The Aim Foundation

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: Approximately £600,000 per year
• Total Grants Awarded: £3,510,843 (2021-2024)
• Grant Range: £250 - £340,000
• Number of Grants: 85 grants to 58 recipients (2021-2024)
• Geographic Focus: National UK (priority for East Anglia)
• Application Method: Invitation-only (proactive funder)

Contact Details

Address: Albert Goodman LLP, Goodwood House, Blackbrook Park Avenue, Taunton, Somerset TA1 2PX

Website: www.theaimfoundation.org.uk

Email: collaborate@theaimfoundation.org.uk

Phone: 01823 286096

Important Note: The foundation does not accept unsolicited applications. Grants are only made to registered charities or CICs that trustees have proactively approached.

Overview

THE AIM FOUNDATION is a family grantmaking foundation established in 1971 by Ian & Angela Marks. The endowment was created in 1989 when the Marks family sold their confectionery business, Trebor, to Cadbury Schweppes. Following Ian Marks' death in 2018, the foundation has been led by Chair Caroline Marks since 2016, with all five trustees being family members related to the original settlor. In 2023, the foundation spun off its nutrition-focused grantmaking into a separate entity (the Nutritional Wellbeing Foundation). In late 2024, the foundation closed its Young People's Mental Health programme, allowing AIM to concentrate on its two remaining core priorities: improving the wellbeing of infants and children through early childhood support, and restoring and protecting UK rivers and coastal waters. The foundation distributes approximately £600,000 in grants annually to pioneering charities and voluntary organisations.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programmes

The AIM Foundation currently operates two core programmes aligned with three key objectives (changing the system, strengthening the sector, and direct support):

• Early Childhood: Supporting work to improve the emotional and social development of young children from vulnerable families, ensuring all children in the UK are ready to thrive in school by funding evidence-based early childhood initiatives that address systemic barriers and empower families and communities
• UK Rivers: Funding organisations working to restore and protect UK rivers to improve water quality, support healthy ecosystems, and mitigate the impact of climate change

Note: The Young People's Mental Health programme was closed in late 2024. The foundation is not looking to award any new grants to charities working in young people's mental health, though existing multi-year commitments remain in place.

Types of Funding

The foundation provides:

• Core funding: Unrestricted support for organisational running costs
• Multi-year grants: Supporting medium-sized organisations over several years
• Project funding: For specific initiatives aligned with foundation priorities

Priority Areas

• Work with infants and children facing disadvantage
• Prevention-focused interventions that address underlying causes
• Organisations working in East Anglia (the family's area of roots)
• River and coastal water restoration and protection
• Organisations that are “competent, responsive and robust”
• Work that can be replicated or scaled up for wider impact

Strategic Approach

The foundation seeks to balance funding between:

• Charitable organisations aiming for wider systemic impact
• Organisations offering direct support to vulnerable individuals
• Work focused on immediate needs and work addressing root causes

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Governance and Leadership

Trustees

All five trustees are family members related to founder Ian Marks:

• Caroline Marks - Chair (since 2016), Non-executive Director of Cytoplan
• Angela Marks - Founder Trustee (co-founder with late husband Ian)
• Nic Marks - Trustee, Non-executive Director of Cytoplan, Joint responsibility for investment
• Pippa Bailey - Trustee, Responsibility for family fund grant-making
• Jo Precious - Trustee, Responsibility for grant-making in East Anglia

The foundation has been recruiting non-family trustees to increase diversity on the board.

Leadership Philosophy

Caroline Marks has been Chair for over 5 years and Trustee for 13+ years. The foundation describes itself as “a proactive funder that recognises there are different ways to achieve social and environmental change.”

How to Apply to The Aim Foundation

How to Apply

Applications are by invitation only. The AIM Foundation operates as a proactive funder, meaning:

• Trustees identify and approach organisations they wish to support
• Unsolicited applications are not accepted or processed
• The foundation seeks out organisations delivering effective prevention work
• Only registered charities or Community Interest Companies (CICs) are eligible

Strategic Approach to Grant Selection

The foundation:

• Looks for opportunities to leverage effectiveness and spread impact
• Seeks organisations that can replicate or scale up their work
• Builds long-term relationships with funded organisations
• Aims to provide longer and less restricted funding over time
• Provides continuation funding to existing grantees

Decision Timeline

Specific timelines are not publicly available, as the foundation operates on a proactive rather than application-driven model.

Success Rates

Not applicable - the foundation approaches organisations directly rather than reviewing applications.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable in traditional sense. However, the foundation emphasises building long-term relationships and provides continuation funding to existing grantees, suggesting multi-year partnerships are preferred.

Application Success Factors

For Organisations Hoping to be Approached

While you cannot apply directly, organisations can increase their visibility to the foundation by:

1. Publishing strong impact data: The foundation looks for “competent, responsive and robust” organisations
2. Focus on prevention: Demonstrating work that addresses root causes, not just symptoms
3. Operating in priority areas: Early years or river/coastal conservation
4. East Anglia connection: Priority given to organisations working in the family's home region
5. Medium-sized organisations: The foundation specifically mentions supporting medium-sized charities
6. Scalability potential: Show how your work could be replicated or scaled for wider impact
7. Transparency: Publishing data on 360Giving and being open about impact

Examples of Funded Work

The foundation has supported:

• Young Minds: Campaign work (Beyond Tomorrow) reducing COVID-19 impact on young people's mental health (funded when Young People's Mental Health programme was active)
• Anna Freud: Multi-year core funding to develop evidence-based teaching materials, training for education staff, and knowledge-sharing events for schools prioritising mental health (funded when Young People's Mental Health programme was active)
• Children's Society East: Funding for a young carer support worker

Grant Size Considerations

• Grants range from £250 to £340,000
• The foundation has made 85 grants totalling £3.5 million over approximately 3 years
• Average grant size: approximately £41,000
• The foundation provides both small and transformational grants

Strategic Priorities

The foundation values:

• Prevention over intervention: Work that stops problems before they start
• System change: Organisations working to change underlying structures
• Sector strengthening: Building capacity within the charitable sector
• Direct support: Immediate help for vulnerable individuals
• Long-term relationships: Multi-year commitments rather than one-off grants

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

1. You cannot apply directly - This is an invitation-only funder. Focus instead on raising your organisation's profile, publishing impact data, and ensuring you appear on platforms like 360Giving and Charity Commission where trustees may discover you.

1. East Anglia connection matters - Priority is given to organisations working in the family's area of roots. If you operate in this region, emphasise this in all your communications.

1. Think prevention, not just intervention - The foundation explicitly seeks work that addresses underlying causes. Frame your work in terms of prevention and long-term impact.

1. Medium-sized is the sweet spot - The foundation specifically mentions supporting medium-sized organisations. Very small or very large charities may be outside their target.

1. Demonstrate scalability - Show how your approach could be replicated or scaled. The foundation looks for “opportunities to leverage effectiveness and spread impact.”

1. Build long-term impact - This is a relationship funder providing multi-year core funding. Demonstrate organisational stability and vision for sustained impact.

1. Use the collaboration email thoughtfully - If contacted by trustees or considering reaching out (though they don't accept applications), the email collaborate@theaimfoundation.org.uk suggests they value partnership approaches.

1. Current priorities are Early Childhood and UK Rivers - The Young People's Mental Health programme closed in late 2024, so new work in this area will not be considered.

Similar Funders

These funders have a similar focus and geographic reach:

• Tara Getty Foundation
• Wellington Management Uk Foundation
• The Regatta Foundation
• The Kpmg Foundation
• The Generations Foundation
• The Rumi Foundation
• The Danson Foundation
• The Alan Sugar Foundation
• Chk Foundation
• The Newcore Foundation

References

• Charity Commission Register: https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-search/-/charity-details/263294/full-print
• 360Giving GrantNav - The AIM Foundation: https://grantnav.threesixtygiving.org/org/GB-CHC-263294
• The AIM Foundation website: https://www.theaimfoundation.org.uk/
• Nutritional Wellbeing Foundation - History of AIM Foundation: https://www.nutritionalwellbeingfoundation.org.uk/history-of-the-aim-foundation-and-nutrit
• Cytoplan blog posts on AIM Foundation charitable activity (2017-2021): https://blog.cytoplan.co.uk/
• LinkedIn - Caroline Marks profile (Chairperson): https://www.linkedin.com/in/caroline-marks-1208061a4/
• ICAEW Volunteers - Trustee recruitment information: https://volunteer.icaew.com/job/6542377/trustee/