The Apax Foundation is a grant-giving body that focuses its grant-making in two principal areas:
- A programme of large grants to social mobility (including education) and social entrepreneurship causes, and
- A matching programme in support of causes donated to personally by members of the Apax team.
The Foundation also has an emergency response programme to enable it to react to disasters.
During 2024/25, the Foundation carried out a strategic review of its activities. Its revised mission is to empower Apax Partners employees to drive meaningful, measurable social change by supporting innovative charities and social entrepreneurs and building long-term partnerships that drive social impact, social mobility and employee engagement. It aims to do this through collaborative partnerships across the following 4 pillars:
- Education: access to quality education and employment pathways
- Employment: skills development and career readiness for underserved communities
- Poverty relief: poverty alleviation strategies with direct impact, and
- Healthcare: greater equity and access for underserved groups.
Grants fall into one of two funding streams:
- The ‘Explore’ Fund for entry level grants of one-year, typically up to £50,000, to allow the Foundation to test new partnerships, learn about innovative charities, and explore alignment with it priorities (pillars), or
- The ‘Elevate’ Fund for larger, longer-term grants for charities where the Foundation sees strong alignment and the potential for deeper, more strategic collaboration.
The Foundation’s trustees meet regularly to review the charity’s donations and grants.
Further information about the Foundation can be found on the Apax website and on the Charity Commission website.