The Steve Morgan Foundation

Charity Number: 1087056

Annual Expenditure: £11.5M

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £11.5 million (2023-24 charitable expenditure)
  • Future Pledge: £20 million per year (£100m total from 2025-2030)
  • Decision Time: Up to 6 months
  • Grant Range: £250,000 - £500,000 (Regional Grants, over 3 years)
  • Geographic Focus: Merseyside, North Wales, West Cheshire (west of M6), and North Shropshire
  • Total Grants Since 2001: Over 2,500 grants awarded

Contact Details

Website: https://stevemorganfoundation.org.uk/

Email: hello@stevemorganfoundation.org.uk

Phone: 01928 706555

Enable Grants: enable@stevemorganfoundation.org.uk

Overview

The Steve Morgan Foundation was established in 2001 by businessman and philanthropist Steve Morgan CBE, founder of Redrow Homes. Since inception, Steve has personally donated over £300 million, making this one of the largest funding charities in the UK. In 2024, the Foundation launched a bold new five-year strategy (2025-2030) pledging £100 million to break the cycle of social disadvantage through projects that improve education, expand access to provision, and increase employment opportunities. The Foundation has awarded over 2,500 grants to date, supporting more than 10 million individuals. In 2024, Steve Morgan received the Community Foundation Wales Philanthropy Award, and the Foundation was shortlisted for the Charity Awards 2025 for its groundbreaking Cradle to Career programme in North Birkenhead.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Regional Grants: £250,000 - £500,000 over three years

  • For organizations with annual turnover between £300k - £5 million
  • Multi-year revenue grants for core funding, salaries, and ongoing running costs
  • Rolling applications via online eligibility checker and application form
  • Note: Applications paused as of February 2025 for review

Strategic Partnerships: By invitation only

  • Large, multi-year commitments to national and local organizations
  • Current partners include Diabetes UK, Breakthrough T1D, Maggie's, Cradle to Career, Everton in the Community, LFC Foundation, and OnSide Youth Zones

Associate Charities: By invitation only

  • Long-term relationships with select top-performing local organizations

Enable Grants: Individual support programme

  • Specialized disability equipment (mobility aids, wheelchairs, communication aids, sensory equipment)
  • Means-tested; applicants may contribute to costs
  • The only programme funding individuals

Smiley Bus/Vehicle Grants: Standard and wheelchair-accessible minibuses and other transport vehicles

  • 100th minibus donated in 2024 to Walton Youth and Community Project

Priority Areas

  1. Education: Improving educational attainment and outcomes
  2. Access to Provision: Expanding access to services and support
  3. Employment: Increasing employment opportunities
  4. Type 1 Diabetes Research: Significant investment in cure research (£50 million 5-year Grand Challenge)
  5. Young People, Disabled, Homeless, and Disadvantaged: Core beneficiary groups

What They Don't Fund

  • Animals
  • Arts
  • Environment
  • Promotion of religion
  • Individual grants (except through Enable programme)
  • Grants less than £250,000 (for Regional Grants)
  • Organizations based outside Merseyside, North Wales, West Cheshire, and North Shropshire
  • Organizations with turnover under £300k or over £5 million (for Regional Grants)
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Governance and Leadership

Founder: Steve Morgan CBE - Established Redrow Homes at age 21, grew it to a FTSE 250 company valued at £2.2 billion. Received OBE (1992) for Services to Construction Industry and CBE (2016) for Philanthropic Services. Net worth estimated at £915 million (Sunday Times Rich List 2024).

CEO: Liam Eaglestone (appointed August 2022) - First CEO of the Foundation. Previously witnessed the Foundation's impact first-hand.

Liam Eaglestone on priorities: "I've seen first-hand the impact the Steve Morgan Foundation has on supporting entire communities and it's a genuine honour to be appointed as CEO. One of my main priorities is to improve the life chances of children and young people... the relationship the Foundation has with the charities it works with goes far beyond the grants it provides."

Trustees: 6 trustees, including:

  • Sally: Joined 2015; 30 years commercial experience in recruitment; led successful MBO at age 31; lead instigator of Cradle to Career programme in North Birkenhead
  • Brian: Joined 2019; Qualified chartered accountant; 33 years with PwC (20 as partner); Lead trustee on LFC Foundation and Everton in the Community partnerships

No trustees receive remuneration, payments, or benefits from the charity.

Staff: 4 employees

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

Regional Grants:

  1. Complete online eligibility checker at https://stevemorganfoundation.org.uk/regional-grants/
  2. If eligible, proceed to online application form
  3. Provide up-to-date published accounts
  4. Include details of organization's reserves policy
  5. Currently paused as of February 2025

Enable Grants: Contact enable@stevemorganfoundation.org.uk or call 01928 706 555 with valid equipment quotation

Strategic Partnerships/Associate Charities: Invitation only - no open application process

Decision Timeline

  • Applications considered in chronological order on a rolling basis
  • Trustee meetings held regularly throughout the year
  • Decision time: Up to 6 months from submission to final decision
  • No deadlines or funding limits for open programmes
  • Median application time: 5 hours (per GrantAdvisor UK)

Success Rates

Success rates not publicly disclosed. However, the Foundation has committed to publishing success rates as part of its IVAR Flexible Funder pledge.

Reapplication Policy

Reapplication policy not publicly disclosed. Contact the Foundation directly for guidance on unsuccessful applications.

Application Success Factors

Foundation's Commitment to Applicants

The Steve Morgan Foundation is an IVAR 'Flexible Funder' and one of over 100 funders committed to eight principles of open and trusting grant-making:

  • Clear Communication: “Funders will be open, transparent and clear about all of their priorities, requirements and exclusions”
  • Relevant Questions Only: Application forms tested for clarity, relevance, avoiding repetition; only collecting information that genuinely informs funding decisions
  • Transparency About Risk: Clear explanation of how risk is assessed with realistic expectations
  • Timely Decisions: Publish and stick to timeframes
  • Feedback Provided: Reasons for rejections explained; data analyzed and shared

What They Look For

  • Track record of high-quality delivery: Organizations must demonstrate proven impact
  • Collaborative approach: Working with other organizations valued
  • Tackling root causes: Not just addressing symptoms but underlying social disadvantage
  • Geographic alignment: Based and delivering work in target regions
  • Appropriate scale: Organizations sized £300k - £5m turnover for Regional Grants

Recent Funded Projects (2024 Examples)

  • Coronation Food Project: £890,000 for food hub running costs tackling food poverty
  • Type 1 Diabetes Grand Challenge: £2.7 million for novel insulins research
  • Kirkby Learning Centre: Collaboration between LFC Foundation, Everton in the Community, University of Liverpool, and IntoUniversity
  • End Furniture Poverty: “Time for Bed” campaign winner of Best Large Charity award at SMF Awards 2024
  • Cradle to Career North Birkenhead: £5.25 million investment expansion
  • Maggie's Cancer Support Centre: North Wales centre at Glan Clwyd Hospital (opening end 2025)

Language and Terminology

  • “Changing lives for good”
  • “Breaking the cycle of social disadvantage”
  • “Fair chance at a good life”
  • “Long-term sustainable change”
  • “Partnership” and “collaboration”
  • “Track record of high-quality delivery”

Feedback from Grant-Seekers (GrantAdvisor UK)

Foundation described as: “Friendly,” “Builds relationships,” “Responsive,” and “Understands nonprofits and issues”

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  1. Geographic eligibility is absolute: You must be based and delivering work in Merseyside, North Wales, West Cheshire (west of M6), or North Shropshire - no exceptions for Regional Grants
  1. Scale matters: Your organization must have turnover between £300k - £5 million; smaller organizations won't qualify for direct Regional Grants but may be supported through strategic partnerships
  1. Long-term relationships are valued: The Foundation seeks sustainable partnerships over years, not one-off grants; emphasize your track record and commitment to ongoing delivery
  1. Demonstrate collaboration: Show how you work with other organizations; the Foundation values partnership approaches and collaborative impact
  1. Focus on root causes, not symptoms: Applications should address underlying social disadvantage through education, employment, and access to provision
  1. Prepare for a substantial application: Median application takes 5 hours; invest time in a thorough, well-evidenced proposal with clear outcomes
  1. Be patient with decision-making: Up to 6 months from submission to decision; plan your funding pipeline accordingly and don't expect quick turnarounds
  1. Strategic partnerships are invite-only: Don't apply for strategic partnership status; focus on Regional Grants or building relationships through successful grant delivery that may lead to deeper engagement
  1. Feedback is provided: If unsuccessful, you'll receive reasons for rejection; use this to strengthen any future application or understand alignment issues
  1. Applications currently paused: As of February 2025, new applications are on hold for review; monitor the website for reopening announcements

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