Wood Foundation
About This Funder
The Wood Foundation, established in 2007 by Sir Ian Wood KT GBE and his family in Aberdeen, Scotland—with Garreth Wood MBE as current chairman—is a venture philanthropic organization dedicated to tackling societal and economic inequities through transformational change in Scotland and Sub-Saharan Africa. Rooted in family values of innovation, partnership, and capacity building, it acts as an active investor, project manager, and thought leader rather than a passive grant-maker, emphasizing empowerment, sustainability, and systemic impact to foster self-reliance and prosperity.
It prioritizes three strands: economic development and entrepreneurship in East Africa (Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda), focusing on smallholder agriculture like tea and vanilla sectors to enable market access and self-sufficiency for marginalized farmers; youth development in Scotland via programmes such as Youth and Philanthropy Initiative (YPI) and Excelerate, building employability, citizenship, and aspiration; and broader Scottish economic progress through initiatives like Opportunity North East for innovation and skills diversification. Funding supports scalable projects addressing poverty, education, and agri-market transformation, often with non-financial expertise and leadership.
Eligible applicants are OSCR-registered UK charities operating in Scotland or the specified African countries, targeting schools, communities, or scalable organizations demonstrating partnership potential; unsolicited applications are not accepted. Grants range from £3,000 fixed awards via YPI (school-nominated for Scottish state schools, September-June windows) to tens of thousands or millions for strategic partnerships developed proactively by invitation. It excludes core funding, short-term interventions, or non-priority geographies, distinguishing itself through deep co-management, market systems change, and bold, legacy-driven investments for long-term societal shifts.
Eligibility Checklist
Funding Details
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Frequently Asked Questions
How much funding does Wood Foundation provide?
Wood Foundation typically provides grants ranging from From £3,000.
Where does Wood Foundation fund charities?
Wood Foundation funds charities operating in UK.
How do I apply for funding from Wood Foundation?
With Fundermatcher, you describe your charity once and see your compatibility score with Wood Foundation. If you're a good fit, you can start drafting your application immediately using our AI co-pilot — paste each question and word limit, and the co-pilot writes a tailored first draft using your charity's real data and Wood Foundation's priorities. You review and edit every answer before submitting.
Will funders know my application was drafted with AI?
No. The co-pilot uses your charity's real name, numbers, and impact data — not generic filler or templates. Every draft reads like it was written by someone who knows your charity inside-out, because it's built on your actual profile. You edit and refine every word before it goes anywhere, so the final application sounds like you — because it is.
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