The Bradley And Katherine Wickens Foundation

Quick Stats

• Registered Charity Number: 1140413
• Annual Giving: Approximately £400,000 (based on 2023-24 expenditure)
• Geographic Focus: UK and Emerging Markets
• Foundation Type: Private grant-making trust
• Established: February 2011
• Also Known As: The Broad Reach Foundation

Contact Details

Address: C/O Meadow Partners LLP, 50 Great Marlborough Street, London, W1F 7JS

Phone: 020 7531 2460

Note: No website or email address is publicly available for this foundation.

Overview

The Bradley and Katherine Wickens Foundation is a private grant-making trust established in February 2011 by Bradley and Katherine Wickens. The foundation operates as a small, family-led philanthropic vehicle with annual grant expenditure of approximately £400,000. Bradley Wickens is a founding partner of Broad Reach Investment Management, a London-based emerging markets investment firm, and a founding director of EMpower UK, which focuses on empowering marginalized young people in emerging markets.

The foundation's mission centers on improving outcomes for children and young people in the UK and emerging markets through better education, improved health and wellbeing, and fostering a more balanced relationship with the environment. The foundation operates with a lean structure—three trustees, no employees, and no trustee remuneration—directing all resources toward grant-making activities.

Recent financial data shows income of £256,407 and expenditure of £434,315 for the year ending December 31, 2024, demonstrating the foundation's commitment to deploying capital rather than building endowment.

Funding Priorities

Mission Focus

The foundation seeks to improve the outlook for children and young people through three interconnected pillars:

Education: Supporting initiatives that provide better educational opportunities and outcomes for young people in the UK and emerging markets.

Health and Wellbeing: Funding programs that improve physical and mental health outcomes for children and young people.

Environmental Sustainability: Promoting environmental awareness and fostering balanced relationships between young people and their environment, with particular emphasis on habitat and biodiversity preservation.

Geographic Priorities

• UK: Domestic programs serving children and young people throughout England and Wales
• Emerging Markets: International programs focused on developing countries, with particular interest in initiatives that empower women and girls

Thematic Interests

Based on trustee Bradley Wickens' publicly stated philanthropic priorities, the foundation has particular interest in:

• Women's and girls' empowerment through education
• Leadership development for young women
• Livelihoods and economic opportunities for marginalized youth
• Family planning and reproductive autonomy
• Environmental conservation and biodiversity preservation
• Programs that can scale from grassroots impact to policy influence

What They Don't Fund

Specific exclusions are not publicly documented, but as a small family foundation, they likely do not fund:

• Individual applications (organizations only)
• General operating costs for large institutions
• Capital campaigns
• Endowment building
• Programs outside their geographic and thematic focus areas

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Governance and Leadership

Trustees

Mr. Bradley Wickens (Founding Trustee): Founding Partner of Broad Reach Investment Management, a London-based emerging markets investment firm established in 2016. Previously spent 17 years as a founding principal of Spinnaker Capital Limited. Founding Director of EMpower UK, which works to empower marginalized young people in emerging markets.

Mrs. Katherine Wickens (Founding Trustee): Co-founder of the foundation.

Mr. Glenn Fuller (Trustee): Third trustee of the foundation.

Philanthropic Philosophy

In an interview about his philanthropic work, Bradley Wickens articulated key principles that likely inform the foundation's approach:

• Transparency and Accountability: Seeking “transparent and accountable” ways to give back to communities
• Adaptive Strategy: Evolving philanthropic approach based on learning and changing global contexts
• Women as Change Agents: Strong belief in supporting women and girls, noting that "they're better guardians of the planet"
• Grassroots to Policy: Values organizations that work at grassroots level but have potential to influence national policy
• Environmental Focus: Growing emphasis on “preservation of habitat biodiversity” as central to philanthropic strategy

Key Quote

"Preservation of habitat biodiversity is developing and central to where I think now. And often it just comes from women, because they're better guardians of the planet." - Brad Wickens

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

This foundation does not have a public application process. Grants are awarded at the absolute discretion of the trustees, who identify and select beneficiary organizations through their personal networks, sector knowledge, and relationships.

The foundation's charitable objects state that trustees have “absolute discretion from time to time” to determine which charitable purposes to support. This structure indicates that grants are made proactively by trustees rather than in response to external applications.

Getting on Their Radar

Given the foundation's connection to EMpower UK and emerging markets development work, organizations working in aligned areas might consider:

• EMpower UK Network: As Bradley Wickens is a founding director of EMpower UK, organizations within this network or working on similar issues (empowering marginalized young people in emerging markets, particularly women and girls) may have opportunities for connection.

• Emerging Markets Development Sector: Organizations attending conferences, forums, or events focused on international development in emerging markets may encounter trustees through sector activities.

• Environmental Conservation Networks: Given Brad Wickens' stated interest in biodiversity and habitat preservation, particularly programs led by or benefiting women, organizations in this space may find alignment.

Important Note: These are informed observations based on trustee affiliations and stated interests. There is no documented process for unsolicited contact, and the foundation may not respond to direct approaches from organizations outside their existing network.

Application Success Factors

Alignment Indicators

While the foundation does not publish grant guidelines, the following factors appear to align with trustee interests:

Mission Alignment:

• Programs serving children and young people in UK or emerging markets
• Education initiatives that create pathways to leadership and livelihoods
• Health and wellbeing programs, particularly reproductive health and family planning
• Environmental programs that engage youth in conservation and sustainability
• Women and girls' empowerment initiatives

Organizational Characteristics:

• Grassroots organizations with potential for policy influence
• Programs demonstrating measurable impact at community level
• Organizations working in emerging markets with transparent, accountable operations
• Initiatives that address root causes rather than symptoms

Strategic Approach:

• Programs that align with trustees' investment and professional expertise in emerging markets
• Organizations with strong connections to EMpower UK or similar networks
• Initiatives that demonstrate cost-effectiveness and efficient deployment of resources

Why Organizations Likely Receive Funding

Based on the foundation's structure and trustee priorities, successful grant recipients likely:

• Have direct connections to trustees or their professional networks
• Demonstrate strong outcomes in areas of trustee expertise and passion
• Operate with transparency and accountability
• Show potential for sustainable, scalable impact
• Align closely with the foundation's three pillars: education, health/wellbeing, and environment

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• No Public Application Process: This is a trustee-discretionary foundation that does not accept unsolicited applications. Grant opportunities arise through personal networks and relationships.

• Emerging Markets Focus: Despite UK registration, the foundation has significant interest in emerging markets development, particularly programs empowering women and girls through education.

• Small but Active: With approximately £400,000 in annual grants, this is a small foundation that makes targeted investments rather than numerous small grants.

• Environmental Growth Area: Trustee statements indicate growing emphasis on biodiversity and environmental preservation, particularly programs involving women as environmental guardians.

• Network Matters: Connections to EMpower UK, emerging markets investment community, or environmental conservation networks appear to be primary pathways to foundation awareness.

• Values-Driven: Trustees seek transparent, accountable organizations that demonstrate grassroots impact with potential for broader influence.

• Relationship-Based: As a family foundation without staff or formal application processes, all grant-making appears to flow from trustee relationships and sector engagement.

References

• The Charity Commission for England and Wales, Charity Details for The Bradley and Katherine Wickens Foundation (Charity No. 1140413), https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-details/?regid=1140413&subid=0

• EMpower, “A Word with Brad Wickens,”, https://empowerweb.org/news-events/news/a-word-with-brad-wickens

• OpenCharities, “The Bradley and Katherine Wickens Foundation,”, http://opencharities.org/charities/1140413

• Giving is Great, “The Bradley and Katherine Wickens Foundation Charity Factsheet,”, https://givingisgreat.org/database/charity-factsheet/?regNo=1140413