Park Lane Foundation

Quick Stats

• Registered Charity Number: 1101559
• Annual Income: £459,857 (financial year ending September 2024)
• Annual Expenditure: £491,698 (financial year ending September 2024)
• Grant Range: Varies by programme - from in-kind donations to multi-year commitments
• Geographic Focus: Leeds and West Yorkshire (primary), with international projects in Malawi
• Application Method: No public application process - trustee discretion
• Accepts Unsolicited Applications: No

Contact Details

Address: 118 North Street, Leeds, LS2 7PN

Phone: 0113 230 4949

Email: info@theparklanegroup.com

Website: https://theparklanegroup.com/foundation/ and https://www.parklanefoundation.org/

Overview

The Park Lane Foundation (established 2003, registered 2004) is the philanthropic arm of the Park Lane Group, a Leeds-based leisure, development and property company. The foundation operates with a broad charitable remit to apply income and capital “to or for the benefit of such exclusively charitable objects and purposes in any part of the world as the trustees shall think fit.” With an annual expenditure of £491,698 (financial year ending September 2024), the foundation supports diverse causes through direct grants, in-kind donations, and multi-year partnerships. All administrative costs are covered by the Park Lane Group, ensuring 100% of funds raised go directly to charitable causes. The foundation received recognition in January 2024 when the founders were honoured with a Civic Reception by Leeds City Council for their outstanding contribution to the city.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programmes

The Park Lane Foundation does not operate open grant programmes with public application processes. Instead, the foundation's trustees select charities annually and through ongoing discretionary decisions. Their support takes multiple forms:

• Annual Charity Partners: Selected charities receive year-long fundraising support and direct donations
• In-Kind Donations: Hotel rooms (through Roomzzz Aparthotels), facilities access, and supplies
• Direct Project Grants: Specific project funding (e.g., £4,000 for classroom construction in Malawi through The Zikomo Trust)
• Multi-Year Commitments: Long-term patronage and support relationships
• Matched Funding: Employee fundraising is often matched or supported

Recent financial support has included £45,000 raised through Roomzzz Charity Week in 2024 and £56,173 in 2025. The Apprentice Challenge, an internal fundraising initiative, raised £6,000 for Young Lives vs Cancer.

Priority Areas

The foundation's charitable support focuses on:

Health & Medical Support

• Children's health and cancer charities (Candlelighters, Young Lives vs Cancer)
• Dementia and Alzheimer's support (Alzheimer's Society, Dementia UK)
• Hospital charities (Leeds Hospitals Charity, Children's Heart Surgery Fund at Leeds General Infirmary)
• Mental health (Young Minds)

Homelessness & Social Welfare

• Homelessness support (Crisis, St George's Crypt, Simon on the Streets)
• Addiction recovery (Getting Clean, Recovery Runners)

Education & Youth Development

• Scholarships and bursaries for underprivileged students and refugees (through Leeds universities and Leeds Grammar School)
• Youth development programmes
• Education access programmes

International Development

• Housing projects in Malawi
• Clean water initiatives serving thousands in Malawian villages
• Classroom construction (Zikomo Trust)

Community & Sports

• Sports facility development
• Community programmes through Love.golf for underrepresented communities

Emergency Response

• Provided 2,500+ complimentary room nights (valued at £250,000) to NHS workers during the COVID-19 pandemic

What They Don't Fund

Based on their documented giving patterns, the foundation does not appear to support:

• Organisations outside their selected annual focus areas
• General operating costs without strategic partnership
• Individual applications from organisations not already on their radar

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Governance and Leadership

The foundation is governed by 6 trustees who receive no remuneration, payments, or benefits. The foundation is led by members of the Ahmed family, who founded The Parklane Group. The Managing Director of The Parklane Group received recognition at the Institute of Directors (IoD) awards, winning the title for Family Business Director of the Year in 2018. The founders were honoured with a Civic Reception by Leeds City Council on 19 January 2024 for their outstanding contribution to Leeds through both The Parklane Group and The Parklane Foundation.

The Ahmed family moved to the UK from Malawi in 1976, which influences the foundation's continued commitment to charitable work in Malawi.

How to Apply to Park Lane Foundation

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process.

The Park Lane Foundation operates through trustee discretion, with the governing document stating that donations are made “to charities agreed upon by the trustees.” Grants are made to both individuals and organisations, but these are selected by the trustees rather than through an open application process.

The foundation's grant-making follows these patterns:

• Annual selection of “Charity of the Year” partners (typically 2-3 organisations with a thematic focus)
• Trustee-initiated grants for specific projects
• Partnership relationships developed through The Parklane Group's business connections
• Pre-existing relationships with educational institutions in Leeds
• Community connections through the foundation's various business interests

Getting on Their Radar

Thematic Annual Focus: The foundation selects an annual focus area (e.g., homelessness in 2024, mental health and addiction in 2025), and charities working in the chosen area become charity partners for that year.

Educational Institution Partnerships: The foundation has established relationships with Leeds universities and Leeds Grammar School for scholarship programmes, indicating they value institutional partnerships with local educational organisations.

Corporate Connections: As the charitable arm of The Parklane Group (leisure, development, and property), the foundation may be more accessible to organisations connected to these business sectors or that operate in areas where The Parklane Group has facilities.

Leeds Community Presence: The foundation's giving strongly favours Leeds-based charities and those serving the Leeds community, suggesting local presence and impact in Leeds increases likelihood of support.

Decision Timeline

No public information available on decision timelines, as there is no public application process.

Success Rates

Not applicable - no public application process.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - no public application process.

Application Success Factors

While there is no public application process, analysis of the foundation's giving patterns reveals what attracts their support:

Geographic Connection to Leeds: The foundation shows strong preference for Leeds-based charities or those serving the Leeds community. Even when supporting national charities like Crisis, there is often a local connection.

Annual Thematic Focus: The foundation selects themes for each year and concentrates support on 2-3 charities aligned with that theme. Organisations working in trending social issues or areas of current public concern may align with future themes.

Measurable Local Impact: The foundation's documented grants show preference for projects with tangible outcomes - clean water for specific villages in Malawi, construction of classrooms, room nights for NHS workers, scholarships for students.

Multi-Stakeholder Engagement: Successful partnerships involve multiple forms of support beyond cash grants, including staff fundraising events (The Apprentice Challenge raising £6,000), in-kind donations, and facility access.

Connection to Founder Values: The family's Malawian heritage directly influences international giving. The foundation's support for educational access reflects values around youth opportunity and social mobility.

Established Organisational Credibility: All documented charity partners are registered charities with established track records - the foundation supports recognised organisations rather than start-ups or informal community groups.

Corporate Partnership Opportunities: Organisations that can engage with The Parklane Group's business operations (hotels, leisure facilities, property developments) may find more opportunities for relationship building.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• This is a private foundation with no public application process - relationship building and connections are essential to receiving support
• Local Leeds charities have significant advantage - the foundation shows strong preference for organisations serving the Leeds community
• Annual themes drive significant funding - understanding the foundation's annual charitable focus could indicate alignment opportunities
• Multi-year relationships are valued - sustained partnerships are preferred over one-off grants
• In-kind donations are substantial - organisations able to utilise hotel rooms, sports facilities, or other Parklane Group assets may find alternative forms of support
• All admin costs covered by parent company - 100% of fundraising goes to charitable causes, which may influence the foundation's appeal to potential individual donors and partners
• Family values and heritage influence giving - understanding the Ahmed family's journey from Malawi and their commitment to education and social mobility provides insight into funding priorities

Similar Funders

These funders have a similar focus and geographic reach:

• Community Foundation For Leeds
• The Keith Howard Foundation
• Hays Travel Foundation
• The Brelms Trust Cio
• West Riding Masonic Charities Limited
• The Harry & Mary Foundation
• The Ken And Edna Morrison Charitable Trust
• The Dashlight Foundation
• The Marjorie & Arnold Ziff Charitable Foundation
• Ilkley And District Round Table

References

• Charity Commission Register of Charities - Park Lane Foundation (1101559).. https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-details/?subid=0&regid=1101559
• The Parklane Group - Foundation.. https://theparklanegroup.com/foundation/
• Parklane Foundation Official Website.. https://www.parklanefoundation.org/
• Parklane Foundation - Charity Partners.. https://www.parklanefoundation.org/charity-partners
• Parklane Foundation - Our Partners for 2025.. https://www.parklanefoundation.org/our-partners-for-2025
• The Parklane Group - "You're Hired! The Parklane Foundation celebrate raising £6,000 from their Apprentice fundraising challenge.". https://theparklanegroup.com/youre-hired-the-parklane-foundation-celebrate-raising-6000-from-their-apprentice-fundraising-challenge/
• The Parklane Group - “Naveen Ahmed Wins National IoD Award.”. https://theparklanegroup.com/naveen-ahmed-wins-national-iod-award/
• Roomzzz Aparthotels - “Charitable Initiatives.”. https://www.roomzzz.com/charitable-initiatives
• Growth Yorkshire - “Roomzzz Charity Week 2025 Raises Record-Breaking £56,173 for Mental Health and Wellbeing Charities.”. https://growthyorkshire.co.uk/roomzzz-charity-week-2025-raises-record-breaking-56173-for-mental-health-and-wellbeing-charities/
• Newcastle Gateshead Initiative - “Roomzzz Aparthotels raises £45,000 in second annual Charity Week to support homelessness.”. https://www.ngi.org.uk/resources/news/roomzzz-aparthotels-raises-45000-in-second-annual-charity-week-to-support-homelessness/
• Parklane Foundation - “Areas of Work.”. https://www.parklanefoundation.org/areas-of-work
• Parklane Foundation - “The Classroom is Complete!”. https://www.parklanefoundation.org/the-classroom-is-complete