Wates Foundation

Charity Number: 247941

Annual Expenditure: £0.5M
Geographic Focus: Throughout England

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £450,000 (approx.)
  • Decision Time: Variable (committees meet annually)
  • Grant Range: £1,000 - £40,000
  • One-off Grant Maximum: £15,000
  • Periodic Grant Maximum: £25,000 per year (up to £40,000 over 3 years)
  • Geographic Focus: Southern half of England
  • Total Distributed: Over £100 million since inception

Contact Details

Website: www.watesfoundation.org.uk

Email: director@watesfoundation.org.uk

Phone: 01372 861000

Registered Charity Number: 247941 (original) / 1202779 (current)

Key Personnel:

  • Felicity Mallam, Director
  • Rebecca Ray, Grants Manager

Overview

Founded in 1966 when three brothers—Allan C Wates, Norman E Wates, and Ronald W Wates—pooled resources from their personal charitable trusts, the Wates Foundation has been supporting the charitable and voluntary sector for over 50 years. With over £100 million distributed to thousands of charities since inception, the Foundation now supports the philanthropic interests of over 100 family members across all ages. The Foundation operates as an independent, proactive grant-maker governed by six trustees drawn equally from three family branches, all direct descendants of the founders. Each family branch operates its own grants committee, meeting approximately annually. The Foundation is committed to transparency, publishing all grant data through the 360Giving standard, and has a strong focus on environmental sustainability, having pledged to address climate change “across the work we fund, how we invest and in our daily operations.”

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

CRITICAL NOTE: Applications are by invitation only. Unsolicited applications will be automatically rejected. Wates Family members proactively seek out charities to support, typically from within their local communities.

Grant Structure:

  • One-off grants: Up to £15,000
  • Periodic grants: Up to £40,000 over a maximum of three years (maximum £25,000 in any single year)
  • Method: Invitation only, rolling basis as family members identify organizations

Priority Areas

The Foundation organizes funding across seven thematic areas:

  1. Building Social Values - Promotion of the family unit, social and civic responsibilities, parenting and children, and culture
  1. Community Health - Wellbeing initiatives, mental health support, addiction services, and support for disabilities
  1. Education & Employment - Particularly targeting young people not in education, employment, or training (NEET)
  1. Environment & Sustainability - Climate change mitigation, sustainable farming practices, waste reduction, nature recovery, and helping people adapt to environmental changes
  1. Life Transitions - Preparing people for key life transitions to facilitate informed and accessible changes, addressing inadequate support that leads to negative outcomes
  1. Safer Communities - Criminal justice generally, crime in communities, alternatives to custody, preparing offenders for release, resettlement of offenders, female offenders
  1. Strengthening the Charitable & Voluntary Sector - Building capacity and infrastructure, governance support, improving organizational effectiveness, promoting quality and accreditation

What They Don't Fund

  • Individuals - No support provided directly to individuals
  • Geographic restrictions - Focus is on southern half of England where Wates Family members live
  • Unsolicited applications - Cannot apply without invitation from a Wates Family member
  • Organizations outside registered charities, social enterprises, or established community groups in England and Wales
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Governance and Leadership

Chair of Trustees

Christian Brodie (Norman Wates Family Committee) - Appointed in 2021. Spent his executive career as a corporate finance lawyer and in international financial services, working in New York, Melbourne, and London. Since retiring from financial services, he has served as a non-executive director and trustee in higher education, sports, charity sectors, and public service.

Trustees by Family Committee

Allan Wates Family:

  • Alex Heynes - Grandson of founder Allan Wates, ex-food retail entrepreneur
  • Emily King - Granddaughter of founder Allan Wates, youngest daughter of Jane Wates OBE

Norman Wates Family:

  • Christian Brodie - Chair
  • Hugo Brodie

Ronald Wates Family:

  • Clare Price - Involved in the charitable sector for over 20 years
  • Jonny Wates - Social impact entrepreneur and philanthropist

Secretariat Team

  • Felicity Mallam, Director
  • Rebecca Ray, Grants Manager
  • Katy Corr, Grants Administrator
  • Jane Smith, Finance and Administration Manager

Governance Approach

“The Wates Foundation trustees insist on visiting projects. No application reaches the Committee without being visited by a trustee or grants committee member.” This hands-on approach reflects the Foundation's commitment to personal engagement with supported organizations.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

Applications are by invitation only. There is no open application process. The Foundation operates a proactive grant-making model where Wates Family members identify charities to support, typically from their local communities.

The Process:

  1. Wates Family members seek out organizations from their communities
  2. A Family member sponsors and leads the grant assessment
  3. A trustee or grants committee member conducts a site visit (mandatory)
  4. The sponsoring Family member presents to their family grants committee
  5. Committee makes funding decision
  6. Follow-up visits occur as the grant progresses

Key Requirement: All awards must be sponsored personally by a Wates Family member from one of the three family grants committees.

Decision Timeline

Each of the three family grants committees typically meets once per year. Decision timelines vary depending on which family committee is involved and when in their annual cycle a charity is identified.

The Foundation does not publish specific timelines from initial contact to grant award, as the proactive nature of their work means timelines vary significantly.

Success Rates

Not applicable - the Foundation operates by invitation only. Organizations that are invited to apply and undergo site visits have already been identified as strong potential matches for funding.

Reapplication Policy

Not publicly specified. Given the invitation-only model, reapplication would depend on continuing relationships with Wates Family members and the ongoing alignment with funding priorities.

Application Success Factors

What Makes Projects Successful

Based on case studies and funded organizations, successful projects typically demonstrate:

1. Strong Alignment with Family Values

The Foundation supports causes that "reflect the Wates Families' broad range of philanthropic interests." Projects that resonate with family members' personal experiences and local communities are prioritized.

2. Direct, Measurable Impact

Funded projects show clear outcomes:

  • The Irene Taylor Trust: 0% reoffending rate among former prisoners
  • TAG Youth: 267 young people supported directly with 6,936 interactions
  • Amber Foundation: 79% of participants moved into independent housing with jobs or education

3. Support for Vulnerable Groups

Strong focus on:

  • Young carers and children with special educational needs
  • Women experiencing abuse or exploitation
  • Homeless young adults
  • Offenders and ex-offenders
  • People facing significant life transitions

4. Innovation and Accessibility

Projects that remove barriers or create new pathways:

  • Roots and Shoots built wheelchair-accessible facilities
  • Greatwood provided match funding to increase accessibility for economically disadvantaged families
  • Design & Technology Association created resources for neurodivergent learners

5. Collaboration and Leverage

“The Foundation looks for opportunities for cooperation between the Family committees and to work with other Wates Family charities in joint funding awards, which increases engagement and philanthropic giving by Family members across generations and enables larger awards over longer periods.”

6. Environmental Consciousness

Increasing priority on climate change and sustainability initiatives, with projects demonstrating commitment to reducing environmental impact or supporting nature recovery.

From Funded Organizations

Organizations emphasize the value of:

  • Personal relationships - Direct engagement with Wates Family members
  • Long-term thinking - Ability to provide multi-year support
  • Flexibility - Unrestricted grants that allow organizations to address core costs
  • Trust - Site visits that build mutual understanding rather than bureaucratic processes

Quote from The Irene Taylor Trust case study: The Foundation's support enabled them to serve “650+ individuals” with transformative outcomes including “0% reoffending rate among former prisoners.”

Quote from young person at Amber Foundation: "Amber's made me more confident and I've come out of my shell."

Strategic Guidance

The Foundation “regularly surveys the organisations we fund to understand what we are doing well, what we can do better and what we might consider doing in the future,” using this feedback to shape strategic direction.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  1. Cannot Apply Directly - This is an invitation-only funder. Building relationships within the communities where Wates Family members live (southern England) may be the only path to funding. Unsolicited applications are automatically rejected.
  1. Geographic Focus Matters - The Foundation funds organizations in the southern half of England, reflecting where Wates Family members live. Organizations outside this area are unlikely to receive funding.
  1. Personal Connection is Everything - All grants require personal sponsorship by a Wates Family member. Success depends on resonating with individual family members' interests and experiences, not meeting formal criteria.
  1. Prepare for Site Visits - Every funded organization receives at least one trustee visit, often with follow-up visits. Demonstrating impact in person is essential.
  1. Think Long-Term Relationships - Multi-year grants up to £40,000 are available. The Foundation values ongoing partnerships and collaborative funding with other Wates family charities.
  1. Emphasize Measurable Outcomes - Case studies consistently highlight specific numbers and percentages. Be prepared to demonstrate and report clear, quantifiable impact.
  1. Align with Multiple Priorities - Projects that span several of the seven thematic areas or enable collaboration between the three family committees may receive larger or longer-term support.

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