White Stuff Foundation

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £147,000 (2024 income)
• Total Donated Since 2010: £4.6 million
• Decision Time: Not publicly available
• Grant Range: £10,000 - £150,000+ (based on observed partnerships)
• Geographic Focus: England, Wales, Scotland, Guernsey, Jersey, Northern Ireland, India
• Registered Charity Number: 1134754

Contact Details

Website: www.whitestufffoundation.org

Email: community@whitestuff.com

Phone: 020 7091 8000

Overview

The White Stuff Foundation was established in 2010 by White Stuff Clothing to facilitate the company's charitable giving. Since its inception, the Foundation has donated over £4.6 million to charitable causes. The Foundation's mission is to “provide support to people who may not otherwise have a chance to thrive” by partnering with and providing grants to charities whose work aligns with this objective. The Foundation is governed by 6 trustees who serve without remuneration. In 2024, the Foundation had a total income of £147,032 and total expenditure of £204,041. The Foundation has evolved from supporting numerous small local charities across the UK to focusing on larger strategic partnerships with national organizations, while still maintaining individual charity partnerships at each White Stuff store location.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The White Stuff Foundation operates two distinct funding models:

1. Strategic National Partnerships (£150,000 - £400,000 total)

• Multi-year partnerships with national charities
• Current partner (2024-onwards): Create - a charity using creative arts to support vulnerable people
• Previous partner (2020-2024): Home-Start UK - received over £400,000 including £150,000 for the White Stuff Empowering Women Fund

2. Local Store Charity Partnerships (£10,000+ per charity)

• Each White Stuff store partners with a local charity in their community
• Predominantly in urban areas close to stores and distribution centres
• Examples include InFocus Charity (Exeter), Love Me Love My Mind (Epsom), Gatehouse (Bury St Edmunds)

3. Employee-Nominated Grants (special initiatives)

• £40,000 distributed for 40th anniversary (2025) to employee-nominated charities across the UK
• Individual grants of £10,000 awarded through staff nominations

Priority Areas

The Foundation focuses on:

• Combating loneliness and social isolation
• Supporting vulnerable people who may not otherwise have a chance to thrive
• Family support (through Home-Start UK partnership)
• Creative arts as a tool for connection and empowerment (through Create partnership)
• Women's empowerment (specific fund with Home-Start)
• Young people with disabilities and complex needs
• Local community support near White Stuff stores and operations

What They Don't Fund

Specific exclusions are not publicly documented. The Foundation operates through:

• Selected strategic partnerships (not open application)
• Pre-existing relationships with local charities near stores
• Employee-driven nominations (occasional)
• Trustee discretion

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Governance and Leadership

Trustees: The Foundation is governed by 6 trustees who receive no remuneration, payments, or benefits from the charity.

Corporate Connection: The Foundation is closely tied to White Stuff Clothing (founded 1985), with funding derived from:

• 1% of White Stuff's annual profits
• Revenue from charity products sold in stores
• Carrier bag donations from customers
• Staff fundraising initiatives

Compliance: The charity maintains current regulatory standing with the Charity Commission for England and Wales, with all annual reports filed on time.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

The White Stuff Foundation does not have a public application process.

The Foundation operates through:

1. Strategic Partnerships: The Foundation selects national charity partners through trustee discretion. These are multi-year relationships with established organizations. The selection process is not publicly documented, and applications are not invited.

1. Local Store Partnerships: Each White Stuff store location is paired with a local charity. The mechanism for how charities become store partners is not publicly detailed, but partnerships appear to be established through local connections and proximity to store locations.

1. Employee Nominations: Occasionally, special initiatives invite White Stuff employees to nominate charities (such as the 40th anniversary £40,000 distribution in 2025).

To contact the Foundation directly about potential partnerships:

• Email: community@whitestuff.com
• Phone: 020 7091 8000

Getting on Their Radar

Store-Level Partnerships:

• White Stuff operates stores throughout the UK - charities located near White Stuff stores in urban areas are more likely to be considered for local partnerships
• The Foundation has historically supported “small local charities” in areas where White Stuff has retail presence
• Each store branch partners with its own charity, creating multiple entry points across the country

Strategic Partnership Considerations:

• The Foundation's recent strategic partners (Home-Start UK, Create) share a focus on vulnerable populations, loneliness, and isolation
• Multi-year partnerships suggest the Foundation values long-term relationships over one-off grants
• Recent partners have been established national charities with professional infrastructure

Employee Connection:

• White Stuff employees nominate charities through occasional special initiatives
• Building relationships with White Stuff staff members in your area could lead to nomination opportunities
• Employees receive two volunteer days annually, creating potential engagement opportunities

Application Success Factors

Given the Foundation's invitation-only approach, success factors differ from traditional grant-making:

For Strategic Partnerships:

• National reach and professional infrastructure: Recent partners (Home-Start UK, Create) are established national organizations
• Alignment with loneliness and isolation themes: Both recent partnerships focus on connecting vulnerable people
• Clear measurable impact: Home-Start partnership funded “over 10,000 helpline calls, hundreds of emergency equipment loans, over a thousand grants for specialist equipment”
• Multi-year potential: The Foundation commits to partners for several years (Home-Start 2020-2024, Create 2024-onwards)

For Local Store Partnerships:

• Geographic proximity: Be located in an urban area near a White Stuff store or distribution centre
• Small charity size: The Foundation explicitly mentions supporting “small local charities” in its first ten years
• Community focus: Supporting people who “may not otherwise have a chance to thrive”
• Local relationships: Individual stores select their own charity partners

Funding Model Insights:

• White Stuff commits to giving 1% of profits annually, making funding levels tied to company performance
• The Foundation raised £147,032 in 2024 but spent £204,041, suggesting they draw on reserves for larger partnerships
• Beyond direct grants, partners benefit from charity product sales, carrier bag donations, and employee fundraising

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• No public application process exists - this is an invitation-only funder requiring relationship building rather than formal grant applications
• Two distinct pathways: National strategic partnerships (£150k-£400k range) vs. local store partnerships (£10k+ range) require different approaches
• Geographic strategy matters: Proximity to White Stuff stores and operations (head office, distribution centres) significantly increases likelihood of partnership
• Loneliness and isolation are clear current priorities based on the Create partnership and stated focus areas
• Employee connections create occasional opportunities through nomination initiatives - building relationships with local White Stuff staff may be valuable
• Long-term commitment: Recent partnerships span multiple years, suggesting the Foundation values sustained relationships over numerous small grants
• Patient approach required: Without a public application process, organizations must build awareness over time through proximity, relationships, and mission alignment

References

1. Charity Commission - WHITE STUFF FOUNDATION overview (Charity 1134754): https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-details/?regid=1134754&subid=0

1. White Stuff Corporate Social Responsibility page: https://www.whitestuff.com/other-stuff/charity

1. Better Society - “White Stuff links up with charity to tackle loneliness”: https://www.bettersociety.net/White-Stuff-links-up-with-charity-to-tackle-loneliness.php

1. Create Arts - “White Stuff and Create partner to tackle loneliness and isolation”: https://createarts.org.uk/white-stuff-and-create-partnership/

1. InFocus Charity - “The White Stuff Foundation”: https://infocus-charity.org.uk/news-and-stories/news/the-white-stuff-foundation/

1. Exeter Today - “£10,000 boost for InFocus Charity”: https://www.exetertoday.co.uk/news/local-news/1865364/10-000-boost-for-infocus-charity.html

1. Love Me Love My Mind - “White Stuff Foundation”: https://www.lovemelovemymind.org.uk/2017/03/11/white-stuff-foundation/

1. Charity Commission Annual Reports and Accounts for White Stuff Foundation: https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/en/charity-search/-/charity-details/4049815/accounts-and-annual-returns