Santander Uk Foundation Limited

Charity Number: 803655

Annual Expenditure: £3.5M
Throughout England And Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Guernsey, Isle Of Man, Jersey

Contact Info

Website: www.santanderfoundation.org.uk (redirects to www.santander.co.uk/sustainability/santander-foundation)

Phone: 7922577773

Email: grants@santander.co.uk

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £3.5 million (2023)
  • Success Rate: 33% (Discovery Grants, formerly Community Plus); 3% (Learn & Grow program)
  • Decision Time: 8 weeks
  • Grant Range: £5,000 - £150,000
  • Geographic Focus: National (UK-wide)

Contact Details

Website: www.santanderfoundation.org.uk (redirects to www.santander.co.uk/sustainability/santander-foundation)

Email: grants@santander.co.uk

Phone: 7922577773

Applications: Available through Santander branches via nomination forms; rolling basis with no fixed deadlines

Overview

Santander UK Foundation Limited (Charity No. 803655) is an independent grant-making charity established to support UK charities working with disadvantaged people. Since 2016, the Foundation has distributed over £21 million to more than 11,600 non-profit organisations across the UK. In 2023, the Foundation's expenditure on charitable activities was £3.5 million. The Foundation's mission centres on empowering people with digital and financial skills to address financial and digital exclusion, helping disadvantaged communities improve their knowledge, skills, employability and confidence. In recent years, the Foundation consolidated its various grant programs (SEDA, Community Plus, Learn & Grow, and Money Skills) into the streamlined Discovery Grants programme, making it easier for smaller charities to access funding. The Foundation also operates a major Financial & Digital Empowerment Fund providing multi-year strategic grants to larger organisations.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Discovery Grants: £5,000

Available to small UK registered charities, Community Interest Companies, and credit unions for local projects helping disadvantaged people. Applications accepted on a rolling basis through Santander branches via nomination forms placed in nomination post boxes.

Financial & Digital Empowerment Fund: £25,000 - £150,000 (over three years)

Strategic grants supporting 12 charitable organisations over a three-year period. Launched in 2021 with £1.8 million committed funding. Organisations can request a minimum of £25,000 in any one year, up to a maximum of £150,000 over three years. Applications accepted through online application forms on the Foundation website.

Priority Areas

The Foundation supports three thematic priorities under the Discovery Grants programme:

  • Explorer: Improving people's knowledge and helping them learn about the world around them
  • Transformer: Improving skills and experience through work-focused support and training to build confidence and employability
  • Changemaker: Funding innovative solutions to social challenges

Core Focus: Digital and financial empowerment - teaching digital and financial skills, supporting people to make better decisions about money, and providing access to financial services. The Foundation specifically targets people experiencing disadvantage through age, education, income, disability, or unemployment.

What They Don't Fund

Discovery Grants Programme (formerly Community Plus) explicitly excludes:

  • Unregistered charities, not-for-profit groups, Community Amateur Sports Clubs, exempt or excepted charities
  • Charities which restrict their beneficiaries to a single religious or single ethnic group
  • One-off events and conferences
  • Sponsorship or fundraising activities

Financial & Digital Empowerment Fund restrictions:

  • The Foundation aims to fund no more than 40% of an organisation's income in any one year
  • Organisations must have annual income above £75,000
  • Priority given to organisations with income less than £2 million

Governance and Leadership

The Santander UK Foundation Limited is governed by 6 trustees who receive no remuneration or payments from the charity. The Foundation operates independently from Santander UK, though it maintains close ties with the bank's sustainability and community programmes. Trustee names are not publicly listed in search results, but governance information confirms that all trustees must be unconnected (not related by blood, marriage, in long-term relationships, or living at the same address).

The Foundation has no employees with benefits over £60,000 and no trading subsidiaries, maintaining a lean operational structure focused on grant-making activities.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

Discovery Grants: Applications can be made by customers, organisations, or Santander staff at any time through nomination forms available in all Santander branches. Complete the Discovery Grant nomination form and post it in the nomination post box at any branch. This is not a voting system, so only one application is needed.

Financial & Digital Empowerment Fund: Applications are submitted through online application forms available on the Foundation website. Guidance notes accompany the application form. For questions, contact grants@santander.co.uk.

Pre-application requirements (Financial & Digital Empowerment Fund):

  • Must be UK registered charity or Community Interest Company
  • Must have at least 3 unconnected Trustees, Directors or Management Committee members
  • Must have annual income above £75,000
  • Must have been operating for at least 18 months with at least one set of annual accounts
  • Must have a bank account in the organisation's name with at least two unconnected signatories

Decision Timeline

Successful charities will be notified within 2 months of submitting their nomination or application. If you have not heard from the Santander Foundation within 2 months, you have been unsuccessful.

Success Rates

  • Discovery Grants (formerly Community Plus): Eligible nominations have a 1 in 3 (33%) chance of success
  • Learn & Grow programme: Proposals had a 1 in 30 (3%) chance of success (now integrated into Discovery Grants)

The Foundation awarded 12 strategic grants through the Financial & Digital Empowerment Fund from approximately 360 applications, suggesting a highly competitive selection process for larger grants.

Reapplication Policy

Unsuccessful applicants are free to apply again at any time. There is no waiting period or restriction on reapplying after receiving a rejection or after the 2-month notification period has passed without hearing back.

Application Success Factors

Key factors that strengthen applications:

  1. Clear connection to disadvantage: The grant must directly help disadvantaged people in the local area. Be explicit about who will benefit and how they experience disadvantage (age, education, income, disability, unemployment).
  1. Specific, tangible use of funds: Discovery Grants should fund something specific like equipment or part-time sessional worker costs. Avoid vague proposals or general operating expenses.
  1. Digital and financial skills focus: Strongest applications demonstrate how the project will improve digital confidence, knowledge, and skills, or help people make better decisions about money and access financial services.
  1. Organizational readiness: For larger grants, demonstrate sound governance with at least 3 unconnected trustees, established track record (18+ months operating), and appropriate annual accounts.
  1. Right-sized ask: For the Financial & Digital Empowerment Fund, ensure your request represents no more than 40% of your organisation's annual income. The Foundation prioritizes supporting organizations proportionally.
  1. Fit with thematic priorities: Frame your project clearly within Explorer (knowledge), Transformer (skills/employability), or Changemaker (innovation) themes.

Recent funding examples:

  • The Foundation provided £3 million to Alzheimer's Society and Age UK for practical help
  • £485,000 in cost-of-living funding distributed to 34 funded partners
  • Projects focused on digital literacy, financial capability, employability training, and supporting vulnerable populations

Language and terminology: Use terms like “empowerment,” “disadvantaged,” “digital and financial skills,” “employability,” “confidence building,” and “addressing exclusion.” Frame beneficiaries in terms of barriers they face rather than deficit-based language.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Geographic flexibility: While UK-wide, the Foundation values local impact. Emphasize your connection to the specific community you serve.
  • Size matters: For Discovery Grants (£5,000), keep it simple and specific. For the Financial & Digital Empowerment Fund (£25k-£150k), demonstrate strategic vision across three years.
  • Rolling applications reduce pressure: With no fixed deadlines for Discovery Grants, you can apply when ready rather than rushing to meet a cutoff. However, notify within 2 months means relatively quick turnaround.
  • Success rates vary significantly: 33% success rate for Discovery Grants is relatively strong, but larger grants are highly competitive (3% historical success rate for some programmes). Invest more heavily in developing applications for larger grants.
  • Reapplication is welcomed: No penalty for reapplying. If unsuccessful, refine your application based on feedback and try again immediately.
  • Branch-based nomination system: For Discovery Grants, the in-branch nomination process suggests value in having Santander customers or staff who can advocate for your organization. Consider building relationships with local Santander branches.
  • Alignment is everything: The Foundation's tight focus on digital and financial empowerment means applications must clearly demonstrate this connection. Tangential projects will struggle regardless of quality.

Similar Funders

These funders frequently fund the same charities:

  • The Fidelity Uk Foundation
  • Drapers Charitable Fund
  • Bleu Blanc Rouge Foundation Limited
  • Fusion21 Foundation
  • The 4814 Trust
  • The Abstract Foundation
  • The Invigorate Charitable Trust
  • The Mishcon Family Charitable Trust
  • Joseph Levy Foundation
  • The Eric F Sparkes Charitable Trust

References