Societe Generale Uk Foundation

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £750,000+ (Small Grants Fund over 6 years); £1 million committed for Bright Futures over 3 years
• Success Rate: Not publicly available (exceptionally high application volume reported)
• Decision Time: Approximately 10 weeks
• Grant Range: £2,500 - £50,000
• Geographic Focus: UK-wide, with particular focus on East London, Bristol

Contact Details

Website: www.societegenerale.co.uk/en/ourcommitments/foundation/

Email: kate.ashworth-ext@sgcib.com

Phone: 020 7676 7203

Registered Address: Societe Generale, One Bank Street, Canary Wharf, London E14 4SG

Overview

The Societe Generale UK Foundation is an independent registered UK charity (1196579) established in 1994 to extend Societe Generale's commitment to opening up access to opportunity across communities. The Foundation focuses exclusively on education and employability, investing in partnerships and projects that create “Bright Futures” for marginalized individuals. With over £870,000 distributed through their Small Grants Fund and a new £1 million investment in the Bright Futures program, the Foundation takes a strategic, partnership-based approach to grant-making. Chair John Oberman notes: “I am delighted to be leading the Foundation in this new phase of our development. We are fully invested in creating bright futures through our diversified portfolio of positive-impact projects.” The Foundation is not traditionally an open grant-giving body and works primarily through selected strategic partnerships.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Bright Futures Grants (Currently Closed)

• £10,000 - £50,000 for one-year projects
• £1 million total investment over three years
• Multi-year funding possible after pilot year
• Note: Due to exceptionally high response in 2025, this program is closed for the foreseeable future

Bright Futures Donations

• £2,500 one-off investments
• Staff-nominated organizations supporting health and wellbeing for marginalized people
• Internal nomination process

SG UK Foundation Fund

• Small grants delivered in partnership with East End Community Foundation (EECF)
• Focus on communities local to Societe Generale UK offices (East London, Bristol)
• Over £870,000 distributed in first six years
• Enabled nearly 3,000 people to learn skills and 600 to secure employment

Other Programs

• Matched giving for employee fundraising
• Strategic charity partnerships (multi-year)
• Disaster response donations

Priority Areas

The Foundation exclusively supports projects focused on:

• Education and Employment Pathways: Programs helping marginalized individuals access and sustain education and employment opportunities
• Confidence and Aspirations: Projects developing key skills, attitudes, and attributes to foster equitable outcomes
• Mental Health and Wellbeing: Support for strengthening mental health, wellbeing, and resilience
• Skills Development: Practical training enabling people to learn new skills and secure employment
• Marginalized Communities: Focus on hard-to-reach young people, refugees, asylum seekers, and disadvantaged groups

What They Don't Fund

While specific exclusions are not published, key restrictions include:

• The Foundation does not accept unsolicited applications (except during specific open application windows)
• Grant requests exceeding 30% of an organization's annual income are not permitted
• Organizations must be UK-registered charities or have recognized charitable purpose
• Projects must support UK-based beneficiaries
• The Foundation works strategically rather than responding to broad open calls

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Governance and Leadership

Board of Trustees

The Board volunteers their time to oversee strategy, governance, operations, and grant-making:

• John Oberman (Chair): Managing Director - Head of European DCS Loan Sales at Societe Generale
• Elise Sabran: Head of UK Governance & Conduct
• Jasvant Singh: Head of UK Communications
• Emma Steck: Chief Human Resources Officer, UK
• Vidhya Ratnam: Head of Governance and Regulatory Development, Finance
• Hannah MacKenzie: Royal Navy Commander
• Louise Redmond: Trustee

John Oberman, Foundation Chair, emphasizes their strategic approach: “I am delighted to be leading the Foundation in this new phase of our development. We are fully invested in creating bright futures through our diversified portfolio of positive-impact projects.”

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

Important: The Foundation is not an open grant-giving body and does not typically accept unsolicited applications.

Bright Futures Grants (When Open):

• Online application process
• Application deadline was 31 July 2025 (for the 2025 round)
• Currently closed due to exceptionally high response rate
• Unsuccessful applicants may submit Expression of Interest for future rounds

Small Grants Fund:

• Administered through East End Community Foundation partnership
• No open application process - strategic partnerships only

Charity Partnership Program:

• Periodic calls for major charity partners (multi-year relationships)
• Organizations with annual voluntary income under £4.5m directed to Bright Futures Grants

Decision Timeline

Bright Futures Grants:

• Application deadline: End of July
• Decision notification: Early October (approximately 10 weeks)
• Funding disbursement: Mid-October onwards

Success Rates

Success rate data is not publicly available. However, the 2025 Bright Futures Grants round received an “exceptionally high response rate,” leading to closure of future application windows. This suggests very high competition for limited funding.

Reapplication Policy

Organizations unsuccessful in Bright Futures Grants rounds can submit an Expression of Interest in the next calendar year's funding round (when available). The Foundation does not specify waiting periods between applications.

Application Success Factors

Strategic Alignment is Critical

The Foundation seeks projects that:

• Focus specifically on education and employability outcomes
• Support marginalized and hard-to-reach communities
• Develop confidence, aspirations, and mental health alongside practical skills
• Demonstrate clear pathways to sustainable employment or education

Evidence from Funded Projects

Successful project examples include:

• Street League: Uses sport to provide job opportunities, education, and training for young people in East London (40+ participants annually)
• YOH Ltd: Engages “hardest to reach young people in East London, develops their skills and supports them into sustainable employment”
• Refugee employment programs: Projects employing refugees and asylum seekers as market vendors to build work experience and financial independence
• Youth mentorship programs: Providing guidance, encouragement, and career pathway exposure to young people from disadvantaged backgrounds

Key Success Factors

1. Stay within the 30% rule: Never request more than 30% of your organization's annual income
2. Focus on marginalized groups: The Foundation prioritizes hard-to-reach populations
3. Demonstrate employment/education outcomes: Clear pathways to sustainable results are essential
4. Holistic approach: Best projects combine practical skills with confidence-building and mental health support
5. Partnership potential: The Foundation values long-term strategic relationships over one-off grants
6. Local connections: Projects in East London and Bristol have established track records
7. Evidence of reach: The Foundation values projects that reach significant numbers (their Small Grants Fund enabled 3,000 people to learn skills)

Common Challenges

• Application windows are infrequent and may close due to high demand
• No unsolicited applications accepted outside specific programs
• High competition when programs are open
• Need to demonstrate work with truly marginalized populations, not general disadvantage

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Limited access: This is not an open grant-maker; opportunities are rare and highly competitive. Monitor their website for future Bright Futures rounds.
• Education + employability only: Projects outside this focus area will not be considered. Mental health and confidence-building must link to employment/education outcomes.
• Mind the 30% cap: Calculate carefully before applying - requests cannot exceed 30% of your annual income.
• Marginalized communities: Generic youth programs won't stand out. Target hard-to-reach populations like refugees, asylum seekers, care leavers, or long-term unemployed.
• Outcome focus: The Foundation wants to see measurable results - skills learned, jobs secured, education accessed. Their Small Grants Fund helped 600 people secure employment.
• Consider the partnership route: If your organization aligns strongly with their mission, expressing interest in strategic partnerships may be more effective than waiting for grant rounds.
• Be patient: With Bright Futures closed “for the foreseeable future,” successful applicants from past rounds may have multi-year opportunities, but new applicants face a wait.

References

• Societe Generale UK Foundation official website: https://www.societegenerale.co.uk/en/about/our-commitments/foundation/ (Accessed 23 October 2025)
• UK Charity Commission Register - Charity 1196579: https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/en/charity-search/-/charity-details/5185122 (Accessed 23 October 2025)
• Supporting Communities - Bright Futures Grants information: https://supportingcommunities.org/funding-news-1/2025/5/21/societe-generale-uk-foundation-bright-futures-grants (Accessed 23 October 2025)
• UK Charity Commission - Trustees information: https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-search/-/charity-details/5185122/trustees (Accessed 23 October 2025)
• Quote from John Oberman (Chair) from official Foundation website, accessed 23 October 2025