The Jd Foundation

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: ??1,080,000 (2023-24)
• Total Income: ??2,622,242 (2023-24)
• Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
• Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed
• Grant Range: One-off grants (specific amounts not disclosed)
• Geographic Focus: UK-wide (England, Wales, Scotland)

Contact Details

Address: JD Sports Fashion PLC, Edinburgh House, Hollins Brook Way, Bury, BL9 8RR

Phone: 01617671000

Email: thejdfoundation@jdplc.com

Website: https://www.jdplc.com/esg/social/jd-foundation

Neighbourly Platform: https://www.neighbourly.com/jdnominate

Overview

Founded in October 2015 by JD Sports Fashion Plc, The JD Foundation is a registered charity supporting youth charities working with disadvantaged young people affected by circumstance or illness. The foundation underwent a major relaunch in 2024 with an updated mission focused on building stronger youth communities and transforming young people's lives through opportunities, engagement, and social change. Since inception, the foundation has raised ??7.4 million through innovative fundraising including 50% of net proceeds from iconic JD duffle bag sales, customer micro-donations via Pennies at till points (reaching ??1 million milestone in 2024), and corporate fundraising by JD Group colleagues. In 2023, almost 11,000 people were directly supported by the foundation's events and donations.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

UK-Wide Grant Giving Programme

• Minimum of ??1,000,000 distributed annually
• One-off grants to hundreds of charities
• Colleague-nominated charities only
• Applications through Neighbourly platform
• Focus on key retail areas across the UK

National Charity Partnerships

• Multi-year strategic partnerships with organizations like The Prince's Trust
• Collaborative programs including sponsorship of Community Impact Award
• Support for Prince's Trust Get Started, Get Into, and Get Hired programmes

Priority Areas

The foundation prioritizes charities working in:

• Youth support services for disadvantaged young people
• Mental health services for young people
• Homelessness prevention and support
• Youth mentoring and development programs
• Youth clubs and community engagement
• Support for young people affected by circumstance or illness
• Education and employment programs for young people

What They Don't Fund

• Charities not nominated by JD Group colleagues
• Organizations not aligned with youth-focused mission
• Non-registered charities or those without verified status on Neighbourly

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Governance and Leadership

Trustees

The foundation is governed by five trustees:

1. Neil Robert Bradford - Head of Procurement, JD Sports Fashion
2. Emma Chevreau - People Experience and Talent Director, JD Sports Fashion
3. Theresa Marie Casey
4. Michael Armstrong
5. Nicola Kowalczuk

The foundation operates as a charitable company (Company Number: 09808812) recognized by HMRC for gift aid, with established policies for safeguarding, financial controls, and risk management.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

The JD Foundation operates a unique colleague-nomination model rather than open applications:

1. Internal Nominations: Charities must be nominated by JD Group employees
2. Neighbourly Platform: Nominated charities apply through the Neighbourly platform (www.neighbourly.com/jdnominate)
3. Verification Required: Charities must be registered and achieve “verified” status on Neighbourly (blue tick for charities, green tick for non-profits)
4. Alignment Assessment: Charities are assessed for alignment with the foundation's vision of supporting disadvantaged young people
5. Geographic Consideration: Priority given to charities in JD's key retail areas

Decision Timeline

Specific decision timelines are not publicly disclosed. The foundation operates an ongoing grant-giving programme throughout the year.

Success Rates

Success rates and application statistics are not publicly available. The foundation has committed to supporting “hundreds of vision-aligned charities” annually from 2024 onwards.

Reapplication Policy

No specific reapplication policy is published. Given the colleague-nomination model, repeated nominations by different colleagues may be possible.

Application Success Factors

Key Success Factors

Colleague Connection: The most critical factor is having a JD Group employee champion your organization. Building relationships with JD Sports staff in your local area is essential.

Youth Focus: The foundation explicitly supports organizations working with “disadvantaged young people affected by circumstance or illness.” Applications must clearly demonstrate impact on this demographic.

Geographic Alignment: Priority is given to charities in areas where JD has retail presence, allowing colleagues to witness local impact.

Verification Status: Organizations must complete Neighbourly's verification process, requiring proper registration and credentials checking.

Examples of Funded Organizations

The foundation has supported:

• The Prince's Trust - National partnership for employment programs
• Once Upon a Smile - Bereavement support charity (received matched funding of ??1,637)
• Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY) - Youth screening programs through Aaron James Dixon Memorial Fund
• The Wellspring - Resource centre for homeless and disadvantaged people
• Various local mental health organizations, youth clubs, and mentoring programs

Strategic Approach

The foundation balances national strategic partnerships (like The Prince's Trust) with local grassroots support. They value charities that can demonstrate:

• Direct impact on young people's lives
• Alignment with themes of opportunity, engagement, and social change
• Capability to utilize one-off grant funding effectively
• Connection to JD's retail communities

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Employee nomination is mandatory - You cannot apply directly; focus on building relationships with JD Sports, JD Gyms, or other JD Group employees who could nominate your organization
• Register on Neighbourly immediately - Complete the verification process before seeking nomination, as this is a prerequisite
• Emphasize youth impact - All applications must demonstrate clear benefits to disadvantaged young people
• Highlight local presence - Organizations in areas with JD retail locations have stronger cases, as colleagues can see impact firsthand
• Be specific about disadvantage - Clearly articulate how your organization supports young people “affected by circumstance or illness”
• Demonstrate efficiency - One-off grants suggest the foundation values organizations that can deploy funding quickly and effectively
• Consider the relaunch - The 2024 relaunch with increased funding (??1m+ annually) creates significant new opportunities for smaller organizations

References

1. Charity Commission Register - THE JD FOUNDATION (Charity No. 1167090). Retrieved from https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-search/-/charity-details/5064149/full-print

1. “The JD Foundation Relaunches For 2024.” JD Sports Blog. Retrieved from https://blog.jdsports.co.uk/the-jd-foundation-relaunches-for-2024/

1. "Unity Through Community: JD Foundation x The Prince's Trust." JD Sports Blog. Retrieved from https://blog.jdsports.co.uk/unity-through-community-jd-foundation-x-princes-trust/

1. “JD Foundation: Coming Together with Youth Service Charities.” JD Sports Blog. Retrieved from https://blog.jdsports.co.uk/jd-foundation-youth-service-charities/

1. “JD Group and Pennies Case Study.” Pennies. Retrieved from https://pennies.org.uk/project/jd-group-and-pennies-case-study/

1. “JD Foundation Colleague Charity Nominations 2024.” Neighbourly. Retrieved from https://www.neighbourly.com/jdnominate

1. “The JD Foundation.” JD PLC ESG Report. Retrieved from https://www.jdplc.com/esg/social/jd-foundation