MOTABILITY Foundation

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: Approximately £113 million in charitable expenditure (2022/23)
• Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
• Decision Time: Not specified
• Grant Range: £50,000 - £4,000,000 (organisational grants, varying by programme)
• Geographic Focus: UK-wide

Contact Details

• Website: www.motabilityfoundation.org.uk
• Phone (Grants): 0800 500 3186
• Address: Warwick House, Roydon Road, Harlow, Essex CM19 5PX
• Individual Grants: www.motabilityfoundation.org.uk/individual-grants/
• Organisational Grants: www.motabilityfoundation.org.uk/organisation-grants/

Overview

The Motability Foundation (Charity Number: 299745) was established to help disabled people make journeys by providing access to transport and working to make transport more accessible. The foundation operates as the charitable arm of the wider Motability organisation, overseeing Motability Operations to deliver the Motability Scheme whilst providing both individual grants to disabled people and substantial funding to charities and organisations. The foundation represents one of the UK's most significant funders in disability mobility, with charitable expenditure reaching its highest ever level of £113 million in 2022/23. Under the leadership of Chair Charles Manby MBE, the foundation takes a strategic approach combining immediate practical solutions with long-term systemic change in transport accessibility.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programmes

• Organisational Grants: £50,000 - £4,000,000 over multi-year funding cycles (varying by programme)
• Individual Scheme-Related Grants: Financial assistance for Motability Scheme customers for vehicles and adaptations
• Individual Access to Mobility Grants: Support for disabled people outside the Motability Scheme
• Research and Innovation Funding: Evidence-based projects for systemic change

Priority Areas

Six current organisational grant programmes are available:

• Community Transport: Improving community transport services for disabled people (£100,000 - £4,000,000 for large grants; £50,000 - £150,000 for small grants)
• Wheelchair Sector: Advancing wheelchair technology, services, and accessibility (£50,000 - £249,999 for small grants; £250,000 - £1,000,000 for large grants)
• Research: Funding research leading to practical solutions or systemic change (£50,000 - £1,000,000)
• Active Travel: Making walking, cycling, and other active travel accessible (£400,000 - £4,000,000)
• Travelling with Confidence: Building confidence for independent travel (£50,000 - £1,000,000)
• Reducing Barriers to Driving: Removing barriers to learning and continuing to drive (£100,000 - £2,000,000)

What They Don't Fund

• Projects not directly related to disability mobility and transport
• Applications from individuals who don't meet specific eligibility criteria
• Requests outside their strategic focus areas
• Organisations with annual turnover below £50,000

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Governance and Leadership

Chair: Charles Manby MBE has served as Chair of the Board of Governors since 1 June 2020. He joined the Board of Governors on 26 September 2019 and also chairs the Investment Committee and the Nominations Committee. The foundation operates with a structured board governance system and works closely with Motability Operations for scheme delivery.

The foundation's strategic approach focuses on “making all journeys accessible for disabled people” through evidence-based funding decisions that demonstrate measurable impact on disabled people's mobility and transport access.

How to Apply to Motability Foundation

How to Apply

• Individual Grants: Online application system via foundation website
• Organisational Grants: Application details available for each specific programme
• Assessment: All applications are means-tested to ensure support reaches those most in need

Eligibility

• Organisations must be incorporated
• Annual turnover of £50,000 or above over the last three years
• The foundation particularly encourages applications from smaller organisations and Deaf and Disabled People's Organisations (DDPOs)

Decision Timeline

• Specific timelines not publicly disclosed
• Applications assessed following “thorough consideration of information submitted”
• Application deadlines vary by programme

Success Rates

• Success rates not publicly disclosed
• Applications not meeting funding priorities will not receive funding

Reapplication Policy

• Grant awards are final except in cases with additional compelling information
• Specific reapplication policies not clearly outlined

Application Success Factors

• Strategic Alignment: Projects must directly advance mobility needs of disabled people
• Evidence-Based Approach: Applications should demonstrate clear potential for measurable impact
• Means Testing: Individual grants require demonstration of financial need
• Comprehensive Information: Thorough consideration given to all submitted information
• Focus on Impact: Projects supporting systemic change or practical solutions preferred
• Geographic Reach: UK-wide focus with emphasis on reaching underserved communities
• Organisational Capacity: Must demonstrate appropriate governance and financial management

The foundation has made its grant programmes more accessible by lowering the minimum turnover requirement from £150,000 to £50,000, enabling smaller organisations to apply.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Substantial Funding Available: With grants ranging from £50,000 to £4,000,000 depending on the programme, this represents significant funding opportunity in the disability sector
• Strategic Focus Essential: Applications must clearly demonstrate how they advance disabled people's mobility and transport access
• Evidence of Impact Required: Foundation seeks projects with measurable outcomes and potential for systemic change
• Long-term Commitment: Multi-year funding cycles suggest preference for sustainable, strategic initiatives
• Comprehensive Application Approach: Thorough information submission is emphasised in their assessment process
• Align with Priority Programmes: Applications should clearly fit within one of their six current grant programmes
• Consider Innovation: Foundation values both practical solutions and research leading to longer-term change
• Smaller Organisations Welcome: Recent changes to eligibility criteria mean organisations with £50,000+ annual turnover can now apply

Similar Funders

These funders frequently fund the same charities:

• National Lottery
• Welsh Government
• The Scottish Government
• The Adint Charitable Trust
• The Hospital Saturday Fund
• The Wolfson Foundation
• Garfield Weston Foundation
• The Waterloo Foundation
• Denise Coates Foundation
• The Gerald And Gail Ronson Family Foundation
• The Clothworkers' Foundation
• The Edward Gostling Foundation
• The Rank Foundation Limited
• Joseph Rowntree Foundation
• The Charles Wolfson Charitable Trust
• Project Giving Back
• The A B Charitable Trust
• Get Out
• Google
• Help Fund

References

• Motability Foundation Official Website: https://www.motabilityfoundation.org.uk/
• Charity Commission Register: https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/en/charity-details/299745
• Motability Foundation Grant Programmes: https://www.motabilityfoundation.org.uk/organisation-grants/
• Motability Foundation About Us: https://www.motabilityfoundation.org.uk/about-us/
• Motability Foundation How We Are Governed: https://www.motabilityfoundation.org.uk/about-us/how-we-are-governed/
• Motability Foundation Our Funding: https://www.motabilityfoundation.org.uk/about-us/our-funding/
• Civil Society: Motability Foundation's reserves rise to £1.78bn amid 'record' charitable spend