Berkeley Charitable Foundation

The Berkeley Charitable Foundation, established in 2011 by the Berkeley Group, is a corporate foundation dedicated to empowering young people and communities to thrive, fostering social mobility and inclusion across London, Birmingham, and southern England. Guided by values of partnership, trust, accountability, and robust safeguarding, it has invested over £23 million in more than 100 charities, leveraging 60% employee involvement from Berkeley Group—covering all admin costs for 100% direct impact. Its distinctive approach emphasizes sustained, trust-based partnerships over transactional grants, amplifying outcomes through corporate resources, capacity-building, and local alignment.

It prioritizes five impact goals: safe housing to prevent youth homelessness, employment pathways and skills development, health and wellbeing, youth leadership, and a resilient voluntary sector. Funding targets disadvantaged young people (especially via orgs led by 18-30s) and families, supporting initiatives like mentoring (e.g., Street Elite), disability sports (Lord’s Taverners), and homelessness programs (Crisis), with a focus on measurable, long-term change in lives, skills, and communities.

Eligible applicants are UK-registered charities or CICs with £100,000–£1.5 million annual income (at least one year of accounts), delivering most work in Greater London, Bath & North East Somerset, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, Oxfordshire, Surrey, Kent, Hampshire, West Sussex, or Birmingham. No religious restrictions.

Via its annual Resilience Fund (unsolicited apps only here; others by invitation), it awards up to six multi-year capacity-building grants (£30,000–£90,000 total over three years, up to 20% annual turnover) for core costs, governance, leadership, and systems—not typically project-specific. Two-stage online process: Stage 1 (3–28 March 2025), Stage 2 (late April–16 May 2025); decisions by early September 2025. Excludes non-geo areas, large one-offs, and late apps; uniquely champions youth-led, resilient orgs for deep social impact.