The Eight Foundation

Quick Stats

• Annual Income: £184,000 (2024)
• Annual Expenditure: £167,000 (2024)
• Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
• Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed
• Grant Range: Up to £5,000 (trustees may increase at discretion)
• Geographic Focus: Hampshire and surrounding counties (Dorset, Surrey, West Berkshire, West Sussex, Wiltshire)

Contact Details

Address: The Eight Foundation, 1460 Parkway, Whiteley, Fareham, Hampshire, PO15 7AF

Website: www.eightfoundation.co.uk

Email: info@eightfoundation.co.uk

Phone: 01489 555180

Online Application: Applications submitted via online form at https://forms.monday.com/forms/d5f93e7ec798730d911d0007023a39ea?r=use1

Overview

The Eight Foundation is a charitable trust established in July 2017 by Ian Riggs, CEO of Eight Wealth Management. Registered with the Charity Commission (Charity Number 1174600), the foundation focuses on making real differences in people's lives through financial grants to causes relating to health, poverty, and education. The foundation operates with a unique funding model where Eight Wealth Management matches every donated pound with an equivalent contribution, raising over £100,000 within its first year. The foundation works exclusively within Hampshire and surrounding counties to support local charities and individuals who need donations to survive and provide services within their local community. With four trustees and two volunteers, the foundation operates with no trustee remuneration, ensuring all funds go directly to charitable purposes.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

• Small Charity Grant Programme: Up to £5,000 (trustees may increase at discretion for exceptional cases)
• Application method: Online application form (rolling basis)
• Applications considered “on merit alone” by trustees
• Grants made at discretion of trustees

Priority Areas

The foundation focuses on three core areas:

Health

• Life-saving medical equipment for hospitals
• Specialist equipment for individuals with disabilities
• Support for terminally ill children and their families
• Neonatal care equipment
• Rehabilitation equipment (e.g., IKAN braces for cerebral palsy)

Education

• Educational programmes for children with special needs
• Speech recognition software for disabled individuals
• Support programmes for children with autism
• Training and development opportunities

Poverty

• Support for families living in poverty
• Community resources (furniture, clothes, household items)
• Rental support for community centers
• Respite breaks for families in need

What They Don't Fund

• Large national charities with annual income exceeding £250,000
• Charities with assets exceeding £500,000
• Causes deemed already well-funded within Hampshire and surrounding counties
• Organizations outside Hampshire and specified surrounding counties (Dorset, Surrey, West Berkshire, West Sussex, Wiltshire)

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Governance and Leadership

Ian Riggs - Trustee and Chair

• CEO of Eight Wealth Management
• Chartered Financial Planner
• Former trustee of The Elizabeth Foundation
• Oversees management, promotion, finances, and chairs trustee meetings
• Founded the charity in 2017 to create "a charitable fund within the company's community of clients, staff, and associates"

Victoria Riggs - Manager

• Over 15 years of nursing experience
• Manages grants, events, and website
• Quote: “I knew from nursing about so many individuals, families and small charities in need of support”

Storm Shepherd-Riggs - Trustee

• Raised in a “tradition of giving”
• Quote: “Learning to give was a common saying in our home”
• Contributes to foundation vision and strategy

Kelly Sims - Ambassador

• British artistic gymnast
• Commonwealth Games gold medalist
• World Championships bronze medalist

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

The Eight Foundation accepts applications through an online application form available on their website. Applicants must:

1. Review eligibility criteria to ensure they qualify
2. Download and review the Application Form and Terms and Conditions
3. Complete the online application form at https://forms.monday.com/forms/d5f93e7ec798730d911d0007023a39ea?r=use1
4. Demonstrate a connection to Eight Wealth Management
5. Submit application for trustee consideration

Eligibility Requirements:

• Charities must be registered with the Charity Commission
• Must be based in Hampshire or surrounding counties (Dorset, Surrey, West Berkshire, West Sussex, Wiltshire)
• Focus must align with health, education, and/or poverty themes
• Not for large national charities (annual income > £250,000 or assets > £500,000)

Important Note: Applications must demonstrate some connection to Eight Wealth Management, though the specific nature of this connection requirement is not publicly detailed.

Decision Timeline

Decision timelines are not publicly disclosed. Applications are reviewed by trustees and decided “on merit alone” at the discretion of the board.

Success Rates

Success rates and application statistics are not publicly available.

Reapplication Policy

The foundation's policy on reapplications from unsuccessful applicants is not publicly stated.

Application Success Factors

Based on the foundation's grant history and stated priorities, successful applications demonstrate:

Clear Local Impact

The foundation has a strong emphasis on local Hampshire causes. Recent grants include:

• £5,000 to Ickle Pickles for a new emergency transfer Pod for neonatal transfer service at Princess Anne Hospital
• £9,000 to The Playhouse Foundation to sponsor three boys to access an autism support programme
• Funding to R;pple to build an office space for suicide prevention software development
• Support for Simon's Story to purchase a laptop with speech recognition software for an ex-Army veteran who became paralyzed
• Grant to purchase an IKAN brace for Lana, a child with cerebral palsy
• £500 monthly rent coverage for Act of Kindness community storage center
• Full funding for Friday Night Charity's Wednesday Club supporting adults with learning disabilities

Specific, Tangible Needs

The foundation favors applications for concrete items or specific services rather than general operational costs. Many successful grants funded specific equipment, technology, or defined program costs.

Health, Poverty, and Education Focus

Applications must clearly align with one or more of the foundation's three priority areas. Victoria Riggs's nursing background suggests particular understanding of health-related applications.

Small Charity Profile

The foundation explicitly seeks to support smaller organizations that may struggle to attract funding from larger grant-makers. They exclude charities with income over £250,000 or assets over £500,000.

Connection to Eight Wealth Management

While applications are assessed “on merit alone,” there is a stated requirement to demonstrate connection to Eight Wealth Management, reflecting the foundation's roots in the company's community of clients, staff, and associates.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Maximum grant of £5,000 but trustees can increase for exceptional cases - be clear about your total needs and how £5,000 (or more) would make a specific difference
• Geographic restriction is firm - only Hampshire and specified surrounding counties (Dorset, Surrey, West Berkshire, West Sussex, Wiltshire) are eligible
• Small charity focus - if your income exceeds £250,000 or assets exceed £500,000, you are not eligible
• Connection to Eight Wealth Management required - clarify your connection in your application
• Concrete needs perform best - applications for specific equipment, technology, or defined programme costs appear most successful
• Local, tangible impact matters - demonstrate how the grant will create measurable change in your local Hampshire community
• Foundation has nursing expertise - health-related applications benefit from Victoria Riggs's 15+ years nursing background and understanding of healthcare needs

References

1. The Eight Foundation official website - Grant application page. https://eightfoundation.co.uk/grants/
2. The Eight Foundation official website - Our Purpose. https://eightfoundation.co.uk/our-purpose/
3. The Eight Foundation official website - About page. https://eightfoundation.co.uk/about/
4. The Eight Foundation official website - We've Helped page. https://eightfoundation.co.uk/weve-helped/
5. Charity Commission Register - The Eight Foundation (Charity Number 1174600). https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/en/charity-search/-/charity-details/5100291
6. Giving is Great - The Eight Foundation Charity Factsheet. https://givingisgreat.org/database/charity-factsheet/?regNo=1174600