The Virgin Money Foundation

Charity Number: 1161290

Annual Expenditure: £2.2M
Throughout England And Wales, Scotland

Contact Info

Website: www.virginmoneyfoundation.org.uk

Phone: 0330 123 3624

Email: info@virginmoneyfoundation.org.uk

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £1.6 million+ (350 grants awarded in recent year)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
  • Decision Time: Variable - simplified process for grants under £5,000; full process involves assessment, face-to-face meeting, and trustee review
  • Grant Range: £5,000 - £100,000
  • Geographic Focus: North East England and Glasgow (communities in top 20% Index of Multiple Deprivation)

Contact Details

Website: www.virginmoneyfoundation.org.uk

Email: info@virginmoneyfoundation.org.uk

Phone: 0330 123 3624

Overview

The Virgin Money Foundation (registered charity 1161290) was established in 2015 to promote sustainable regeneration of socially and economically deprived communities in the UK. Since inception, the Foundation has awarded over £15 million to local charities working to create positive change in their communities. The Foundation has undergone a strategic shift to focus specifically on tackling digital poverty and enabling digital inclusion. Geographic focus is concentrated on communities in the top 20% of the Index of Multiple Deprivation in the North East of England and Glasgow. Since launching its Building Digital Skills Fund in early 2024, the Foundation has awarded almost £3 million in grants. The Foundation is committed to transparency and publishes all grant data through the 360Giving data standard.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Building Digital Skills Fund: £10,000 - £100,000 (typically spread across 3 years)

  • Currently by invitation only
  • Supports Community Anchor organisations to tackle digital poverty
  • Fund temporarily closed to new applications; reopening Autumn 2025

School Digital Grants: Up to £5,000

  • Available to Virgin Money colleagues who volunteer with schools (children aged 5-16)
  • Helps tackle digital exclusion in educational settings
  • Rolling basis

Young Change Makers Fellowship: Up to £10,000

  • For young people aged 18-26 in North East, North West England, and Yorkshire and the Humber
  • Paid in instalments over 6 months
  • Includes mentoring, peer support, and travel bursary
  • Launched in partnership with The National Lottery Community Fund and Northern Soul

Leading the Way: £8,000 per participant

  • Tailored learning programme for leaders of community enterprises
  • North East England, Yorkshire and the Humber
  • Partnership with HFD Charitable Foundation
  • Combines one-to-one development and group learning

Priority Areas

  • Digital inclusion and tackling digital poverty (primary current focus)
  • Community-led digital skills training for young people
  • Access to devices for low-income families
  • Reducing digital exclusion in deprived communities
  • Community anchor organizations working in neighborhoods
  • Youth work, education, training, and enterprise
  • Community housing and building projects

What They Don't Fund

While no explicit exclusions list is publicly available, the Foundation's narrow focus effectively limits eligibility:

  • Geographic restriction: Only North East England and Glasgow
  • Deprivation focus: Communities must be in top 20% Index of Multiple Deprivation
  • Thematic restriction: Currently focused exclusively on digital poverty/inclusion
  • Building Digital Skills Fund is by invitation only

Governance and Leadership

Executive Leadership

Nancy Doyle-Hall, Executive Director (since 2016)

  • Previously Chief Executive of Oasis Community Housing
  • 15 years' experience in charity sector
  • Visiting Fellow of St John's College, Durham
  • Trustee of The Common Room of the Great North
  • Quote: “The Foundation was created to help grass roots organisations make a positive and sustainable difference to the communities in which they live and work and through our funding, training and skilled volunteering, we do exactly that.”

Rachel - Grant management support, leads Building Digital Skills Fund

Trustees

Keith Merrin - Managing Director of ERS Ltd (economic development consultancy), Director and Fellow of Institute of Economic Development, specialist in communities experiencing social and economic decline

Maz Alkirwi - Finance Director for SSE Networks since 2018, over 11 years at SSE in corporate and regulatory finance positions

Lorna - Head of Dispute Resolution Team at Virgin Money, corporate trustee

Ned - Director at Koreo (learning consultancy), specialist in creating learning spaces for organizations with social missions

Emma - Chief Marketing Officer at Virgin Money (joined November 2023)

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

Building Digital Skills Fund: By invitation only (currently closed, reopening Autumn 2025)

General Application Process:

  1. Initial desk-based assessment against eligibility criteria
  2. Applications scored against minimum threshold
  3. Successful applicants contacted by grant assessor for face-to-face meeting at organization's premises
  4. Further information may be requested
  5. Report written for Foundation Trustees
  6. Trustee decision made and outcome provided

Simplified Process: Grants under £5,000 follow shortened version of above

Alternative formats: Foundation accommodates applicants who prefer to apply in formats other than written applications - contact team to discuss communication preferences

Decision Timeline

  • Funding committee meets at least twice per year
  • Once monitoring agreement and due diligence complete, first grant tranche issued within 10 working days
  • Specific timeline varies by grant size and program
  • Regular contact maintained with applicants throughout process

Success Rates

Not publicly disclosed. However, demand for Building Digital Skills Fund was so strong that the Foundation temporarily closed to new applications after awarding almost £3 million since early 2024.

Reapplication Policy

Not explicitly stated in available materials. Contact Foundation directly for guidance.

Application Success Factors

What the Foundation Looks For

Organizational Strength:

  • History and track record in delivery
  • Role in the community
  • Quality of governance
  • Risk management and safeguarding processes
  • Strategic planning capabilities

Understanding of Digital Poverty:

  • Deep understanding of digital poverty's impact on the community
  • Clear analysis of causes
  • Strong rationale for proposed approach
  • Evidence-based methodology

Required Documentation

  • Latest annual accounts
  • Up-to-date management accounts
  • Detailed budget showing grant expenditure

Strategic Guidance

  • Foundation is supportive of Real Living Wage - applicants encouraged to reflect Real Living Wage costs in staff budgets
  • Focus on community anchor organizations with deep neighborhood presence
  • Emphasis on sustainable, long-term impact rather than short-term fixes
  • Strong community engagement and understanding valued
  • Capacity to work with vulnerable populations experiencing digital exclusion

Recent Funded Projects (Examples)

Justice Prince CIC (Newcastle): £100,000 - DISC (Digital Inclusion, Skills and Confidence) Project offering tailored support including one-on-one sessions and group workshops in Longbenton community

Govan Youth Information Project (Glasgow): £77,076 - Digital inclusion work with young people

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Geographic specificity is critical: Only organizations working in North East England or Glasgow in areas within top 20% Index of Multiple Deprivation are eligible
  • Digital poverty focus is non-negotiable: All current funding streams relate to digital inclusion - don't apply if your work doesn't address this theme
  • Building Digital Skills Fund requires invitation: Don't wait for open applications - build relationships and visibility to secure invitation
  • Organizational strength matters as much as project design: Foundation conducts thorough due diligence on governance, safeguarding, and track record
  • Real Living Wage commitment valued: Budget appropriately and signal commitment to fair employment practices
  • Long-term thinking preferred: Main fund supports 3-year grants, showing Foundation values sustained impact over quick fixes
  • Be flexible on application format: Foundation accommodates different communication preferences - ask if written format doesn't work for you
  • Smaller grants available for Virgin Money volunteers: If you have connections to Virgin Money staff volunteers, School Digital Grants (up to £5,000) offer accessible entry point

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References