The John Ellerman Foundation aims to advance the wellbeing of people, society and the natural world by focusing on the arts, environment and social action. They believe these areas, both separately and together, can make an important contribution to wellbeing..
They prioritise UK-registered charities with an income between £100,000 and £10m. If your income is greater than this they will only consider a grant if you are uniquely placed to help meet the funding objectives. They have a special interest in small, niche national charities which shine a light on a particular concern or area of interest.
They want their funds to make a difference, with as wide an impact as possible. This may involve creating art of the highest quality; working across a wide geographical area; or sharing, expanding or replicating successful initiatives.
National significance may look different in each of their categories:
- Arts – the creation of new work in itself has the potential to create a national or international legacy to inspire others. Using excellence as a key criterion is designed to strengthen and widen impact, thus demonstrating UK-wide significance. Partnerships, whether cross-art form, cross-sector or geographical, may also enhance this significance, and touring may contribute to a national footprint.
- Environment – certain species and habitats have national significance in themselves, due to their rarity. Some organisations occupy a distinctive, national niche; alternatively, the issue being tackled may be relevant to all or a large part of the UK. We also consider the biodiversity of the UK Overseas Territories to be of national and international importance.
- Social Action – they look to support organisations whose work is rooted in practical experience and applied at a national or UK level. This significance may result from the importance of the subject tackled or the approach taken.
Applications may be submitted at any time and are considered regularly throughout the year.
