The Arisaig Partners Foundation

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £281,018 (charitable expenditure)
• Total Granted Since Inception: £4+ million
• Grant Range: $30,000 - $100,000 USD
• Decision Time: 4-6 months (full process)
• Geographic Focus: India (primary), other developing countries
• Application Method: Online application portal, rolling basis

Contact Details

Website: www.arisaig-foundation.com

Email: genera@arisaig-foundation.com

Phone: +65 6532 3378 (Singapore office)

Registered Charity Number: 1101494

Overview

The Arisaig Partners Foundation (APF) was established in January 2004 as a UK registered charity to support organizations in developing countries. Until 2020, APF primarily supported education initiatives for children across Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Today, the foundation focuses exclusively on gender equality with a strong emphasis on water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) and microfinance via subsidized loans to female entrepreneurs. With over £4 million granted since inception, the foundation has become financially self-sustaining through contributions from Arisaig Partners (an independent investment management company) and strong investment returns. The foundation is staffed entirely by volunteers from the Arisaig Partners team and governed by three trustees who receive no remuneration. APF's primary geographic focus is India, where over 600 million women and girls face daily struggles to access basic rights including health, sanitation, education, finance, and employment.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Gender Equality Grants: $30,000 - $100,000 USD

• Project duration: 1-3 years
• Contributions capped at 30% of grantee's overall income
• Rolling application basis via online portal
• Total process from application to approval: 4-6 months

Priority Areas

Primary Focus (Gender Equality):

• WASH (Water, Sanitation & Hygiene): Supporting organizations providing menstrual health education, sanitary pads, and clean and safe toilets to empower girls to complete schooling and gain independence
• Microfinance for Female Entrepreneurs: Providing subsidized loans and financial education to female entrepreneurs to empower women, stimulate employment, and uplift families in rural communities

Additional Gender Equality Programs Considered:

• Livelihood programs for women
• Educational initiatives for girls and women
• Domestic abuse prevention and support
• Healthcare access for women
• Safer transport for women
• Childcare access
• Vocational training addressing gender imbalances

Partner Organization Characteristics:

• Local organizations with on-ground presence in target communities
• Strong credibility and sound governance
• Transparent operations with accountability for measurable outcomes
• Capacity for regular reporting

What They Don't Fund

• Projects not explicitly improving women's lives in underdeveloped countries
• Projects without a sustainable exit strategy
• Organizations with political or religious objectives
• Individual grants (only organizations)
• Grants under $30,000 USD (rare exceptions may apply)

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Governance and Leadership

Trustees: 3 trustees (names not publicly listed beyond Lilian Wang)

Key Personnel:

• Lilian Wang: Trustee and Research Director (Impact & Engagement) at Arisaig Partners

The foundation operates with full transparency, with all trustees receiving zero remuneration, payments, or benefits from the charity. Trustees are employees of Arisaig Partners, aligning the foundation's approach with the long-term investment philosophy of the parent company.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

• Statutory registrations
• Third-party audit reports
• List of existing donors
• Governance structure details
• Team experience and track record

Application Requirements:

• Organizational background information
• Project objective and detailed description
• Total funding requirement
• Target beneficiary reach and demographics
• Project effectiveness measures and anticipated outcomes
• Contact details and acceptance of privacy policy

Decision Timeline

The full application process follows these stages:

1. Application Submission: Online questionnaire completion
2. APF Trustee Review: 1-3 months for initial appraisal to ensure alignment with policy
3. Trustee Due Diligence Call: 2-4 months (if application proceeds)
4. Grant Proposal Structure Design: 4-6 months
5. Trustees Vote on Proposal: At 4-6 months mark
6. Grant Agreement: Signed by successful grantee
7. Payment: Made to grantee upon agreement execution
8. Ongoing Reporting: Regular project updates and reporting requirements

Total Process Duration: 4-6 months from initial application to funding decision

Reapplication Policy

No specific reapplication policy information is publicly available. Organizations should contact the foundation directly if their initial application is unsuccessful.

Application Success Factors

Based on the foundation's documented priorities and partnership examples, successful applications demonstrate:

Alignment with Core Mission:

• Direct impact on women and girls in underdeveloped communities
• Projects explicitly improving gender equality outcomes
• Focus on WASH or microfinance, or other gender equality areas (livelihood, education, domestic abuse)

Strong Organizational Capacity:

• Local presence with on-ground operations in target communities
• Sound governance structures with transparent reporting
• Proven track record of measurable outcomes
• Financial stability (APF contribution will be maximum 30% of your overall income)
• Third-party audited accounts demonstrating accountability

Sustainable Impact:

• Clear exit strategy demonstrating long-term sustainability
• Measurable outcomes and effectiveness metrics
• Capacity building approach (as noted in Myna Mahila quote: “APF not only provided a launchpad but also provided us with tools and capacity building”)

Partnership Philosophy:

APF seeks to “partner with and support a tight group of local organisations” suggesting they value:

• Long-lasting relationships rather than one-off grants
• Close collaboration and ongoing engagement
• Organizations receptive to capacity building support

Recent Funded Project Examples:

• Uninhibited (Bangalore, India): Menstrual and sexual reproductive health telemedicine helpline (Hello Saathi) providing free IVR education, counseling, and doctor screening via missed call. Impact: 160,000+ women and girls reached, with APF support targeting 33,000 women holistically.

• Myna Mahila Foundation (Mumbai, India): Holistic health and hygiene program employing women to manufacture affordable sanitary pads combined with community education. APF funded development of interactive voice response system with 24 audio lessons on health/hygiene management, gender roles, and basic rights, plus menstrual health kits for ~2,000 women.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Geographic focus is critical: Primary focus is India; organizations in other developing countries may be considered but India is clearly prioritized
• Stay within the 30% threshold: Design your budget so APF's contribution represents no more than 30% of your total organizational income
• Demonstrate sustainability: Include a clear exit strategy showing how the project will continue beyond APF funding
• Local presence matters: Emphasize your on-ground presence and deep understanding of the communities you serve
• Prepare for a 4-6 month process: Plan your funding timeline accordingly; this is not a rapid-response funder
• Focus on measurable outcomes: Be specific about metrics, target beneficiary reach, and how you'll track effectiveness
• Gender equality must be explicit: Projects should directly and measurably improve women's lives, not indirectly benefit women as a side effect
• Build for partnership, not transactional funding: APF values long-term relationships and capacity building, not one-off project grants

Similar Funders

These funders have a similar focus and geographic reach:

• FONDATION CHANEL
• World Connect International, UK
• WOMANKIND WORLDWIDE
• James Percy Foundation
• Halcrow Foundation
• Fund for Global Human Rights UK
• The Kitchen Table Charities Trust
• THE CIRCLE OF WOMEN
• THE COSARAF CHARITABLE FOUNDATION
• The Ashmore Foundation

References

• Arisaig Partners Foundation official website: www.arisaig-foundation.com
• “Who We Are” page: https://www.arisaig-foundation.com/
• “Who We Support” page: https://www.arisaig-foundation.com/who-we-support/
• “Grant Application” page: https://www.arisaig-foundation.com/grant-application/
• UK Charity Commission Register: https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-details/?regid=1101494
• Scotland's International Development Alliance profile: https://intdevalliance.scot/membership/funding-update/arisaig-partners-foundation/
• Hub Cymru Africa profile: https://hubcymruafrica.wales/funding-opportunity/arisaig-partners-foundation/
• EMpower interview with Lilian Wang: https://empowerweb.org/news-events/news/a-word-with-lilian-wang