The Virgin Foundation (virgin Unite)

Charity Number: 297540

Geographic Focus: Throughout England, Australia, Canada, Jamaica, South Africa, United States

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Income: £21,494,000 (2024)
  • Annual Charitable Expenditure: £15,200,000
  • Charity Number: 297540
  • Grant Range: £5,000 (Local Legends) to major partnership funding
  • Geographic Focus: International (UK, USA, Canada, Australia, Jamaica, South Africa, Caribbean, British Virgin Islands)
  • Application Process: No public application process (exception: employee-nominated Local Legends)
  • Funding Model: 100% of donations go to programs (overheads covered by Virgin Group)

Contact Details

Address:

Whitfield Studios

50A Charlotte Street

London W1T 2NS

United Kingdom

Email: contact@virginunite.co.uk

Phone: 020 7313 2000

Website: www.virgin.com/unite

Note: Virgin Unite does not run an open grant application process. They focus resources on their specific set of current projects rather than supporting external grant requests.

Overview

The Virgin Foundation, operating as Virgin Unite, was founded in 2004 by Sir Richard Branson and Virgin Group staff as the independent non-profit foundation of the Virgin Group. With an annual income of £21.5 million and charitable expenditure of £15.2 million (2024), Virgin Unite takes an entrepreneurial approach to philanthropy, bringing together people and ideas to tackle what they call “unacceptable issues” facing the world.

Virgin Unite operates differently from traditional foundations. Rather than accepting open grant applications, they work through strategic partnerships, incubated leadership initiatives, and convening networks. Their overhead costs are entirely covered by Richard Branson and the Virgin Group, ensuring 100% of all donations go directly to charitable initiatives. The foundation has pioneered a model of “radical collaboration,” incubating major global initiatives including The Elders (2007), The B Team (2013), Ocean Unite, Carbon War Room (now merged with RMI), and most recently, the Planetary Guardians (2023).

In 2024, Virgin Unite celebrated its 20th anniversary, with the Constellation Network—comprising over 3,000 business leaders, entrepreneurs, and philanthropists—having raised over £40 million for Virgin Unite projects during this period.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Local Legends (UK)

  • Amount: £5,000 per charity
  • Total Fund: £1,000,000 over three years (2023-2026)
  • Eligibility: UK-registered charities nominated by Virgin Group employees who volunteer with the organization
  • Focus: Community-based charities tackling poverty, education, health, human rights, equality and diversity, and supporting those in need
  • Process: Employee nomination-based, multiple funding rounds per year
  • Recent Awards: Round 1: 31 charities; Round 2: 33 charities

Constellation Network Fundraising

  • Model: Event-based fundraising and matchmaking between donors and partner organizations
  • Scale: Nine events/gatherings in 2024 generated nearly $1.5 million in donations
  • Example: First Dyslexic Thinking Celebration (2024) resulted in community members pledging $2.5 million to Made By Dyslexia
  • Access: By invitation or membership in the Constellation Network

Partnership Funding

Virgin Unite provides strategic grant support to organizations they partner with, but these are developed through relationship building rather than applications. Recent examples include:

  • Support for The Last Mile (criminal justice reform)
  • Blue Forests Caribbean marine conservation projects
  • Unite BVI grants for water-based activities (11 organizations funded in 2022)
  • Africa Partners Collective secretariat support

Priority Areas

Virgin Unite focuses on creating sustainable change in these areas:

Criminal Justice Reform

  • Ending the death penalty in the United States
  • Fair chance hiring as mainstream business practice
  • Rehabilitation over punishment
  • Partnership with The Last Mile and Business Leaders Against the Death Penalty

Environmental Conservation

  • Ocean health and marine ecosystems
  • Blue Forests (mangrove) restoration in the Caribbean
  • Climate change action through The B Team and Planetary Guardians
  • Planetary Boundaries measurement framework

Human Rights & Leadership

  • Support for The Elders (global leaders tackling human rights challenges)
  • LGBTQ+ rights advocacy
  • Equality and diversity initiatives

Entrepreneurship & Economic Development

  • Branson Centre of Entrepreneurship (Caribbean)
  • Virgin StartUp support
  • Fair chance employment initiatives
  • Community economic development

Workplace Transformation

  • 100% Human at Work Initiative (600+ organizations globally)
  • Dyslexic Thinking celebration and education
  • Future of work that serves humanity and the planet

Education & Skills

  • DyslexicU free online courses
  • Youth-led social action
  • Educational policy change

What They Don't Fund

Virgin Unite explicitly states they:

  • Do not run an open grant application process
  • Do not respond to unsolicited funding requests
  • Focus resources on their specific current projects rather than external requests
  • Do not provide grants outside their strategic initiatives and partnerships
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Governance and Leadership

Key Leadership

Jean Oelwang – Founding CEO and President (UK and USA Trustee)

Jean co-founded Virgin Unite with Richard Branson in 2003. She has championed the foundation's radical collaboration approach and authored “Partnering” about the power of deep collaboration. "One thing I'm very certain of is that no-one does anything great alone,“ she states. ”The magic happens when one plus one equals a million."

Holly Branson – Chair of Virgin Unite (UK Trustee)

Chief Purpose and Vision Officer for Virgin Group, Holly has been involved since the foundation's launch in 2004. On Local Legends: “It makes me so proud to see how time and time again, so many Virgin employees step up to support their communities... We passionately believe these people are true legends and should be celebrated.”

Sir Richard Branson – Co-Founder

"Early on in my career, I learnt that success comes faster if you bring brilliant minds together. It's what helped us launch Virgin Records and Virgin Atlantic, and it's been indispensable in our philanthropic efforts too."

Sheetal Vyas – Managing Director (Australia Trustee)

Joined Virgin Unite in 2024 as Managing Director, partnering with Jean Oelwang.

Board of Trustees

UK Trustees: Ajaz Ahmed, Holly Branson, Colin Howes (Board Advisor), Jean Oelwang, Nikki Humphrey, Shrina Shah, Ivo Devereux

USA Trustees: Christine Choi, Jean Oelwang, Katie Hunt-Morr, Stephen Attenborough

Canada Trustees: Andrew Bridge, Sally Fernandes, Jennifer Posnikoff, Miranda Urbanski

Australia Trustees: Emily Zenonos, Sheetal Vyas, Jane Tewson

Trustee Remuneration: No trustees receive any remuneration, payments or benefits

Staff: 7 employees supporting operations globally

How to Apply to The Virgin Foundation (virgin Unite)

How to Apply

Virgin Unite does not have a public application process. The foundation explicitly states on their website that they “do not run an open grant application process” and focus their resources on their specific set of current projects.

Exception: Local Legends (UK Only)

The only accessible funding opportunity is through the Local Legends program:

  • Eligibility: UK-registered charities must be nominated by a Virgin Group employee who volunteers with the organization
  • Process: Virgin employees nominate charities they volunteer with through a dedicated online system managed by UMi's Investment Centre
  • Application: Once nominated, charities complete a grant application including due diligence
  • Amount: £5,000 grants
  • Timeline: Multiple rounds per year (historically June and August)
  • Cannot Apply Directly: Organizations cannot apply directly; they must be nominated by a Virgin employee volunteer

For All Other Funding:

Virgin Unite works through:

  • Strategic partnerships developed over time
  • Initiatives they incubate and create
  • Constellation Network member connections
  • Event-based fundraising and matchmaking
  • Invitation-only opportunities

Getting on Their Radar

Since Virgin Unite doesn't accept unsolicited applications, organizations interested in partnership should:

Join or Connect with the Constellation Network

  • The Constellation comprises 3,000+ business leaders, entrepreneurs, and philanthropists
  • Virgin Unite hosts nine+ events annually on topics ranging from AI for good, health technology, to criminal justice reform
  • These gatherings create opportunities for networking and relationship building
  • Event attendance is typically by invitation or through existing network connections

Build Relationships Through Virgin Companies

  • Virgin Unite has close ties across Virgin Group companies (Virgin Atlantic, Virgin Money, etc.)
  • Virgin employees who volunteer with your organization can nominate you for Local Legends
  • Demonstrate alignment with Virgin's values of entrepreneurial thinking and positive impact

Focus on Shared Strategic Priorities

  • Virgin Unite is attracted to “unacceptable issues” that others aren't willing to tackle
  • Demonstrate an entrepreneurial approach to social challenges
  • Show potential for radical collaboration and scalable impact
  • Align with their current focus areas (criminal justice, ocean conservation, workplace transformation, education)

Engage with Their Incubated Initiatives

  • Organizations like The B Team, The Elders, Made By Dyslexia, and Planetary Guardians have direct Virgin Unite connections
  • Collaboration with these initiatives may create pathways to Virgin Unite awareness
  • Demonstrate how your work complements their existing partnerships

Important Note: Virgin Unite's model is fundamentally different from traditional grant-making. They create and incubate initiatives rather than respond to requests. Success requires long-term relationship building and strategic alignment rather than a perfect application.

Decision Timeline

Not applicable for open applications. Local Legends decisions are made within each funding round cycle, typically involving:

  • Nomination period
  • Application completion by nominated charities
  • Due diligence review by UMi Investment Centre
  • Grant-making panel review
  • Notification (timeline not publicly specified)

For partnership opportunities developed through the Constellation Network or strategic relationships, timelines vary based on the specific initiative and are determined through ongoing dialogue.

Application Success Factors

Since Virgin Unite doesn't accept open applications, “success” means getting on their radar and building relationships that could lead to partnership. Based on their documented approach:

Demonstrate Entrepreneurial Thinking

Richard Branson emphasizes that “daring entrepreneurial spirit can also be a powerful force for social change.” Virgin Unite is attracted to:

  • Market-oriented solutions to large-scale societal problems
  • Innovation and willingness to try new approaches
  • Sustainable, scalable models rather than traditional charity approaches
  • Risk-taking and bold thinking

Embrace Radical Collaboration

Jean Oelwang's core philosophy: “No-one does anything great alone.” Show that you:

  • Actively seek partnerships rather than working in isolation
  • Have “unshakable respect” and “compassionate empathy” in relationships
  • Can co-create “something bigger” with partners
  • Live values that keep organizations connected: trust, respect, united belief

Tackle “Unacceptable” Issues

Virgin Unite specifically looks for organizations challenging what they call “unacceptable issues”:

  • Problems that others aren't willing to tackle
  • Systemic challenges requiring bold solutions
  • Issues where collaboration can create outsized impact
  • Demonstrated commitment to making sustainable change

Align With Their Current Priorities

Virgin Unite focuses resources on specific strategic areas. Successful organizations:

  • Work in criminal justice reform, environmental conservation, human rights, entrepreneurship, or workplace transformation
  • Can articulate clear connections to Virgin Unite's existing initiatives
  • Demonstrate how partnership would enhance rather than duplicate their work
  • Show potential for collaboration with Constellation Network members

For Local Legends Specifically

Virgin employee volunteers are the gateway. Their nominations succeed when:

  • They have genuine, sustained volunteer engagement with the charity
  • The charity addresses clear community needs in the UK
  • The organization can articulate how £5,000 would be used effectively
  • The charity has proper governance and due diligence materials ready

Evidence of Impact

Virgin Unite has supported initiatives with measurable outcomes:

  • The Last Mile's recidivism rate under 5% (vs. 60% nationally)
  • Branson Centre helping 180 entrepreneurs, each creating average of four jobs
  • Constellation Network raising £40 million over 20 years
  • Show similar evidence of concrete impact in your work

Direct Quotes on What Matters

  • Richard Branson: “Success comes faster if you bring brilliant minds together”
  • Jean Oelwang: “The superhero myth is one of the most dangerous myths in the world... we need to collaborate at a scale we have never even dreamt about”
  • Holly Branson: “We passionately believe these people [volunteers] are true legends and should be celebrated”

What Doesn't Work

  • Unsolicited funding requests (“We do not respond to these”)
  • Traditional charity approaches without entrepreneurial thinking
  • Single-organization solutions without collaboration
  • Focus on short-term fixes rather than sustainable change
  • Misalignment with their strategic priorities

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  1. Virgin Unite is not a traditional grant-maker – They operate through strategic partnerships, incubated initiatives, and a convening model. The only accessible grant program is Local Legends, which requires Virgin employee nomination.
  1. 100% of donations go to programs – With Richard Branson and Virgin Group covering all overhead costs, every pound donated supports charitable work directly, making them attractive partners for other funders.
  1. Entrepreneurial approach is essential – Virgin Unite seeks “entrepreneurial approaches to social and environmental issues” and market-oriented solutions. Traditional charity models are less likely to resonate.
  1. The Constellation Network is the key gateway – With 3,000+ members and £40 million raised over 20 years, getting connected to this network through events, shared board members, or existing partners is the primary path to Virgin Unite's attention.
  1. Radical collaboration over individual achievement – Jean Oelwang's philosophy that “one plus one equals a million” permeates everything Virgin Unite does. Demonstrate genuine partnership approaches and willingness to co-create solutions.
  1. They incubate, not just fund – Virgin Unite has created The Elders, The B Team, Ocean Unite, Planetary Guardians, and other major initiatives. They're interested in building new solutions, not just funding existing work.
  1. Local Legends offers the most accessible pathway – For UK organizations, building genuine relationships with Virgin Group employee volunteers is the most practical route to accessing Virgin Unite funding, albeit modest amounts (£5,000).
  1. Focus on their current strategic priorities – Criminal justice reform, ocean conservation, fair chance hiring, dyslexic thinking, workplace transformation, and ending the death penalty are active focus areas where they're most likely to engage.
  1. Long-term relationship building required – Success with Virgin Unite requires patience, strategic networking, and alignment with their values rather than a perfect application. Think years, not months.
  1. International scope with regional entities – Virgin Unite operates in UK, USA, Canada, and Australia with separate trustees for each region, offering multiple potential entry points for organizations working internationally.

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References

  • Virgin Unite Official Website. "Virgin Unite | Virgin Group & Branson Family Foundation." www.virgin.com/virgin-unite..

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