Rees Jeffreys Road Fund

The Rees Jeffreys Road Fund, established in 1950 by pioneering transport campaigner William Rees Jeffreys, is a UK charity dedicated to enhancing the quality, safety, and enjoyment of roads for all users—drivers, cyclists, pedestrians, and communities. Rooted in values of road safety, innovation, multidisciplinary collaboration, environmental stewardship, and public life enhancement, it promotes holistic approaches to highways, infrastructure, and mobility, addressing contemporary challenges like sustainability and future technologies through research-led, forward-looking initiatives.

It funds transport and highways-related projects, including academic research, MSc bursaries in transport studies, professional development grants ("Ready for the Future"), policy studies, and physical improvements like roadside rest areas and viewpoints (with a legacy of over 70 sites across England, Wales, and Scotland). Beneficiaries include universities, highways authorities, transport professionals, students, civil engineering societies, and local communities, prioritizing projects with public benefit, originality, inclusivity, and measurable impact.

Eligible applicants are UK-registered charities, social enterprises, and academic institutions based in the UK (England, Wales, Scotland), with no income or size restrictions. Typical grants range from £5,000 to £30,000 (up to £50,000 for national impact projects); professional development and MSc bursaries are around £10,000. Applications start with an EOI to the secretary for projects (full form follows), online for professional grants, or via universities for bursaries; next deadlines are 3 October 2025 (projects/professional) and 3 July 2026 (MSc). Ad hoc trustee meetings decide awards.

Exclusions include non-highways/transport activities, individuals outside bursaries, and unrestricted/core funding. Distinctively, it blends academic support, research, and tangible infrastructure legacy, catalysing sector change unlike typical funders.