The Harrison Foundation

Charity Number: 1119946

Annual Expenditure: £0.8M

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £620,000 - £1,000,000
  • Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
  • Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed (assessed on rolling basis)
  • Grant Range: £1,000 - £220,000
  • Geographic Focus: Primarily North East England, UK-wide, and some international work

Contact Details

Website: www.harrisonfoundation.co.uk

Phone: 08717000007

Address: True Potential, 9 Greenfinch Way, Newburn, Newcastle upon Tyne NE15 8NX

Organizations interested in support are encouraged to contact the foundation directly through their website to discuss potential projects.

Overview

The Harrison Foundation (Charity Number 1119946) is a privately run charitable foundation established over two decades ago by Sir David Harrison and Lady Sylvia Harrison and their family. The foundation has demonstrated substantial giving, donating £1 million to charities in 2023 and over £620,000 in 2024. With strong connections to True Potential, the financial services firm founded by Sir David Harrison, the foundation takes a business-like, entrepreneurial approach to philanthropy. Sir David was awarded a Knight Grand Cross for his services to business, education, and social mobility. The foundation has invested over £6 million into education and training since 2017, with a particular focus on the North East England region. The foundation operates four Harrison Centres for Social Mobility in the UK and is working on a fifth in Antigua and Barbuda, demonstrating its commitment to long-term, transformational projects that improve life chances.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Harrison Foundation does not operate formal grant programs with fixed deadlines. Instead, they:

  • Direct Project Support: Support specific projects directly, ranging from £1,000 to £220,000
  • Rolling Assessment: Review funding requests on an ongoing basis
  • Long-term Partnerships: Establish multi-year relationships with selected organizations (e.g., 5+ year partnerships with Foundation of Light and Newcastle United Foundation)

Priority Areas

The Harrison Foundation actively funds projects in:

  • Education: Schools, educational facilities, special educational needs provision, and alternative education programs
  • Social Mobility: Employment training, skills development, and opportunities for disadvantaged young people
  • Healthcare: Hospice care, medical equipment, and patient support
  • Youth Development: Programs supporting children and young people's creativity, skills, and leadership
  • Financial Literacy: Free personal finance education (over 1 million people educated)
  • Community Development: Local community projects, sports programs, and youth clubs
  • Digital Skills: eSTEM learning, digital education, and employability in technology sectors

Notable funded organizations include: Beacon of Light Education Centre, Foundation of Light, Newcastle United Foundation, Mowden Hall School, The Dales School, St Oswald's Hospice, National Social Mobility Pledge, NE Youth, Duke of Edinburgh Award, Princes Trust, Big Issue Magazine, Denton Youth and Community Project, and Loftus Community Hub.

What They Don't Fund

While not explicitly stated, the foundation's approach indicates they likely do not fund:

  • Short-term, one-off projects (they explicitly prefer long-term initiatives)
  • Projects with high administrative overhead (they avoid “middle-men and bureaucracy”)
  • Projects outside their core focus areas of education, healthcare, and social mobility
  • Organizations that cannot demonstrate practical, measurable impact
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Governance and Leadership

Founders: Sir David Harrison and Lady Sylvia Harrison

Key Trustees:

  • Sir David Harrison: Founder and Chairman of True Potential, knighted for services to business, education and social mobility. Established four Harrison Centres for Social Mobility in the UK and is developing a fifth in Antigua and Barbuda. Over 400 employees at True Potential work with approximately 20% of UK financial advisers.
  • Daniel Harrison MBE: Awarded MBE in the King's Birthday Honours for his contribution to philanthropy throughout the Commonwealth. Actively visits supported organizations as part of his trustee duties.

Founding Philosophy: Sir David Harrison has stated: “The role of our centre within the Foundation is to help you get a job and then keep you in it until you get a better one.” This quote reflects the foundation's practical, outcomes-focused approach to social mobility.

Approach: The foundation describes itself as taking a “radically different” approach to many in the charity sector, guided by entrepreneurial spirit and bringing a “business-like approach” to philanthropy.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

The Harrison Foundation does not appear to have a formal application portal or structured grant rounds. Based on available information:

  1. Initial Contact: Organizations should contact the foundation directly through their website (www.harrisonfoundation.co.uk) or by phone
  2. Project Description: Be prepared to describe projects that “make a practical difference and need support”
  3. Direct Dialogue: The foundation prefers to engage directly with potential recipients rather than through intermediaries
  4. Site Visits: Trustees, including Daniel Harrison MBE, frequently visit organizations to “see firsthand” the impact of projects

Decision Timeline

Specific decision timelines are not publicly disclosed. However, the foundation:

  • Operates on a rolling basis rather than fixed deadlines
  • Supports a “limited amount of causes each year”
  • Establishes long-term partnerships rather than one-off grants
  • Appears to move quickly for priority projects aligned with their mission

Success Rates

Success rates are not publicly disclosed. However, the foundation explicitly states they “support a limited amount of causes each year,” suggesting a selective approach. Given their annual giving of £620,000-£1,000,000 and preference for substantial, transformational grants, they likely support 10-30 organizations per year.

Reapplication Policy

No specific reapplication policy is publicly stated. The foundation's emphasis on long-term partnerships suggests:

  • Successful applicants often receive multi-year support
  • Unsuccessful applicants may reapply if their project evolves or better aligns with priorities
  • Building a relationship with the foundation over time may be beneficial

Application Success Factors

Based on the foundation's funded projects and stated philosophy, successful applications demonstrate:

Strategic Alignment:

  • Social Mobility Focus: Projects that create pathways to employment and education for disadvantaged individuals
  • Long-term Impact: Initiatives with sustained, measurable outcomes rather than one-off activities
  • Practical Solutions: Programs addressing real needs with tangible results
  • Educational Value: Projects building skills, qualifications, and capabilities

Operational Excellence:

  • Direct Impact Model: Demonstrating that funds will directly benefit end users without excessive administrative costs
  • Measurable Outcomes: Clear metrics (e.g., Foundation of Light partnership: 65% progression to employment/education, 94.5% qualification pass rate)
  • Partnership Potential: Openness to multi-year relationships and collaborative working

Geographic and Sectoral Fit:

  • North East Connection: Strong preference for North East England projects, though UK-wide and international projects considered
  • Youth-Focused: Programs benefiting children and young people are particularly favored
  • Skills Development: Initiatives providing employment skills, digital capabilities, or financial literacy

Examples of Funded Projects:

  • £220,000 to Mowden Hall School for theatre transformation (creativity and skills development)
  • £20,000 to St Oswald's Hospice for medical equipment (healthcare improvement)
  • Multi-year partnership with Foundation of Light delivering 250,000+ guided learning hours and 180+ qualifications
  • Harrison Prize supporting enterprise and creativity at Harrison Centre Sunderland
  • Support for The Dales School in Blyth for IT and outdoor learning facilities for children with special learning needs

Language and Terminology:

The foundation uses terms like “hand up” rather than “handout,” “improving life chances,” “equality of opportunity,” “tangible legacy,” “practical difference,” and “unlock potential.” Applications should emphasize empowerment, capability-building, and sustainable change.

What Makes Applications Stand Out:

  • Connection to employability and skills development
  • Evidence of efficient use of funds without bureaucratic overhead
  • Alignment with social mobility agenda
  • Potential for trustee engagement and site visits
  • Scalability or replication potential
  • Innovation in addressing educational or employment barriers

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Build relationships first: Contact the foundation to discuss your project before submitting a formal request. The foundation values direct dialogue and personal connections.
  • Emphasize long-term impact: Demonstrate how your project will create sustained change, not short-term fixes. The foundation explicitly states they don't believe much can be achieved by short, one-off projects.
  • Show entrepreneurial thinking: Approach your project with business-like planning, clear outcomes, and efficient resource use. Mirror the foundation's entrepreneurial spirit.
  • Focus on social mobility: Frame your work around improving life chances, particularly for disadvantaged young people. This is the core mission threading through all their work.
  • Demonstrate direct impact: Explain how funding will directly benefit end users without excessive administrative costs. The foundation wants to avoid “middle-men and bureaucracy.”
  • Be open to partnership: Express willingness for multi-year collaboration and trustee engagement, including site visits. The foundation's most successful relationships span 5+ years.
  • Provide measurable outcomes: Use specific metrics and data to demonstrate your track record and expected results. Examples: pass rates, employment rates, number of qualifications achieved.
  • Consider North East focus: While not exclusively regional, the foundation has strong roots in North East England and particularly supports local organizations. However, compelling UK-wide or international projects aligned with social mobility are also considered.
  • Think big but practical: The foundation makes grants from £1,000 to £220,000, suggesting they're interested in transformational projects but want to see practical, achievable plans.

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