Pavers Charitable Foundation

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £450,000 (approximate)
• Success Rate: Not published
• Decision Time: Biannual committee meetings
• Grant Range: £500 - £50,000
• Geographic Focus: UK and Ireland
• Application Method: Employee-led (no public application process) / Customer nomination only

Contact Details

Website: www.pavers.co.uk/pages/foundation and paversfoundation.co.uk

Email: foundation@pavers.co.uk (also beth.morgan@pavers.co.uk)

Phone: 01904 528780

Address: Northminster Business Park, Northfield Lane, Upper Poppleton, York, YO26 6QU

Charity Number: 1175983

Overview

The Pavers Charitable Foundation was established in 2018 with an initial donation of £2.5 million from Pavers Shoes and the private estate of late founder Catherine Paver. The Foundation operates as an employee-led charitable initiative, with ongoing funding from 2% of Pavers' net profits annually. By 2024, the Foundation had awarded over £2.4 million to causes close to the hearts of employees from Pavers, Jones Bootmaker, and Herring Shoes. The Foundation focuses on making meaningful impacts in local communities across the UK and Ireland, with a strategic emphasis on health, education, and community projects. Beth Morgan-Henderson, Head of Charitable Foundation and Business Services, was invited by Catherine Paver's family to establish and lead the Foundation following the founder's death.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Employee-Led Grants (Primary Program)

• Grant Range: £500 - £50,000
• Application Method: Internal only (Pavers, Jones Bootmaker, and Herring Shoes employees)
• Application submitted via Stiletto (internal system) or email to foundation@pavers.co.uk
• The Foundation committee decides on final grant amounts based on employee applications

Charity of the Year

• Grant Amount: £65,000 (based on recent awards)
• Selection Method: Employee vote from shortlist
• Recent recipients include Mind (2019/20) and Dementia UK (2019)

Customer Causes Program

• Annual Budget: £50,000
• Grant Amount: £1,000 per selected cause (50 grants awarded per year)
• Nomination Method: In-store forms at Pavers or Jones Bootmaker stores
• Decisions: Biannual Foundation committee meetings

Priority Areas

The Foundation supports causes in three main areas:

• Health: Including dementia care, mental health, hospice care, neonatal charities, and medical support services
• Education: Schools needing equipment, youth programs, and educational initiatives
• Community: Food banks, homeless shelters, sports clubs, dance groups, neighbourhood initiatives, support organisations for vulnerable populations

What They Don't Fund

While not explicitly stated, the Foundation does not accept grant applications from organizations that do not have a connection through:

• Pavers, Jones Bootmaker, or Herring Shoes employees
• Customer nominations through their retail stores

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Governance and Leadership

Head of Charitable Foundation: Beth Morgan-Henderson (since 2017), who established the charity from scratch, researched and drafted the Constitution, and created the Foundation website. Under her leadership, the Foundation reached £1 million in donations in 2021.

Trustees: 4 trustees (names not publicly disclosed). No trustees receive any remuneration, payments, or benefits from the charity.

Volunteers: 4 volunteers support the Foundation's work.

Key Quote from Beth Morgan-Henderson: The Foundation was established to "share Pavers's success by helping causes that are important to our employees“ and to ”actively improve the communities that our colleagues live in."

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

IMPORTANT: This funder does not have a public application process for external charities.

The Pavers Charitable Foundation operates through two restricted channels:

1. Employee Applications: Only employees of Pavers, Jones Bootmaker, or Herring Shoes can submit grant applications for causes close to their hearts. Applications are submitted via the internal Stiletto system or emailed to foundation@pavers.co.uk.

1. Customer Nominations: Customers can nominate local charities by completing a form in any Pavers or Jones Bootmaker retail store. The Foundation allocates £50,000 annually for customer-nominated causes, awarding 50 grants of £1,000 each.

The Foundation explicitly states they “are not able to accept grant or funding applications from external organisations or individuals.”

Decision Timeline

• Committee Meetings: Biannual (twice per year)
• Notification: Timeline not publicly disclosed
• Processing: Applications are reviewed by the Foundation committee who determine grant amounts

Success Rates

Success rates are not published. The Foundation awarded £336,707 in grants in the financial year ending January 31, 2024, from an income of £388,877, suggesting a high distribution rate of available funds.

Reapplication Policy

Not publicly disclosed. As applications are employee-led, reapplication policies would likely be communicated internally.

Application Success Factors

Given the employee-led nature of this Foundation, success factors are unique to this model:

For Employee Applicants:

• Personal Connection: The Foundation exists to support "causes close to colleagues' hearts" - applications succeed when they reflect genuine personal connections to causes
• Alignment with Three Pillars: Applications relating to health, education, or community have clear alignment with stated priorities
• Scale Appropriateness: The Foundation has awarded grants ranging from £500 for small community projects (e.g., Christmas gift boxes for elderly) to £65,000 for major charities (e.g., Mind, Dementia UK)

Evidence of Recent Funding Patterns:

• Community support services for vulnerable populations (£10,000 to Survive North Yorkshire for sexual violence survivors)
• Critical support services (£15,000 to Framework)
• Healthcare initiatives (£65,000 to Dementia UK to fund Admiral nurse salaries)
• Local hospice care (£2,500 to Northern Ireland Hospice)
• Mental health support (£65,000 to Mind, £50,000 to Shout 85258)
• Neonatal charities (grants to Bliss)

For Customer Nominations:

• Applications succeed when they represent genuine local needs
• Eligible causes include schools, food banks, shelters, sports clubs, hospices, and support organisations
• Each successful nomination receives £1,000 (fixed amount)

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Not Open to External Applications: This Foundation does not accept unsolicited applications from charities. Direct approaches will not be successful.
• Employee Connection Required: The only pathway for external charities is through a genuine connection with a Pavers, Jones Bootmaker, or Herring Shoes employee who can champion the cause.
• Customer Nomination Alternative: Small-scale funding (£1,000) is available through customer nominations at retail stores - a more accessible route for local community organizations.
• Flexible Grant Amounts: For employee-led applications, the Foundation demonstrates flexibility with grants ranging from £500 to £50,000, suggesting they consider the specific needs of each cause.
• Strong Track Record: With over £2.4 million awarded since 2018, the Foundation demonstrates consistent commitment to grant-making.
• Local Focus: The Foundation emphasizes supporting communities where employees live, suggesting applications with local connections to York (HQ) or store locations may resonate.
• High Distribution Rate: The Foundation distributes most of its annual income, indicating a commitment to active grant-making rather than building reserves.

Similar Funders

These funders have a similar focus and geographic reach:

• FAT FACE FOUNDATION
• The Wyfold Charitable Trust
• Clark Foundation
• The Medlock Charitable Trust
• John Lewis Partnership Foundation
• The Hintze Family Charitable Foundation
• This Day Foundation
• White Stuff Foundation
• The Kilroot Foundation
• John Laing Charitable Trust

References

• Charity Commission Register: https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-details/?regid=1175983&subid=0
• Pavers Foundation Official Website: https://paversfoundation.co.uk/
• Pavers Shoes Foundation Page: https://www.pavers.co.uk/pages/foundation
• Robertson Baxter Client Spotlight: https://robertsonbaxter.com/client-spotlight-pavers-charitable-foundation/
• Civil Society “Meet the Funder”: https://www.civilsociety.co.uk/fundraising/meet-the-funder-the-pavers-foundation.html
• UK Fundraising: "Pavers to donate £2.3m & 2% of annual net profit following foundation launch"
• Retail Bulletin: “Pavers Foundation surpasses £2m in donations to good causes”
• Customer Causes announcement: https://www.pavers.co.uk/blogs/-introducing-customer-causes
• Footwear Today: “THE PAVERS FOUNDATION DONATES £65,000 TO MIND”