The Sir Bobby Charlton Foundation

Charity Number: 1140911

Annual Expenditure: £0.2M

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Income: £188,100 (2024)
  • Annual Expenditure: £200,420 (2024)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
  • Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed
  • Grant Range: Not publicly disclosed (provides grants for vocational training, prosthetics provision, and safe-play hubs)
  • Geographic Focus: International (Cambodia, Ukraine, Jordan, Iraq)

Contact Details

Website: www.thesbcfoundation.org

Email: info@thesbcfoundation.org / Jane@thesbcfoundation.org

Phone: +44 (0)1565 759 829 / +44 (0)1565 325 015

Registered Charity Number: 1140911

Company Number: 07574103

Overview

The Sir Bobby Charlton Foundation was established in 2011 by England and Manchester United legend Sir Bobby Charlton to help people in war-decimated countries play football safely and address devastating injuries and emotional trauma caused by conflict. Following Sir Bobby's passing in October 2023, the Foundation continues his legacy under the leadership of Chair Stephen Cross and Lady Norma Charlton. The Foundation operates as a grant-making charity with total expenditure of £200,420 in 2024, though historical expenditure has been significantly higher (£2.41m in 2020, £1.45m in 2021). The charity focuses on supporting victims of conflict through partnerships with specialist NGOs, providing medical assistance, art therapy, landmine education programmes, vocational training, and safe spaces for children affected by war. The Foundation currently operates in Cambodia, Ukraine, Jordan, and Iraq, working with partner organisations including Exceed Worldwide and FC Shakhtar.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Foundation operates through strategic partnerships rather than discrete grant programmes. Funding supports:

  • Vocational Training & Business Start-ups: Small business grants and vocational training for young people with disabilities in Cambodia (supporting 15 individuals in 2025 in trades including tailoring, hairdressing, mobile phone repair, and motorcycle maintenance)
  • Prosthetics & Rehabilitation: Funding for prosthetic and orthotic technician training and provision of hundreds of prostheses and orthoses in three communities in Cambodia
  • Safe-Play Hubs: Three safe-play hubs in Ukraine providing football coaching, equipment, and on-site psychologists for trauma support
  • Community Football Projects: Sir Bobby's Street Reds project in Moss Side, Manchester (launched August 2024) providing safe spaces for refugee children and local youth

Priority Areas

  • Mine detection research and injury prevention
  • Educational and humanitarian programmes for conflict victims
  • Physical rehabilitation and prosthetics provision for people with disabilities
  • Economic empowerment through vocational training and micro-grants
  • Psychosocial support for children affected by war
  • Community development in conflict-affected regions
  • Landmine education programmes for refugees and vulnerable communities

What They Don't Fund

The Foundation does not provide funding to organisations outside their strategic partnership model. They focus exclusively on victims of past and present conflicts, so programmes unrelated to conflict-affected communities would fall outside their remit.

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Governance and Leadership

Chair: Stephen Cross (appointed 2015, became Chair 2017) - Background in charity work focused on reconstruction in South Africa and Haiti

Vice Chair: Jane Bateman (appointed July 2019) - The FA's International Relations & Heritage Adviser and Deputy Chair of the National Football Museum

Trustees:

  • Lady Norma Charlton (appointed February 2017) - Played a central role since Sir Bobby's first visit to Cambodia in 2008 where he witnessed landmine trauma
  • John Shiels (appointed February 2017)
  • Rupert Cecil (appointed January 2019) - Also trustee of Age UK Bolton
  • Kate Nixon (appointed September 2025) - Recently welcomed to the Board

Stephen Cross has spoken about the Foundation's work, stating that projects like Sir Bobby's Street Reds "realise Sir Bobby Charlton's vision to help communities and victims of conflict" by using football as a tool for healing and empowerment.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

This Foundation does not have a public application process. The Foundation operates through a strategic partnership model, identifying and selecting partner organisations based on specific criteria rather than accepting open applications. Grants are awarded through trustee discretion to carefully selected partner organisations.

The Foundation identifies partners based on:

  • Specialist technical knowledge in relevant fields
  • Local experience and on-the-ground presence in conflict-affected regions
  • Community credibility within target areas
  • Shared values alignment with the Foundation's objectives

As stated on their website, their approach is to “identify partners that can empower beneficiaries to help themselves” and they deliberately avoid duplication by collaborating with organisations already positioned to deliver results.

Getting on Their Radar

The Foundation engages at multiple levels within the humanitarian and development sector:

  • Sectoral Engagement: The Foundation participates in key sector events including the UK Parliamentary stakeholder gatherings, Landmine Ban Treaty States Parties meetings, and the 2018 DFID Disability Summit
  • Partnership Discovery: They work with national and international agencies by “sharing our knowledge, experience, and resources” - organisations active in conflict-affected regions who align with their values may come to their attention through sector networks
  • Specific Contact: Organisations with specialist knowledge in mine action, disability rehabilitation, or psychosocial support in conflict zones can contact Jane Bateman at Jane@thesbcfoundation.org or +44(0)1565 325 015 to discuss potential collaboration
  • Collaborative Partners: The Foundation has established partnerships with organisations including Exceed Worldwide (Cambodia), FC Shakhtar (Ukraine), Manchester United Foundation (UK), and Cambodia Mine Action Authority

Decision Timeline

Not publicly disclosed. The Foundation operates on a strategic planning basis with multi-year partnerships rather than annual grant cycles.

Success Rates

Not applicable - the Foundation does not accept unsolicited applications.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - the Foundation identifies and invites partners rather than processing applications.

Application Success Factors

Since the Foundation operates through invited partnerships rather than open applications, the following factors appear to characterize successful partnerships:

Partnership Selection Criteria (as stated by the Foundation):

  • Specialist technical knowledge: Partners must demonstrate expertise in areas such as prosthetics, mine action, trauma support, or vocational training
  • Local credibility and experience: The Foundation prioritizes organisations with established presence and trust in conflict-affected communities (e.g., Exceed Worldwide's 15+ year presence in Cambodia)
  • Empowerment approach: Partners must focus on enabling beneficiaries to help themselves rather than creating dependency
  • Shared values: Alignment with the Foundation's core principles of empowerment, inclusiveness, collaboration, and integrity

Evidence from Funded Projects:

  • Long-term impact focus: The Exceed Worldwide partnership (since 2019) demonstrates the Foundation's preference for sustained, multi-year collaborations that create systemic change
  • Measurable outcomes: Funded projects show clear metrics - e.g., “15 young Cambodians with disabilities,” “three safe-play hubs,” “hundreds of prostheses provided”
  • Multi-dimensional support: Successful partnerships combine physical interventions (prosthetics, football equipment) with capacity-building (technician training, vocational education) and psychosocial support
  • Football as a tool: While not exclusively focused on football, the Foundation shows preference for partners who can integrate sport as a vehicle for community development and healing

Strategic Alignment:

The Foundation's current focus on Cambodia, Ukraine, Jordan, and Iraq suggests geographic priorities in regions with significant landmine/explosive remnants of war challenges and ongoing/recent conflict impact.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No public application process exists - this is an invitation-only funder operating through strategic partnerships identified by trustees
  • Sector engagement is key - organisations should establish visibility in humanitarian conferences, mine action forums, and disability rights events where the Foundation participates
  • Geographic focus matters - current operations concentrate on Cambodia, Ukraine, Jordan, and Iraq; organisations working in these regions or similar conflict-affected areas align best
  • Partnership model requires specialist expertise - the Foundation seeks technical specialists in mine action, prosthetics, trauma support, or vocational rehabilitation, not generalist development organisations
  • Long-term relationships over one-off grants - partnerships like Exceed Worldwide (6+ years) demonstrate preference for sustained collaboration
  • Empowerment philosophy is central - proposals must demonstrate how beneficiaries will gain agency, skills, and self-sufficiency rather than becoming dependent on aid
  • Contact Jane Bateman directly - organisations with genuinely relevant expertise in conflict victim assistance should reach out to Jane@thesbcfoundation.org with specific information about their work, local presence, and alignment with Foundation values

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