The Peggy Ramsay Foundation

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £266,000 (2024)
• Decision Time: Up to 3 months
• Grant Range: £800 (laptops) - £5,000 (exceptional circumstances)
• Geographic Focus: British Isles only
• Application Method: Rolling basis

Contact Details

Website: www.peggyramsayfoundation.org

Email: prf@harbottle.com

Phone: 020 7667 5000

Address: 7 Savoy Court, London, WC2R 0EX

Overview

The Peggy Ramsay Foundation was established in 1992 by executors Laurence Harbottle and Simon Callow following the death of legendary theatrical agent Peggy Ramsay in 1991. Her will stipulated that her legacy should “benefit writers in need of assistance… and to the encouragement of the art of writing.” In 2024, the Foundation awarded grants totaling £266,000 to 78 playwrights, and has distributed £2 million over the past decade. The Foundation operates with a commitment to keeping support “quick and unbureaucratic,” directly reflecting Peggy Ramsay's philosophy of creative support for stage writers. The Foundation operates two main programs: direct grants to individual playwrights and the prestigious Playwrights '73 Award, which it now has primary responsibility for funding.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Direct Grants to Playwrights: £800 - £5,000 (rolling basis)

The Foundation gives money to theatre writers to afford them the time and space to write. Typical grants cover living expenses such as rent, bills, or lost income from temporary work. Laptop grants are typically £800, while the maximum grant is usually £5,000 except in exceptional circumstances. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.

Playwrights '73 Award: £15,000 per playwright

The Foundation has primary responsibility for funding this prestigious award, which places 4 playwrights with 4 theatres around the UK for 18 months. Each playwright receives £15,000 to write a new play, with the winner of the best play from each cohort receiving an additional £7,500 Sonia Friedman Prize. The award is granted every 18 months. Recent partner theatres include The Royal Court, Stephen Joseph Theatre, The Traverse Theatre, Exeter Northcott Theatre, and Shakespeare's Globe.

Priority Areas

• Theatre writers (playwrights) at all career stages who have had at least one qualifying professional production
• Musical book writers and lyricists (not composers)
• Writers of theatre for families and young people
• Straight plays and musicals for the stage
• Individual writers preferred over organizations when funds are limited
• New applicants prioritized over repeat applicants when funds are limited

What They Don't Fund

• Writers who write solely for media other than theatre (film, television, radio)
• Composers (though musical book writers and lyricists are supported)
• Writers outside the British Isles
• Writers without at least one qualifying professional production
• Research trips and residencies
• Production costs, workshops, readings, or dramaturgs
• Applications from directors or producers writing on behalf of writers

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Governance and Leadership

Trustees:

• G Laurence Harbottle (co-founder and executor of Peggy Ramsay's estate)
• Neil Adleman (Chair) - Partner and Head of Theatre Group at Harbottle & Lewis
• Simon Callow CBE (co-founder and executor of Peggy Ramsay's estate)
• Michael Codron CBE
• Sir David Hare
• Tamara Harvey
• Rupert Rhymes OBE
• John Tydeman OBE
• Dame Harriet Walter DBE

The trustees meet quarterly to make grant decisions. Neil Adleman stated: “We are delighted to be able to continue to support this scheme which is unique in providing funds which support both writers and theatres for an extended period.”

The Foundation maintains that "the Trustees attempt to emulate [Peggy Ramsay's philosophy] and their priority in making grants is to assist individuals who make the theatre their principal place of work and have had some experience."

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. Interested playwrights should submit:

• A little about what you have written before
• Details of your current project
• Why you need money to write (e.g., to pay rent, cover lost income from temping)
• The level of financial support you're seeking and how you arrived at that amount

• What you have written and where it has been produced
• Other work such as directing or acting (listed separately with your role clearly indicated)

1. Optional: Up to one page of brief attributed press quotes from previous productions (helpful but not essential)

Do NOT send: Full reviews or scripts

Applications should be sent to the postal or email address listed in the Contact Details section.

Qualifying Production Criteria

To be eligible, you must have had at least one professional production in the British Isles meeting these criteria:

• A cast of professional actors
• A paying audience
• At least one hour's duration (not including intervals)
• NOT one-off performances or workshop presentations

Decision Timeline

The Foundation aims to make a decision within 3 months of receiving an application. Whether a grant is made or not, all applicants will be notified, but reasons for grants or refusals are never given.

Reapplication Policy

• The Foundation will not accept more than one application from a writer in any 18-month period
• Other than in exceptional circumstances, the Foundation will not make more than three grants in total to the same writer
• Writers should not submit applications from two separate applicants for the same project

Application Success Factors

The Foundation's own guidance emphasizes: "We don't need you to dazzle us, we just need an accurate picture of where you are now and how you've got here."

Key factors based on the Foundation's documented preferences:

• Honesty over showmanship: The CV should be “a true and accurate reflection of your working life” - authenticity is valued over attempting to impress
• Clarity about need: Be specific about why you need the money and how much you need
• Focus on the writing: The Foundation supports time and space to write, not production costs or other theatre activities
• Brevity: Keep the letter to 1.5 pages maximum - the Foundation values being “quick and unbureaucratic”
• Professional track record: Meeting the qualifying production criteria is essential - at least one professional production of an hour's duration
• Theatre-focused career: The Foundation prioritizes “individuals who make the theatre their principal place of work”

Recent Recipients:

In 2024, the Foundation supported 78 playwrights with grants totaling £266,000. The 2025 Playwrights '73 Award recipients are Sarah Dickenson, Tife Kusoro, Kat Rose Martin, and Ciara Elizabeth Smyth. Previous participants in the Playwrights '73 scheme include James Graham, Chris Bush, Ella Hickson, Nick Payne, Bola Agbaje, Richard Bean, and Winsome Pinnock.

What to avoid:

• Don't apply for more than you genuinely need
• Don't send full reviews or scripts
• Don't apply if you need money for production-related costs
• Don't have directors or producers apply on your behalf
• Don't reapply within 18 months of your previous application

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• The Foundation explicitly values authenticity over dazzling applications - be honest about where you are in your career and what you need
• Applications are processed quickly with decisions within 3 months, reflecting the Foundation's commitment to being “quick and unbureaucratic”
• The typical grant range is modest (£800-£5,000) but the Foundation distributed £266,000 to 78 playwrights in 2024, suggesting a reasonable likelihood of securing some support
• You must have at least one qualifying professional production (professional actors, paying audience, minimum one hour duration) to be eligible
• The Foundation receives far more applications than they can fund, so meeting eligibility criteria does not guarantee a grant
• New applicants are prioritized over repeat applicants when funds are limited, so first-time applicants have an advantage
• The 18-month reapplication waiting period and three-grant lifetime maximum mean you should apply strategically when you have genuine need
• The Foundation's focus is purely on giving playwrights “time and space to write” - applications for production costs or other purposes will be rejected

Similar Funders

These funders have a similar focus and geographic reach:

• THE PERFORMING RIGHT SOCIETY FOUNDATION
• Matchroom Charitable Foundation
• VAUGHAN WILLIAMS FOUNDATION
• UNIVERSAL MUSIC UK SOUND FOUNDATION
• THE RETA LILA HOWARD FOUNDATION
• The Williams Charitable Trust
• Westhill Endowment
• SODEXO STOP HUNGER FOUNDATION
• The Nagle Family Foundation
• The Finnis Scott Foundation

References

• Peggy Ramsay Foundation official website.. https://www.peggyramsayfoundation.org/
• “Grant Applications.” Peggy Ramsay Foundation.. https://www.peggyramsayfoundation.org/grant-applications.html
• “How To Apply.” Peggy Ramsay Foundation.. https://www.peggyramsayfoundation.org/grant-applications-parent/how-to-apply/
• Charity Commission for England and Wales. “THE PEGGY RAMSAY FOUNDATION - Charity number 1015427.”. https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-details/?regid=1015427
• "Peggy Ramsay Foundation announces recipients of 2025 Playwrights '73 Award." Theatre Weekly. February 2025. https://theatreweekly.com/peggy-ramsay-foundation-announces-recipients-of-2025-playwrights-73-award/
• "Film4 and the Peggy Ramsay Foundation Announce 2024 Playwrights' Scheme Bursary Winners." Channel 4. November 2023. https://www.channel4.com/press/news/film4-and-peggy-ramsay-foundation-announce-2024-playwrights-scheme-bursary-winners