The Quilter Foundation

Charity Number: 1175555

Annual Expenditure: £0.9M

Geographic Focus: Throughout England And Wales

Stay updated on changes from The Quilter Foundation and other funders

Get daily notifications about new funding opportunities, deadline changes, and programme updates from UK funders.

Free Email Updates

Quick Stats

Registered Charity Number: 1175555
Annual Giving: Over £4.3 million (total donated since 2018)
Grant Range: £5,000 - £10,000 (Brighter Together Fund)
Decision Time: Quarterly review cycle
Geographic Focus: UK and Channel Islands
Young People Supported: Over 100,000 to date
Application Method: Employee/adviser nomination only (no public application)

Contact Details

Email: thequilterfoundation@quilter.com

Phone: 020 7778 9614

Address: Senator House, 85 Queen Victoria Street, London, EC4V 4AB, UK

Website: https://www.quilter.com/about-us/quilter-foundation/

Note: There is no public application portal. Organisations must be nominated by Quilter employees or financial advisers.

Overview

The Quilter Foundation was established in 2018 as the charitable arm of Quilter plc, a wealth management firm. The Foundation's mission is clear: “to create brighter futures for the next generation” by helping young people overcome barriers to prosperity. Since its inception, the Foundation has donated over £4.3 million to charity partners and local organisations, supporting over 100,000 children and young people across the UK and Channel Islands. The Foundation focuses on three strategic priority areas: financial education, social mobility (particularly employment), and food insecurity/health and wellbeing. With 923 Quilter volunteers dedicating their time and skills, the Foundation operates through two primary funding mechanisms: strategic multi-year partnerships with national charities and the Brighter Together Fund (formerly the Local Community Fund) where Quilter employees and advisers nominate local charities to receive grants.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programmes

Brighter Together Fund (Quarterly)

Grant Amount: Initial grants up to £5,000; Growth grants up to £10,000 per year for three years
Frequency: Quarterly review and selection
Application Method: Nomination by Quilter employees and advisers only
Previous Impact: The predecessor Local Community Fund supported 66 charities since launch in 2021, awarding grants totalling £519,000
Focus: Local charities making tangible difference in communities across UK and Channel Islands
Evolution: The Brighter Together Fund represents an evolution of the successful Local Community Fund, offering two funding tiers to support organisations at different stages

Strategic Partnerships (Multi-year commitments)

Grant Amount: Varies by partnership; selective grants worth up to £1 million over five years for large-scale financial education programmes
Application Method: By invitation/strategic selection only
Partners: Money Ready (formerly MyBnk), The Brokerage, Carers Trust, Feeding Britain, Meals & More
Focus: National-scale impact on young people aged 16-25

Priority Areas

1. Financial Education

Partnership with Money Ready (formerly MyBnk)
Financial education hubs in London, Southampton, and Isle of Man
Programmes for ages 11-25, including specialist interventions for vulnerable young people and care leavers
Over 6,000 young people reached through financial education hubs in Southampton and Isle of Man
Partnership spans over 11 years of collaboration

2. Employment and Social Mobility

Partnership with The Brokerage
“Pathway to the City” five-stage programme
Three-year partnership targeting 4,020 young people aged 16-25
Focus on breaking down barriers for young people from working-class and ethnic minority backgrounds
100% of participants show improved knowledge of the working world
89% increase in self-awareness, research, and networking skills

3. Health, Wellbeing, and Food Insecurity

Carers Trust: Over £1 million donated through employee fundraising and strategic grants, supporting over 7,000 young carers
Feeding Britain: Three-year partnership supporting seven community food clubs offering low-cost meals and advice services
Meals & More: Three-year partnership delivering over 106,000 meals to nearly 7,000 children across 320 holiday clubs
Combined commitment to combat child hunger affecting over 8,000 children and young people

What They Don't Fund

While not explicitly stated, the Foundation's focus is exclusively on:

Projects benefiting young people (primarily ages 16-25, with some programmes for ages 11-25)
UK and Channel Islands geographic area
Organisations nominated by Quilter employees/advisers (Brighter Together Fund) or invited strategic partners

The Foundation does not appear to support:

Projects not focused on young people
International work outside UK and Channel Islands
Direct applications from organisations without Quilter employee/adviser nomination

Ready to write a winning application for The Quilter Foundation?

Our AI helps you craft proposals that match their exact priorities. Save hours and increase your success rate.

Learn more >

Governance and Leadership

Trustees (as of latest records)

Steven Levin - Trustee (appointed 01 November 2022)

Chief Executive Officer of Quilter plc
Chairs the Quilter Foundation
Has emphasised that "a child's future starts with the basics – having enough to eat"

Philippa Lucy Foster Back CBE - Trustee (appointed 03 November 2017)

Founding trustee

Timothy Childe - Trustee (appointed 12 January 2018)

Executive at Quilter Cheviot

Stephen Charles Gazard - Trustee (appointed 24 October 2022)

Also serves as trustee for Spencer Dayman Meningitis Research

Penny Cole - Trustee (appointed 24 October 2022)

Important Note: No trustees receive any remuneration, payments, or benefits from the charity.

Management Structure

The Foundation is led by Quilter's Chief People Officer and operates with an Engagement Lead who works closely with advisers and employees to inspire support, manage fundraising, volunteering, and communications. A Community Investment Panel reviews and selects charities nominated through the Brighter Together Fund.

How to Apply to The Quilter Foundation

How to Apply

Important: The Quilter Foundation does not have a public application process. Organisations cannot apply directly.

Brighter Together Fund (Only Route for Smaller Organisations):

Charities must be nominated by a Quilter employee or financial adviser
Nominations accepted quarterly
Nominated charities are reviewed by the Community Investment Panel
Selected charities receive initial grants of up to £5,000, with growth grants of up to £10,000 per year for three years available to organisations that have previously received funding

Strategic Partnerships:

By invitation only
The Foundation proactively identifies national charities aligned with their strategic priorities
Multi-year commitments (typically three years)
Substantial funding (varies by partnership; selective grants up to £1 million over five years)

Getting on Their Radar

Since the Foundation only funds through employee nominations or strategic invitations, building connections with Quilter's workforce is essential:

The Quilter Network: Quilter has offices across the UK and Channel Islands. If your charity operates in areas where Quilter has a presence (particularly London, Southampton, Birmingham, Isle of Man, Jersey), consider attending local business and financial services networking events where Quilter employees or advisers might be present.

Volunteer Engagement: The Foundation reports 923 active volunteers. Quilter employees are encouraged to volunteer through their CSR programme. If your charity needs volunteers, register with local volunteer matching services in areas where Quilter has offices.

Demonstrate Impact on Young People: Ensure your work clearly shows measurable impact on young people aged 11-25, particularly in financial education, employment readiness, or addressing food insecurity.

Decision Timeline

Brighter Together Fund:

Quarterly review cycle
Community Investment Panel reviews and selects recipients
Grants awarded quarterly

Strategic Partnerships:

Timeline varies based on Foundation's strategic planning
Typically multi-year commitments announced as part of strategic reviews

Success Rates

Specific success rates are not publicly disclosed. However:

66 charities funded through the Local Community Fund between 2021 launch and transition to Brighter Together Fund
£519,000 distributed through Local Community Fund
Example rounds: 4 charities shared £30,000; 7 charities shared £40,000

Reapplication Policy

No specific reapplication policy is publicly stated. The quarterly cycle suggests organisations could potentially be nominated multiple times, though the Foundation emphasises “creating long-term relationships” with charities. The Brighter Together Fund explicitly offers growth grants to organisations that have previously received initial grants.

Application Success Factors

Foundation-Specific Insights

1. Employee Connection is Critical

The Foundation explicitly states charities must be nominated by employees or advisers who feel charities are “close to their hearts.” Focus on building authentic relationships with Quilter staff rather than treating this as a standard grant application.

2. Young People Focus is Non-Negotiable

The Foundation's mission explicitly targets young people ages 16-25 (11-25 for financial education). Projects must demonstrate direct benefit to this age group - they support “young people in communities who live with daily social and domestic challenges.”

3. Measurable Outcomes Matter

The Foundation prominently features statistics: “100% of young people supported through The Brokerage have improved knowledge of the working world” and “89% increased self-awareness.” Be prepared to demonstrate and measure impact.

4. Three Strategic Pillars

Projects must align with:

Financial education (“create a financially fluent population”)
Employment and social mobility (breaking down barriers to careers)
Food insecurity and health/wellbeing ("a child's future starts with the basics")

5. Volunteer Opportunities Valued

With 923 active volunteers, the Foundation offers “not just financial support but also potential additional resources like skills-based support and networking opportunities.” Charities that can meaningfully engage Quilter employees as volunteers may have an advantage.

6. Recent Funded Examples

Brighter Together Fund and Local Community Fund recipients have included:

Healing Waves, Jersey (mental health support)
Rose Road Association, Southampton (tailored health support)
Creative arts programmes for vulnerable youth
Community organisations addressing local needs

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

No Direct Application Route: You cannot apply directly. Your only route is through nomination by a Quilter employee or financial adviser. Relationship building with Quilter's workforce is essential.

Young People Are the Focus: Every funded project centres on supporting young people aged 11-25 facing barriers to prosperity. If your work doesn't directly benefit this demographic, this is not the right funder.

Align with Three Pillars: Ensure your work clearly aligns with financial education, employment/social mobility, or food insecurity/health and wellbeing.

Employee Passion Drives Funding: For the Brighter Together Fund, grants flow from employee/adviser passion for charities “close to their hearts.” The charity must resonate emotionally with the nominating individual.

Demonstrate Impact: Be prepared to show measurable outcomes. The Foundation values statistics and clear evidence of change.

Two Funding Tiers: The Brighter Together Fund offers initial grants of £5,000 and growth grants of £10,000 per year for three years for grassroots organisations with local impact, while strategic partnerships (up to £1 million over five years) target established national charities. Know which tier fits your organisation.

Volunteer Engagement Matters: Consider how Quilter employees might volunteer with your organisation through career panels, mentoring, or skills-based support.