The Sao Foundation
At a glance
Key takeaways
- If your work supports young people through education, healthcare or art in the UK or Africa, it sits within what The Sao Foundation says it funds, though it also gives to registered charities, community organisations and individuals facing financial hardship.
- Its annual report shows £142,349 paid in its latest year, and no grant range is stated, so size any request to your own costed need and keep it modest rather than assuming a typical amount.
- No application process is published in the annual report, the register entry or its website, so the sensible first step is to contact the address shown to ask whether it would consider your request before writing a full proposal.
- The published material gives no deadlines and says nothing about how competitive funding is, so timing and any relationship-led approach cannot be judged from it.
Overview
The Sao Foundation is a charity registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales (charity number 1179682).
The Sao Foundation is a registered charity in England and Wales that exists to advance in life and relieve the needs of underprivileged young people in the UK and Africa, particularly but not exclusively, through financial and mentoring support. It aims to help young people become self-sufficient and says it nurtures, develops and sustains them so they can make a difference in their communities. Its stated fields are access to quality education, healthcare and health services, and the development of art and young artists. Its annual report records £142,349 paid in its latest year, with £44,461 going to individuals.
What they fund
Priority Areas
The Sao Foundation says it supports young people in communities throughout the world, aiming to help them become self-sufficient through financial and mentoring support. Its stated fields are access to quality education, healthcare and health services, and the development of art and young artists through art projects and creative materials. It describes its purpose as nurturing, developing and sustaining young people so they can make a difference in their communities. Grants have gone to registered charities and community organisations, as well as individuals experiencing financial hardship. Its approach combines financial support and mentorship with education, healthcare and arts initiatives.
Themes
- Education
- Healthcare
- Arts and young artists
Geographic Focus
UK; Africa.
How to apply
No application process is published in the charity's annual report, its register entry or its website. The contact shown is for getting in touch.
Where they fund
Where it says it funds
- Africa
- United Kingdom
Similar funders
Funders supporting work similar to The Sao Foundation.
Five years of accounts
| Financial year | Income | Expenditure | Grants paid | Accounts document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| year to 31 March 2021 | £0 | £29,663 | — | Accounts for year to 31 March 2021 |
| year to 31 March 2022 | £245,602 | £280,678 | — | Accounts for year to 31 March 2022 |
| year to 31 March 2023 | £595,038 | £672,728 | £17,000 | Accounts for year to 31 March 2023 |
| year to 31 March 2024 | £517,094 | £390,201 | — | Accounts for year to 31 March 2024 |
| year to 31 March 2025 | £812,356 | £826,041 | £142,349 | Accounts for year to 31 March 2025 |
Income vs grants paid
IncomeGrants paid
Total value each financial year
Grants paid stayed within income across the 2 years shown.
- Grants paid, year to 31 March 2023: grants to institutions, as reported on the charity register (Part B).
- Grants paid, year to 31 March 2025: grants paid out in the year.
— No grants figure for that year.
Figures from the charity’s filed accounts and its register entry. The document icon links to the charity’s entry on the Charity Commission register, where its filed accounts can be found.
Sources
Registers and filings
Other sources
- thesaofoundation.org · read on 30 October 2026
- Annual report (year to 31 March 2025)
This profile draws on the funder’s own website as well as its filed accounts.
Sources last checked on 30 October 2026.
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At a glance
Applying to The Sao Foundation?
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Applying to The Sao Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required