The Greater Share Foundation

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £590,061 (2024 charitable activities expenditure)
• Total Income: £2.27 million (2024)
• Decision Time: Not applicable (invitation only)
• Grant Range: Not publicly disclosed
• Duration: 10-year funding commitment
• Geographic Focus: Global (UK, US, Colombia, India, Africa)
• Funded Organizations: 8 education NGOs (closed portfolio)

Contact Details

Registered Office:

The Greater Share Foundation

c/o Simpson Thacher and Bartlett LLP

Citypoint, One Ropemaker Street

London, EC2Y 9HU

Website: https://www.greatershare.com

Charity Number: 1199157

Company Number: 13612909

Overview

The Greater Share Foundation, registered in the UK in 2021, represents an innovative philanthropic investment model that bridges private equity and grant-making. Founded by Paul Fletcher (former CEO of CDC Group and Actis), Greater Share closed its first Education Fund at $52 million in 2024, raised from over 50 individual investors and organizations worldwide.

The foundation operates a unique fund-of-funds structure where investors commit capital (minimum $500,000 over four years) to top-tier private equity funds. Between 50-100% of capital gains, plus all general partner fees and carried interest, are then donated to a carefully curated portfolio of education NGOs. This model aims to provide what Fletcher describes as a solution to education being “the poor relation in the impact investing world.”

The UK charity entity serves as part of this structure, with £2.27 million income in 2024 and £590,061 in charitable activities expenditure. The foundation provides 10-year, unrestricted funding commitments to its eight selected NGO partners, along with coaching, mentoring, and strategic support.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Education Fund Portfolio (Closed)

The foundation's first Education Fund supports eight organizations selected from more than 4,000 education NGOs assessed by the Education Committee (chaired by Liesbet Steer) working with Bridgespan:

1. aeioTU (Latin America) - Early childhood education services developing children's potential
2. CAMFED (Sub-Saharan Africa) - Tackling poverty-related barriers to girls' education through the Learner Guide program
3. Kaivalya Education Foundation (India) - Education system leadership and school-based approaches
4. KIPP Foundation (United States) - Network of free, open-enrollment public charter schools across 50 communities
5. London Early Years Foundation (UK) - High-quality nursery education
6. National Institute for Student Success (United States) - College student support programs
7. Teach For All (Global) - Teacher recruitment and development network
8. AllChild (UK) - Youth support connecting families, schools, and local organizations

Funding Characteristics:

• Duration: 10-year funding commitment (described as “over the next decade”)
• Type: Unrestricted funding allowing NGOs maximum flexibility
• Additional Support: Coaching, mentoring, strategic support, and amplification of NGOs' stories
• Application Method: Invitation only - closed portfolio selection process

Priority Areas

The foundation's charitable objects include:

• Advancing education
• Advancing healthcare
• Protecting the environment

However, the initial focus is exclusively on education, specifically organizations that:

• Use evidence-based, child-centric models to transform children's learning
• Have proven track records of impact
• Work on education equity in underserved communities
• Employ learning team models across the education lifecycle (cradle to career)
• Address systemic challenges in education delivery

The portfolio is deliberately global and spans the entire educational journey, from early years through college success.

What They Don't Fund

• The foundation does NOT accept unsolicited applications
• Current portfolio is closed to new organizations
• No indication of open application rounds or processes
• Organizations outside the pre-selected portfolio of eight NGOs

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Governance and Leadership

Trustees/Directors

The charity has 4 trustees who are also directors and members of the organization. No trustees receive remuneration. The charity employs 2 staff members (one earning £70-80k, one earning £120-130k).

Key Leadership

Paul Fletcher - Founder and Chairman

Paul Fletcher founded Greater Share after stepping down from leadership roles at CDC Group (where he was CEO from 2002) and Actis. His experience in emerging markets across Tokyo, New York, Nairobi, and London with Citibank and CDC shaped his conviction that “education is the most important element in building a better world.” He is also a board member of Teach For All.

Key Quote: “I feel that education is too often the poor relation in the impact investing world... the negative consequences of what happens when education is not readily available. I believe education is the most important element in building a better world.”

Liesbet Steer - Chair of the Education Committee

Executive Director of the Education Commission, Liesbet Steer led the global panel of education experts that assessed more than 4,000 education NGOs to identify the eight strongest organizations for the portfolio. She helped establish Greater Share and serves on its board.

Education Committee

The Education Committee includes sector experts responsible for the “painstaking assessment” and selection of NGO partners. Members include:

• Liesbet Steer (Chair)
• Keri Larkin (Bain & Company partner)
• Vicki Phillips (National Center on Education and the Economy)
• Kwame Akyeampong

The committee is described as conducting ongoing monitoring of the high-impact NGOs in the portfolio.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process.

The Greater Share Foundation operates through a closed portfolio model. The eight education NGOs were selected through a rigorous, one-time assessment process conducted by the Education Committee working with Bridgespan, which evaluated more than 4,000 organizations.

Organizations were selected based on:

• Proven track records using evidence-based, child-centric models
• Demonstrated impact in transforming children's learning
• Strategic fit within a portfolio that collectively spans cradle-to-career education
• Geographic diversity and potential for collaboration
• Alignment with the foundation's theory of change around education equity

There is no indication that the foundation accepts unsolicited applications, runs open application rounds, or plans to expand its current portfolio in the near term. The model is built around providing deep, long-term support (10 years) to a small, carefully curated group of organizations rather than a broad grant-making approach.

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - the foundation does not accept applications. The initial portfolio selection was a comprehensive, multi-stage assessment process involving the Education Committee and Bridgespan.

Success Rates

Not applicable - only 8 organizations were selected from an assessment pool of over 4,000 education NGOs (approximately 0.2% selection rate for the initial portfolio).

Application Success Factors

While the foundation does not accept applications, the selection criteria and funding philosophy provide insights into what Greater Share values:

Evidence-Based Impact

The foundation prioritizes organizations with proven track records. As Paul Fletcher notes: “Whilst the teacher is at the centre, there are a lot of other important actors who must be critically involved.” This reflects a preference for comprehensive, systemic approaches rather than single-intervention models.

Learning Team Models

Selected organizations employ what Greater Share calls “learning team models” - approaches that bring together multiple stakeholders (teachers, families, community organizations) to support children's education holistically. Examples include:

• CAMFED's Learner Guide program: Recent female graduates supporting younger students
• AllChild/West London Zone: Connecting support systems including families, schools, and local organizations to deliver personalized 2-year support plans
• Kaivalya Education Foundation: Focus on developing school leadership teams

Unrestricted, Long-Term Orientation

The foundation explicitly aims to “create a stream of unrestricted funding that NGOs can rely upon to make the long-term investments they need to drive systemic change.” Organizations that demonstrate capacity to use flexible funding strategically align with this philosophy.

Portfolio Complementarity

The Education Committee deliberately curated a portfolio that is “greater than the sum of its parts” - organizations that:

• Span different global regions
• Target students at different educational stages
• Have potential for collaboration and shared learning
• Collectively create a holistic solution set

Strategic Ambition

While Greater Share currently focuses on education, founder Paul Fletcher has indicated ambitions to potentially create funds in other areas like climate change. The foundation seeks to "amplify NGOs' stories, not dictate their operations" - suggesting they value organizational autonomy and strategic clarity.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Closed Portfolio Model: The Greater Share Foundation does not accept unsolicited applications - their current portfolio of 8 education NGOs was selected through a one-time rigorous assessment of 4,000+ organizations
• 10-Year Unrestricted Funding: The foundation provides exceptional funding terms - decade-long commitments with no restrictions on fund usage, plus coaching and strategic support
• Evidence-Based Selection: Organizations must demonstrate proven track records using child-centric, evidence-based models to transform children's learning outcomes
• Learning Team Approach: Successful organizations employ comprehensive support models involving multiple stakeholders (teachers, families, communities) rather than single-intervention approaches
• Global Cradle-to-Career Portfolio: The foundation deliberately selected organizations spanning different geographies and educational stages to create a complementary, systemic portfolio
• Future Potential: While education is the current focus, the foundation has indicated potential expansion into other areas like climate change, though no timeline has been announced
• Relationship-Based: Given the closed portfolio model, any future opportunities would likely emerge through the foundation's network - connections to Education Committee members, existing portfolio partners, or the private equity/impact investing community

References

1. Charity Commission Register - The Greater Share Foundation (Charity 1199157). Accessed via https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/en/charity-search/-/charity-details/5200038 on 27 January 2025
2. Greater Share official website - The Greater Share Portfolio. https://www.greatershare.com/the-greater-share-portfolio. Accessed 27 January 2025
3. Greater Share official website - About Us. https://www.greatershare.com/about-us. Accessed 27 January 2025
4. Impact Investor. “Greater Share announces $52m close of first education fund.” https://impact-investor.com/greater-share-announces-52m-close-of-first-education-fund/. Accessed 27 January 2025
5. Impact Investor. “Expert view: Greater Share on closing the education gap with a novel take on philanthropy.” https://impact-investor.com/expert-view-greater-share-on-closing-the-education-gap-with-a-novel-take-on-philanthropy/. Accessed 27 January 2025
6. The Education Commission. “Greater Share: A new fund investing in learning teams for learning transformation.” https://educationcommission.org/updates/greater-share-a-new-fund-investing-in-learning-teams-for-learning-transformation/. Accessed 27 January 2025
7. Family Office Insights. “Paul Fletcher of Greater Share.” https://familyofficeinsights.com/pir-qa/paul-fletcher-of-greater-share/. Accessed 27 January 2025
8. Rede Partners. “Rede alliance partner Greater Share announces successful close of its first Education Fund.” https://www.rede-partners.com/news-insights-database/rede-greatershare-education-fund-close. Accessed 27 January 2025