Ross Foundation

The Ross Foundation, formally the David Ross Foundation, was established in 2007 by UK entrepreneur and philanthropist David Ross, co-founder of Carphone Warehouse. Its mission is to unlock the unique talents of every young person through world-class educational opportunities, especially for those facing disadvantage, guided by core values of opportunity, excellence, and broadening horizons via education, arts, culture, heritage, and sport. As principal sponsor of the David Ross Education Trust—overseeing 30+ academies in the East Midlands, East of England, and Yorkshire—it adopts a hands-on, partnership-driven approach, blending academy sponsorship, elite cultural patronage (e.g., Nevill Holt Opera, LAMDA, National Portrait Gallery), sports infrastructure (e.g., David Ross Sports Village), and regional regeneration projects like the Lincoln Magna Carta Vault.

It prioritises life-changing initiatives for children and young people in deprived or rural communities, funding education enrichment, arts/cultural access, sports participation from grassroots to elite, heritage conservation, and health-education collaborations (e.g., £1m to Lincoln Medical School). Eligible applicants include UK-registered charities, academic institutions, and community groups based in the UK, with strong preference for East Midlands (Lincolnshire, Leicestershire, Nottingham) and Yorkshire projects; no income thresholds apply, supporting small grassroots efforts to national institutions.

Grants range from £250–£1,000 for local community needs to £10,000–£50,000 for mid-sized projects and £100,000–£4m for transformational ones, encompassing project, capital, and occasional core funding. Unsolicited applications are accepted via email (secretary@davidrossfoundation.com) with detailed project outlines, budgets, and alignment to priorities; reviewed adhoc by trustees with no fixed deadlines. Distinctive for its £32m+ giving, scalable impact focus, and avoidance of emergency/unrestricted funding (except trusted partners), it excels in strategic, outcome-driven interventions leveraging partnerships for lasting youth benefit.