The Risman Foundation

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £388,905 (2024)
• Total Income: £2,258,904 (from endowment investments)
• Success Rate: Not publicly available
• Decision Time: Not publicly available
• Grant Range: Not publicly disclosed
• Geographic Focus: England and Wales (primarily UK and beyond)
• Founded: 2008 (restructured as company limited by guarantee 2024)

Contact Details

Registered Address:

C/O Vitruvian Partners

105 Wigmore Street

London, W1U 1QY

Phone: 07776461546

Note: The Foundation does not have a publicly listed website or email address for grant applications.

Overview

The Risman Foundation was established in 2008 as a charitable trust and restructured in 2024 as a company limited by guarantee. The foundation is on a mission to raise a generation of flourishing, purpose-led young people in the UK and beyond, no matter their circumstances, by reimagining formative experiences at critical phases from childhood to adolescence. With total assets generating over £2 million in annual investment income, the foundation is entering an exciting growth phase, significantly increasing its grantmaking and investing in large-scale, values-driven interventions. The foundation plans to spend down a majority of its endowment over the next 5 to 10 years whilst leaving a minority in perpetuity, demonstrating a commitment to bold, timely impact rather than perpetual accumulation. The foundation emphasizes a trust-based, partner-first approach combined with systems thinking and a commitment to long-term influence.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Risman Foundation does not operate structured grant programs with published funding tiers. Instead, they operate much like a “deal team,” actively seeking grantee partners and collaborators that align with their values, mission, and strategy. The foundation is moving towards supporting larger core projects as part of their expansion phase.

Priority Areas

The foundation supports initiatives that unlock potential across:

• Education: Supporting educational initiatives that help young people flourish
• Wellbeing: Programs focused on youth mental and physical wellbeing
• Sport: Sporting endeavours that build character and capability
• Arts & Cultural Development: Creative and cultural programs for youth development
• Social Entrepreneurship: Innovative approaches to social challenges
• Travel & Humanity-related matters: Broader formative experiences for young people

The foundation uses systemic approaches to construct a mutually reinforcing portfolio of grants, seeking projects that contribute to broader societal change rather than isolated interventions.

What They Don't Fund

Specific exclusions are not publicly documented, though the foundation's clear focus on youth development and formative experiences suggests limited interest in projects outside this demographic focus.

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Governance and Leadership

Trustees

• Michael Adam Risman (Chair): Founder and Managing Partner of Vitruvian Partners LLP, a private equity firm. He also founded the Venture Partnership Foundation, demonstrating a background in venture philanthropy. He holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and brings experience in applying venture capital principles to philanthropic work.
• Richard Aston
• Rowena Nason
• Simon Roberts

No trustees receive remuneration, payments, or benefits from the charity. The foundation operates with 4 trustees, 2 volunteers, and no employees receiving benefits over £60,000.

Foundation Philosophy

The foundation describes their approach as “trust-based, partner-driven and networked,” emphasizing that “the work of social change is a partnership.” They value trust, authenticity, co-creation, and practical excellence in relationship-building and community stewardship. As stated in their recent recruitment materials, they are “ambassadors for the Foundation” who believe in collaborative approaches to philanthropy and work closely with allies and grantees to design projects.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

The Risman Foundation does not have a public application process. The foundation operates using a proactive “deal team” model, actively seeking out grantee partners and collaborators that align with their values, mission, and strategy rather than accepting unsolicited applications.

The Programme team is responsible for the foundation's core business of grantmaking and actively identifies potential partners through research, networks, and strategic scanning of the youth development sector.

Decision Timeline

Not publicly available. As the foundation operates on a proactive identification model rather than application cycles, decision timelines vary depending on the partnership development process.

Success Rates

Not publicly available. Given the foundation's proactive approach to identifying partners, traditional success rate metrics (applications received vs. grants awarded) are not applicable.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable due to the foundation's proactive grantmaking model.

Application Success Factors

Since The Risman Foundation does not accept unsolicited applications, organizations cannot directly apply. However, understanding what the foundation values can help organizations position themselves to be noticed:

Alignment with Foundation Values:

• Systems thinking: The foundation seeks partners who understand their work within broader systems and who can contribute to “mutually reinforcing portfolios” of change
• Trust-based relationships: They emphasize partnership, co-creation, and authenticity over transactional relationships
• Bold, scalable impact: In their growth phase, they're interested in “large-scale, values-driven interventions” rather than small, isolated projects
• Youth focus with formative impact: Projects must demonstrably contribute to raising “flourishing, purpose-led young people”
• Long-term influence: Despite spending down the endowment relatively quickly, they seek interventions that will “endure in the long term”

Foundation's Stated Priorities:

From their Programme Officer job description, the foundation values:

• Strategic initiatives that unlock potential across education, wellbeing, sport, arts, and cultural development
• “Values-driven interventions” that align with the foundation's mission
• Projects that can demonstrate systems-level thinking and impact
• Organizations committed to inclusive, trust-based, and partner-led ways of working

Practical Considerations:

• The foundation is in a growth phase and significantly increasing grantmaking, suggesting they are actively seeking new partners
• They plan to spend down most of their endowment within 5-10 years, indicating urgency and willingness to make substantial commitments
• Their model draws from venture capital principles (via founder's background), suggesting they may value organizations with clear theories of change, measurable outcomes, and scalability potential

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• No public application process: You cannot submit an unsolicited application. The foundation proactively identifies potential partners through their Programme team's research and networks.
• Focus on visibility: Since they actively seek partners, ensure your organization has strong online presence, published impact data, and visibility within youth development networks where the foundation might be scanning for partners.
• Systems-level work matters: The foundation explicitly uses “systemic approaches” and seeks “mutually reinforcing portfolios,” so position your work in terms of broader systems change, not just isolated outcomes.
• Trust-based partnership model: This foundation is not looking for traditional funder-grantee dynamics. They emphasize co-creation, partnership, and long-term collaboration.
• Scale and ambition: In their growth phase, they're interested in “large-scale interventions” and spending down significantly over 5-10 years, suggesting openness to substantial multi-year commitments.
• Youth development core: While they work across multiple sectors (education, sport, arts, wellbeing), everything must connect to their mission of raising “flourishing, purpose-led young people.”
• Venture philanthropy influence: Founder's background suggests appreciation for clear metrics, strategic thinking, and scalable models adapted from business/investment approaches.

Similar Funders

These funders have a similar focus and geographic reach:

• THE JORDAN CHARITABLE FOUNDATION
• The Rumi Foundation
• The Regatta Foundation
• The Greenslade Family Foundation
• The Generations Foundation
• THE CONWAY CHARITABLE FOUNDATION
• The Neville Abraham Foundation
• The Comino Foundation
• The Altenburg Foundation
• Wellington Management UK Foundation

References

• Charity Commission Register of Charities: The Risman Foundation (1123010).. https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-details/?regid=1123010&subid=0
• Global South Opportunities: “Risman Foundation is Hiring a Programme Officer.” Job posting, August 2025. https://www.globalsouthopportunities.com/2025/08/12/foundation-20/
• PurposePhil Career: “Program Officer at Risman Foundation.” Job description, 2025. https://www.purposephilcareer.com/jobs/159199396-program-officer
• Third Sector: “Big Giver: Venture Partnership Foundation.” Article on venture philanthropy model, relevant to understanding founder's approach. https://www.thirdsector.co.uk/big-giver-venture-partnership-foundation/fundraising/article/1207829
• Find That Charity: The Risman Foundation profile.. https://findthatcharity.uk/orgid/GB-CHC-1123010
• Companies House: The Risman Foundation company information.. https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/15837689