OVO Foundation

Who they support

They find and fund projects in 3 key areas: Energy access, Youth poverty and Educational inequality

The average annual spending of grantees has been £5 million
The average age of charities supported has been years.

Grant criteria

They prefer to develop fewer and more targeted interventions to have a radical impact on people’s lives, rather than fund lots of smaller projects.

Grant details

Varies depending on projects

Application procedure

The OVO Foundation do not accept grant applications. They do their own research into big social issues and then work with relevant partners to create and deliver innovative solutions to the problem.

www.ovofoundation.org.uk

hello@ovofoundation.org.uk

08005999440

1 Rivergate
BRISTOL
BS1 6ED

Charity registered in England & Wales, No: 1155954

Charity Commission for England and Wales

Analysis of Grants Made

In this period 49 donations have been made totalling £4,108,686 to 38 organisations

Where are the Beneficiaries?

How big are the Recipients? ?

Which activities are being funded?

How old were the charities when supported?

Growth in Spending
(per annum over last 3 years)

Main Overlaps with other Grant Makers ?

	By Value	By Number
	54%	45%
	49%	55%
	30%	26%
	22%	11%
	21%	13%
	16%	11%
	14%	11%
	13%	21%
	13%	8%
	13%	5%

Sole supporter: 21% by number, 17% by value.

Individual Grants Made

When	Amount	Annual Spending	Grantee	To be used for
10/01/2024	£15,025		ENERGY SPARKS	This grant will be used to fund Energy Sparks' fundraising support from external consultants
06/11/2023	£100,000		ENERGY SPARKS	This grant will allow Energy Sparks to continue delivery of their online tool in 200 UK schools, teaching pupils how to improve energy efficiency in their schools.
04/09/2023	£16,500		ACTION FOR CONSERVATION	This grant will be used as a one-off uplift payment of £16,500 (10% of Action for Conservation’s total grant from 2020 - 2023) in recognition of the continued rising costs associated with staff and in delivering project activities
04/09/2023	£34,238		EARTHWATCH	This grant will be used as a one-off uplift payment of £34,238 (10% of Earthwatch’s total grant from 2020 - 2023) in recognition of the continued rising costs associated with staff and in delivering project activities.
22/06/2023	£25,000		CULTIVATE LONDON	This grant will be used to support Cultivate London's outreach project in local primary schools. Their seed to plate programme teaches children about food, following the journey from sowing seeds to harvesting and eating. They'll also be increasing access to food- growing spaces to benefit students, school staff, and the wider communities whilst also improving the local habitat.
22/06/2023	£25,000		ECOACTIVE	This grant will be used to support ecoACTIVE’s experiential learning programme for young people, which will deliver environment-focused workshops, followed by adventurous activities on the River Lea and Walthamstow Marshes that foster a connection to nature through experiential learning.
22/06/2023	£25,000		HAMMERSMITH COMMUNITY GARDENS ASSOCIATION	Our funding will support HCGA‘s site Phoenix Farm in White City, where local primary schools and local residents can get involved with seasonal gardening sessions, learning about humanity’s role in the environment, food production, and other aspects of nature.
22/06/2023	£25,000		SPITALFIELDS CITY FARM	This grant will support Spitalfields City Farm'sr Young Farmers programme, which engages young people in the world of farming, giving them the opportunity to connect with nature, build confidence and new skills, make friends and take a break from the outside world, in an inclusive and welcoming environment.
22/06/2023	£25,000		HEART OF BS13	This grant will be used to support Heart of BS13‘s The Green Influencers, a youth-led, social action initiative designed to widen participation in climate and environmental action and focuses on addressing the problem of waste in the BS13 community – from the prevention of fly-tipping, reducing food waste from schools, and raising awareness of the problems caused by fast fashion.
22/06/2023	£25,000		LAWRENCE WESTON COMMUNITY FARM	This grant will be used to support LWCF‘s Farm Hands project, which offers 6-month weekend placements for local 8-11 year olds affected by poverty or social issues to improve their social skills and self esteem, physical health and wellbeing, and help them to learn about nature, wildlife and animal care.
22/06/2023	£25,000		REDCATCH COMMUNITY GARDEN	This grant will be used to support outdoor education sessions at Redcatch Community Garden, which will teach children with SEND about wildlife habitat creation, sustainable growing, irrigation and climate change. Through a supportive environment, they’ll have the chance to connect with nature and feel empowered to make a positive difference to the environment
22/06/2023	£25,000		SQUARE FOOD FOUNDATION	This grant will be used to support Square Food Foundation's programme of food and cookery activities to help bring cooking into the classroom and make good food a way of life for the whole school community. Engaging with less advantaged children and their families, the charity aims to instil basic principles of healthy and sustainable eating, the benefits of cooking from scratch and inspire a life-long love of food and cooking that is good for the planet.
22/06/2023	£25,000	£110,625	SIMY COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT	This funding is supporting SiMY Community Development‘s project to develop young people’s understanding and appreciation of the environment through a range of activities based in the local community green space, a school garden, and other green spaces around Glasgow.
22/06/2023	£25,000	£207,797	THE CHILDREN'S WOOD	This grant will be used to support The Children’s Wood, who with a climate and nature education expert, will deliver outdoor learning sessions that engage children and young people in climate and nature education, all in an urban woodland setting.
22/06/2023	£25,000	£445,471	URBAN ROOTS	We’re funding Urban Roots to deliver a programme of outdoor activities aimed at increasing nature connections and access to local greenspace for children and young people in deprived areas of Glasgow. Activities range from community gardening and food growing to woodland conservation and biodiversity improvement.
22/06/2023	£25,000	£285,123	WOODLANDS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT	This grant will be used to support a programme of arts and environmental activities based in the community garden, through which Woodlands Community Development will inspire children and young people to take action on climate change and feel better connected to the natural world.
30/03/2023	£19,235	£2,178,159	ROCK TRUST	This grant will support the continuation for the delivery of Future Builders.
24/03/2023	£105,425		THE BENJAMIN FOUNDATION	This grant will support the staff costs for two new Future Builders properties
09/12/2022	£48,963		ROUNDABOUT	This grant will support the continuation for the delivery of Future Builders.
28/11/2022	£346,369		ASHDEN CLIMATE SOLUTIONS	This grant will support the expansion of the Let's Go Zero schools campaign and the creation of a 'Nature Prize' where schools have the chance to win a small cash prize to implement a nature project, supporting students to connect with nature and inspiring climate action.
22/11/2022	£348,850		STUDENTS ORGANISING FOR SUSTAINABILITY	This grant will be used to deliver SOS-UK's 'Teach the Teacher' programme, supporting students to run training sessions for their teachers on different climate issues and how climate education can be woven into every subject on the curriculum.
22/11/2022	£309,360		APPS FOR GOOD	This grant will enable the delivery of Innovate for Climate Change, a computing course that supports secondary school students to create their own app prototype that addresses a real climate issue. The students will also gain skills and knowledge that will prepare them for their careers ahead.
28/09/2022	£40,126		1625IP	This grant will support the continuation for the delivery of Future Builders.
28/09/2022	£22,641		THE BENJAMIN FOUNDATION	This grant will support the continuation for the delivery of Future Builders.
28/07/2022	£14,923		END YOUTH HOMELESSNESS	This grant was used to support EYH with the further roll out of Future Builders, as well as monitoring and evaluation.
16/07/2020	£342,378	£4,593,975	CONSERVATION EDUCATION & RESEARCH TRUST	This grant will enable 12 Tiny Forests to be planted in some of the least advantaged areas in the UK. The forests can be used as educational resources by schools.
13/07/2020	£165,000	£304,736	ACTION FOR CONSERVATION	This grant will be used to deliver Action for Conservation's WildEd workshops focusing on environmental improvement projects in schools.
13/07/2020	£483,476	£45,234	TRANSITION BATH LIMITED	This grant will allow Energy Sparks to continue to develop their online tool which teaches pupils how to improve energy efficiency in their schools.
02/06/2020	£20,000	£1,087,732	CARING IN BRISTOL	This grant will be used to continue providing essential items and wider support services for homeless people who are isolating in Bristol as a result of Covid19 as well as develop their youth homelessness service.
02/06/2020	£20,000	£845,530	THE MATTHEW TREE PROJECT	This grant will be used to install a kitchen to their premise to extend the shelf life of perishable food by turning it into nutritious meals which has seen an increased demand due to Covid19.
02/06/2020	£20,000	£126,216	SQUARE FOOD FOUNDATION	This grant will be used to re-start Square Food Foundation's School Food Project helping local families to create nutritious meals which is increasingly important in the face of Covid19.
02/06/2020	£20,000	£635,955	THE BEAM FOUNDATION	This grant will help Beam crowdfund immediate support for vulnerable, isolated young people in London. In the aftermath of Covid19, Beam will help young homeless people find secure, stable employment.
02/06/2020	£20,000	£540,217	GREENSPACE SCOTLAND	Greenspace Scotland will use this grant to work with youth groups in Dunfermline to develop and pilot a new project that focuses local actions to achieve net zero targets.
02/06/2020	£10,000	£78,302	ROWLAND'S (SELKIRK) SCIO	This grant will support Rowlands continue Radio Rowlands which was developed in response to Covid19 and aims to connect young people throughout the Scottish borders.
02/06/2020	£10,000	£125,982	DUNFERMLINE FOODBANK	This grant will support the distribution team with improved transport to ensure vulnerable groups can continue to receive food and vital supplies throughout Covid19.
27/04/2020	£319,699		1625IP	This grant will enable two further properties in Bristol to be renovated.
17/12/2019	£107,004	£3,367,385	ROUNDABOUT LIMITED	This grant supported the delivery of Future Builders for a second year in Sheffield. The grant covered the ongoing costs of Project Co-ordination, Project Management ad overhead costs of 3 refurbished properties in Sheffield.
17/12/2019	£26,131	£38,890,000	CENTREPOINT SOHO	This grant was used to support EYH with the further roll out of Future Builders, as well as monitoring, working groups and legacy
17/12/2019	£80,000		TALES TOOLKIT	This project helps disadvantaged preschool children – improving their chances of fulfilling their potential in school, and in later life too. This grant is used to promote play-based story telling to parents: developing language, literacy and socioemotional skills in early years
17/12/2019	£20,000		CLEAN UP BRISTOL HARBOUR	This grant was used to develop an educational side to the current activity of picking floating litter out of Bristol Harbour.
11/11/2019	£229,263	£6,165,975	THE BENJAMIN FOUNDATION	Future Builders helps break the cycle of homelessness by equipping young people with the training and skills they need to live and work independently. This grant supported the launch of the project in Norfolk and covers the refurbishment of two properties, project co-ordination, project management and overhead costs.
11/11/2019	£247,680	£1,970,897	THE ROCK TRUST	Future Builders helps break the cycle of homelessness by equipping young people with the training and skills they need to live and work independently. This grant supported the launch of the project in Perth, Scotland. This grant covers the refurbishment of nine 1 bed apartments, project co-ordination, project management and overhead costs.
25/10/2019	£80,000		PEN - TRAFFORD & LIVERPOOL	This project helps disadvantaged preschool children – improving their chances of fulfilling their potential in school, and in later life too. The grant for this project is used for project management, resources, trainers and school partnerships.
25/10/2019	£80,000	£413,314	DOORSTEP LIBRARY NETWORK	This project helps disadvantaged preschool children – improving their chances of fulfilling their potential in school, and in later life too. This project sends volunteers to homes of disadvantaged children to help them enjoy reading, read well and enjoy books, and also encourages parents to contribute to children's education.
19/09/2019	£6,400		BRISTOL CITY COUNCIL/BEP	This grant was used to inspire and support students from different schools to work together to propose projects and activities they can do in their schools and/or communities to raise awareness and address an aspect of the climate crisis agenda.
01/08/2019	£20,000	£279,852	ACTION FOR CONSERVATION	This grant was used to cover the staff, travel and venue hire and various material costs of AFC WildED programme including secondary school workshops and Conservation Camps.
01/08/2019	£20,000	£10,791,000	ASTHMA AND LUNG UK	This grant was used to support BLF's Clean Air for Children Monitoring project where air pollution data will be collected around areas where children frequent. The data will then be used to campaign.
01/08/2019	£20,000	£1,469,669	OFF THE RECORD (BRISTOL)	This grant was used to set up OTR Hubs and recruit, induct and train 50 young people as Peer Navigators. Run hubs to offer first line support for young people accessing support.
01/08/2019	£20,000	£74,428	SQUARE FOOD FOUNDATION	This grant was used to deliver cookery workshops for children, young people and families throughout the school holidays.

Show more rows

Cumulative Grants

Amount	Grantee
£483,476	TRANSITION BATH LIMITED
£376,616	EARTHWATCH
£359,825	1625IP
£357,329	THE BENJAMIN FOUNDATION
£348,850	STUDENTS ORGANISING FOR SUSTAINABILITY
£346,369	ASHDEN CLIMATE SOLUTIONS
£309,360	APPS FOR GOOD
£266,915	ROCK TRUST
£201,500	ACTION FOR CONSERVATION
£155,967	ROUNDABOUT
£115,025	ENERGY SPARKS
£80,000	TALES TOOLKIT
£80,000	PEN - TRAFFORD & LIVERPOOL
£80,000	DOORSTEP LIBRARY NETWORK
£45,000	SQUARE FOOD FOUNDATION
£41,054	END YOUTH HOMELESSNESS
£25,000	ECOACTIVE
£25,000	WOODLANDS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
£25,000	URBAN ROOTS
£25,000	THE CHILDREN'S WOOD
£25,000	SPITALFIELDS CITY FARM
£25,000	SIMY COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
£25,000	REDCATCH COMMUNITY GARDEN
£25,000	LAWRENCE WESTON COMMUNITY FARM
£25,000	HEART OF BS13
£25,000	HAMMERSMITH COMMUNITY GARDENS ASSOCIATION
£25,000	CULTIVATE LONDON
£20,000	THE MATTHEW TREE PROJECT
£20,000	THE BEAM FOUNDATION
£20,000	SQUARE FOOD FOUNDATION
£20,000	OFF THE RECORD (BRISTOL)
£20,000	GREENSPACE SCOTLAND
£20,000	CLEAN UP BRISTOL HARBOUR
£20,000	CARING IN BRISTOL
£20,000	ASTHMA AND LUNG UK
£10,000	ROWLAND'S (SELKIRK) SCIO
£10,000	DUNFERMLINE FOODBANK
£6,400	BRISTOL CITY COUNCIL/BEP