The Barratt Developments Plc Charitable Foundation

Charity Number: 1188447

Annual Expenditure: £4.3M
Throughout England And Wales, Scotland

Contact Info

Website: https://barrattredrowfoundation.org.uk/

Phone: 01530 278278

Email: enquiries@barratt-foundation.co.uk

Be the first to know about new funding opportunities

Get notified when we add new funders to the directory

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £4,000,000
  • Success Rate: 7% overall (15% of eligible applications)
  • Decision Time: Not publicly specified
  • Grant Range: £1,500 (Community Fund) to £150,000 (multi-year grants)
  • Geographic Focus: UK-wide, with emphasis on areas where Barratt Redrow operates

Contact Details

  • Website: https://barrattredrowfoundation.org.uk/
  • Email: enquiries@barratt-foundation.co.uk
  • Phone: 01530 278278
  • Community Fund Applications: Expression of Interest via website
  • Head of Foundation: Andrew Button-Stephens

Overview

The Barratt Developments PLC Charitable Foundation (charity number 1188447) was launched in 2021 and has since donated over £17.2 million to charities and good causes throughout the UK. Following Barratt Developments' acquisition of Redrow plc, the foundation rebranded as the Barratt Redrow Foundation in 2025. The foundation receives £4 million annually from Barratt Redrow plc, with 100% of funds available for charitable purposes due to the parent company covering all operational costs. The foundation's mission focuses on helping UK communities thrive, with particular emphasis on children, young people, and those most disadvantaged. Priority areas include education, employability, homelessness, poverty, and mental health. The foundation operates through three main channels: national partnerships (£2.7m in FY24), divisional giving programmes (£693k in FY24), and employee match funding (£602k in FY24).

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Note: The main grants programme is currently closed to new applications. The foundation is transitioning to a more targeted, invitation-only model.

  • Multi-Year Impact Grants: £50,000 per year over 3 years (£150,000 total) - Currently being awarded to up to 6 charities selected from 27 previously funded organizations. Not open to new applications.
  • Community Fund: £1,500 - Available to charities operating locally to Barratt Redrow construction sites or divisional offices. Applications made via Expression of Interest on website. Over £500,000 distributed annually to local charities. Rolling basis.
  • National Partnerships: Major multi-year funding (£50,000 to £500,000) - By invitation only to strategic partner charities.
  • Historical Grants Programme (Now Closed): Previously awarded £5,000 to £40,000 to 27 charities annually through an open application process.

Priority Areas

  1. Social Inclusion - Particularly focusing on young people and the most disadvantaged and excluded in society
  2. Physical and Mental Health - Supporting mental health services and wellbeing initiatives
  3. Education and Opportunity - Educational programmes, literacy, and social mobility
  4. Employability - Training and employment programmes for disadvantaged groups
  5. Homelessness - Prevention and support services (dedicated fund established in FY25)
  6. Poverty - Addressing financial barriers and economic disadvantage

What They Don't Fund

Based on application statistics showing 45% of applicants were ineligible:

  • Charities serving only one town or very limited geographical area
  • Large charities with income over £2 million
  • Projects not aligned with the foundation's five priority areas
  • Non-UK registered charities
  • Applications lacking clear impact metrics

Governance and Leadership

Chair: Mark Rolfe - Chair of Barratt Redrow plc. Appointed as Foundation Chair in September 2021.

Head of Foundation: Andrew Button-Stephens - Joined November 2021 to lead the foundation's approach to philanthropy, grant-making, and charity partnerships.

Trustees: The foundation has between 2-10 trustees who meet at least four times annually to review governance and operational performance. Current trustees include:

  • Helen - Barratt Redrow's Group Head of Reward & Policy (joined July 2022)
  • Ugo Ikokwu - Works for Trust for London
  • Philippa Charles - Director of the Garfield Weston Foundation
  • Tim Collins - Group Corporate Affairs Director at Barratt Redrow plc
  • Lord Gavin Barwell - Independent Trustee

Quote from Mark Rolfe: "We're proud to be partnering with CleanupUK, who do so much good helping groups to tidy up their local area."

Assessment Criteria: The Trustees assess grant applications by considering the potential impact of funding, justification, alignment to charitable purpose, geographical reach, registered charity status, financial position, and fit with funding criteria.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

Community Fund (Currently Available):

  • Complete an Expression of Interest form on the Barratt Redrow Foundation website
  • Must operate locally to a Barratt Redrow construction site or divisional office
  • Applications reviewed by local Barratt Redrow offices
  • £1,500 grants awarded on rolling basis

Main Grants Programme (Currently Closed):

The foundation closed its open grants programme due to high volumes of ineligible applications (330 applications received with 45% failing to meet criteria). Future programmes are expected to use a two-stage process:

  1. Short Expression of Interest (open application)
  2. Invitation to submit full application (only for aligned charities)

This new model aims for higher success rates at the second stage by pre-screening for eligibility.

Decision Timeline

Not publicly specified. Historical context suggests:

  • Two application rounds were held annually (October-January and Spring)
  • Community Fund decisions made at divisional level
  • Multi-year grants involve trustee meetings (held quarterly minimum)

Success Rates

Historical Programme Statistics (Before Closure):

  • 330 total applications received
  • 147 applications (45%) did not meet eligibility criteria
  • 183 applications (55%) were eligible
  • 27 charities funded (15% of eligible applications, 7% of all applications)

Round Breakdown:

  • Round 1 (October-January): 155 applications, 12 charities supported
  • Round 2 (Spring): 15 charities supported

Reapplication Policy

No specific reapplication policy has been publicly disclosed. Given the programme closure and shift to invitation-only model, reapplication opportunities are limited to the Community Fund for local charities.

Application Success Factors

Common Reasons for Rejection

Based on the foundation's disclosure about the 45% of ineligible applications:

  • Geographic scope too narrow: Serving only one town or limited area
  • Organization too large: Annual income exceeding £2 million
  • Misalignment with priorities: Projects not clearly addressing the five priority areas
  • Unclear impact: Applications not demonstrating clear, measurable outcomes
  • Poor application quality: Not compelling or well-articulated

What Strong Applications Demonstrated

Based on the 27 successful charities:

National/Regional Reach: Successful applicants served multiple communities across the UK rather than single localities. Examples include:

  • National Numeracy - empowering children and adults with number confidence in disadvantaged communities
  • Change Please Foundation - employment training in multiple cities (London, Manchester)
  • Greater Change Foundation - personalized support for people experiencing homelessness
  • The Stepladder Foundation - supporting teenagers from BAME backgrounds through educational programmes

Clear Alignment with Multiple Priorities: Successful charities often addressed several priority areas simultaneously. For example:

  • The Polygon School - addressing education, mental health, and social inclusion
  • For Baby's Sake Trust - tackling poverty, mental health, and social inclusion through domestic abuse support
  • Save the Family - addressing homelessness and poverty through family support

Focus on Children and Young People: Many successful grants specifically targeted young people:

  • Bookmark (national partner receiving £100,000)
  • Place2Be (national partner receiving £300,000)
  • Whizz-Kidz (national partner receiving £500,000)

Unrestricted Funding Appeals: The foundation made “unrestricted donations,” suggesting they value organizational flexibility over highly prescribed project grants.

Growth Potential: In selecting the 6 charities for multi-year funding, trustees prioritized organizations with “high potential for growth and impact.”

Strategic Approach

The foundation values:

  1. Long-term partnerships over one-off grants (evidenced by shift to 3-year funding)
  2. Capacity building through unrestricted funding
  3. Strategic alignment with Barratt Redrow's geographical presence
  4. Scalable impact - charities that can grow and increase their reach
  5. Collaboration - several funded organizations work in partnership models

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  1. The main grants programme is currently closed to new applications. Only the Community Fund (£1,500 for local charities) is available. Monitor the foundation's website for future programme announcements.
  1. Geographic alignment is critical. For Community Fund applications, you must operate locally to a Barratt Redrow site or office. For future open programmes, demonstrate multi-community or national reach rather than single-town impact.
  1. Stay under the £2m income threshold. The foundation targets small to medium-sized charities. Organizations with annual income exceeding £2 million are typically ineligible.
  1. Focus on unrestricted funding asks. The foundation has historically provided unrestricted donations, suggesting they value organizational flexibility and trust grantees to allocate funds effectively.
  1. Demonstrate clear impact on priority populations. Strong emphasis on children, young people, and most disadvantaged. Quantify beneficiaries and outcomes in these demographics.
  1. Multi-priority alignment strengthens applications. Applications addressing multiple priority areas (e.g., homelessness + mental health, or education + social inclusion) align with the foundation's integrated approach to community support.
  1. Future applications will likely require two stages. Prepare concise, compelling Expression of Interest summaries that demonstrate clear eligibility and alignment before investing time in full applications.
  1. Success rates are low (7% overall, 15% of eligible applications). Ensure perfect alignment before applying. Nearly half of applications were rejected for basic eligibility failures - read criteria carefully.

Similar Funders

These funders frequently fund the same charities:

References

  1. The Charity Commission for England and Wales - The Barratt Developments PLC Charitable Foundation (Charity No. 1188447) - Annual Report and Accounts FY24 (Year ended 30 June 2024). https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/en/charity-search/-/charity-details/5151922
  1. Barratt Redrow Foundation Official Website. https://barrattredrowfoundation.org.uk/
  1. Third Sector Magazine. “Grantmaker closes applications to programme after almost half of applicants failed to meet criteria.” https://www.thirdsector.co.uk/grantmaker-closes-applications-programme-almost-half-applicants-failed-meet-criteria/fundraising/article/1901407
  1. The Barratt Foundation. “The Barratt Foundation pledges £1m in new grants for charities.” https://barrattfoundation.org.uk/the-barratt-foundation-pledges-1m-in-new-grants-for-charities/
  1. The Barratt Foundation. “Success with the first round of Barratt Foundation Grants.” https://barrattfoundation.org.uk/success-with-the-first-round-of-barratt-foundation-grants/
  1. The Barratt Foundation. “Success with the second round of Barratt Foundation Grants.” https://barrattfoundation.org.uk/success-with-the-second-round-of-barratt-foundation-grants/
  1. Barratt Redrow plc. “Introducing the Barratt Redrow Foundation.” https://www.barrattredrow.co.uk/news/2025/pr-01-07-2025-introducing-the-barratt-redrow-foundation
  1. Magic Breakfast. “Partner Spotlight: The Barratt Foundation.” https://www.magicbreakfast.com/partner-spotlight-the-barratt-foundation/