Lives Matter movement and ongoing racial inequality in the UK.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process for grant-making.

The MERKY FOUNDATION operates through strategic, invitation-only grant-making. Grants are awarded through trustee discretion to organizations that trustees have identified as aligned with the foundation's mission. The foundation proactively approaches organizations rather than accepting unsolicited applications.

For Stormzy Scholarships:

The scholarship program operates through University of Cambridge's standard application process. Eligible students (Black UK students from disadvantaged backgrounds) apply to Cambridge University and are automatically considered for the scholarship if they meet criteria. Information is available at: https://www.undergraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/fees-and-finance/financial-support/outreach-scholarships/stormzy-scholarship

Directory Listing:

The foundation's website (merkyfoundation.org.uk) includes a “Directory Application” form for organizations working in relevant sectors to be added to their directory of organizations. This requires:

  • Organization name and website
  • Contact details (name, phone, email)
  • 500-word description of aims and objectives
  • Directory preview image

However, directory listing does not constitute a grant application and does not guarantee funding consideration.

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - grants are awarded through proactive trustee discretion rather than application cycles.

Success Rates

Not applicable - no public application process exists.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - no public application process exists.

Application Success Factors

Since the MERKY FOUNDATION does not accept public applications, traditional “application success factors” do not apply. However, research reveals the following characteristics of organizations that have received funding:

Characteristics of Funded Organizations:

  1. Alignment with Black empowerment and education: The Black Heart Foundation (£500,000 recipient) operates the Black Heart Scholarship Programme supporting young people from under-represented and under-resourced communities. This directly aligns with the foundation's focus on educational advancement and racial equality.
  1. Transformational potential: Grants appear designed to create significant systemic impact rather than incremental change. The £500,000 to Black Heart Foundation aimed to double their scholarship program from 100 to 200 scholars - a transformational scaling.
  1. Response to current social movements: The Black Heart Foundation grant was explicitly linked to the Black Lives Matter movement and was made in August 2020, demonstrating the foundation's responsiveness to contemporary racial justice issues.
  1. Educational focus: Every major initiative - Stormzy Scholarships, Black Heart Foundation grant, and even Merky FC - has an educational or professional development component focused on creating pathways for Black individuals.
  1. Partnership and leverage potential: The expansion of Stormzy Scholarships through HSBC UK's £2 million commitment demonstrates the foundation's interest in initiatives that can attract additional resources and partnerships.
  1. Sector-changing ambition: Merky FC aims to change an entire sector (football) by addressing systemic diversity issues off the pitch, demonstrating the foundation's interest in initiatives with broad structural impact.

What the Foundation Values:

Based on Stormzy's public statements and the foundation's activities, priorities include:

  • Direct impact on Black students and young people
  • Addressing institutional barriers and systemic racism
  • Educational and career pathway creation
  • Amplifying movements for racial justice
  • Long-term transformational funding rather than short-term grants

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No public application process exists - the MERKY FOUNDATION identifies and approaches organizations proactively rather than accepting applications. Traditional grant-seeking strategies will not work with this funder.
  • Directory listing is not a grant application - while the foundation accepts submissions for their online directory, this does not constitute applying for funding and should not be confused with a pathway to grants.
  • Strategic alignment is everything - the foundation has a clear focus on racial equality, Black empowerment, and educational advancement in the UK. Organizations outside these areas or outside the UK will not be considered.
  • Scale and transformation matter - the foundation's known grants (£500,000 to Black Heart Foundation) and multi-year commitments suggest interest in transformational funding that creates systemic change rather than small operational grants.
  • Educational pathways are core - every major initiative includes an educational or professional development component, from university scholarships to career placements in football.
  • Timing and context influence decisions - the foundation has demonstrated responsiveness to social movements (Black Lives Matter) and contemporary racial justice issues in timing and targeting of grants.
  • Building visibility in the sector - while you cannot apply directly, organizations working on racial equality and Black empowerment in the UK should focus on building profile, demonstrating impact, and creating connections within networks that trustees may access when identifying potential partners.

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