Our Approach
We aim to proactively address critical issues facing our society.
As part of our commitment to continuous improvement, a Philanthropy Framework review is undertaken every five years to evaluate our progress against objectives and shape our philanthropic work in line with our guiding principles – to put our independence and longevity to proactive use and deliver measured outputs leading to clear outcomes.
For our 2023-2028 Philanthropy Framework, we have developed consistent impact measures for all our grantmaking programmes, which aim to:
- Improve people’s lives
- Strengthen organisations of the people supported
- Contribute to societal change
As a funder, impact measures allow us to see the progress made and what is adding value in different sectors and communities across our programmes. We report on our impact annually in our Annual Review.
Funder Plus
Our Philanthropy Framework goes beyond supporting our grantholders financially. We also support the organisations we fund to become stronger and more resilient by providing access to training and support. We work with a number of strategic partners across our programmes to achieve this, including the Media Trust and the Cranfield Trust.
Insights & Learnings
We work closely with research and evaluation partners across our funding programmes to inform our Insights & Learnings. We also facilitate collaborative learning amongst our grantees. This approach not only allows our partners to evaluate their findings and adapt their delivery but also increases our understanding of the sector and shapes future grantmaking. We actively seek to improve our practice through grantee feedback, learning partner reports and dialogue.
Relational networking
We are a relational funder, building open and trustbased partnerships with applicants, grantees and stakeholders. We aim to minimise the power dynamic in funding relationships by working as equals, being curious and respecting the expertise of those we support. This approach mirrors what we expect funded organisations to foster with their communities. We maintain frequent contact with grantees through visits, events, learning opportunities and tailored support.
We also nurture peer networks and collaborate across our Associated Schools and Colleges, Almshouses and Sheltered Housing and church livings.
IVAR
We are committed to open and trusting grantmaking and being a flexible funder for the organisations we support.
We are delighted to join a community of funders and are proud to have signed a pledge to open and trusting grantmaking, a campaign coordinated by the Institute for Voluntary Action Research (IVAR).
Our 8 commitments to open and trusting grantmaking
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Since January 2023, we have adopted the DEI Data Standard, collecting and tracking community demographics data across our programmes. This helps us understand who we are reaching, identify gaps and inform better decision-making.
Living wage
We are proud to be a living wage employer, paying employees the real living wage, and a Living Wage Funder.
Foundation Practice Rating
For the fourth year, we participated in the Foundation Practice Rating, an initiative that benchmarks foundations on diversity, accountability and transparency. We maintained a B rating in 2025, consistent with our 2024 performance.
Social investment
Social investment is a sustainable tool we use to support mission-driven organisations with repayable finance. It complements our grantmaking by helping organisations build resilience and scale their impact.