A limited number of grants of up to £10,000 are available to aspiring social leaders across the UK for early-stage social enterprises with long-lasting, far-reaching projects with the potential to provide solutions to intractable social problems faced by disadvantaged and socially marginalised young people.
The Shackleton Foundation is a small grant-making charity whose mission is to support individuals of all ages, nationalities and backgrounds who exemplify the spirit of Sir Ernest Shackleton: inspirational leaders wishing to "make a difference", in particular to the less advantaged.
The Foundation supports social leaders whose projects benefit young people in challenging circumstances. It funds early-stage ‘social enterprises’, which the Foundation describes as “referring to the development of new models or approaches to social problems, with significant potential for breakthrough social impact”.
The Foundation invests in entrepreneurial ideas, inspirational projects and promising leaders with the will to make a difference by providing up to £10,000 of seed funding and support to enable aspiring leaders and social entrepreneurs to establish their own ventures. Projects should have a clear social purpose and diverse income streams: they should not be solely reliant on grants and donations.
The Foundation especially looks for long-lasting, far-reaching projects with the potential to provide solutions to intractable social problems faced by disadvantaged and socially marginalised young people and looks for projects that have the following:
- An idea/project in its early stages.
- An idea/project that makes a positive difference to the lives of disadvantaged young people, and
- Applications showing leadership, innovation, enterprise, inspiration, ambition, endurance and courage.
Ideas/Projects should:
- Be innovative and fresh
- Be in the first year of development
- Benefit young people predominantly based in the UK
- Fulfil a clear need and demand
- Have a real social impact
- Have the potential for real growth and sustainability
- Have well-defined outputs and goals.
Successful applicants will receive:
- A grant of up to £10,000 to start-up the idea or project
- Advice on maximising impact and building a sustainable business model
- Awareness building for the idea/project
- Introductions to potential second stage funders
- Membership of the Shackleton Leaders’ Forum
The Foundation reviews application every 3 months.
Further information, guidance and an online application form can be found on the Foundation’s website.