About the Liontrust Foundation
Launched in 2024, the purpose of the Liontrust Foundation is to use the power of entrepreneurship and innovation to drive social mobility and the recovery of nature, with a key focus on promoting diversity, equity and inclusion.
Through a rigorous selection process, we work with typically smaller organisations that share our vision.
Alongside targeted funding, we also offer specialist support, employee volunteering and additional fundraising to help ensure we offer high-impact partnerships to the organisations we work alongside.
“The Liontrust Foundation was set up to promote social mobility and preserve and recover nature in ways that are not available through public markets. The Foundation is committed to empowering young entrepreneurs and promoting DEI in particular through these two objectives.”
To find out more about Liontrust’s Chief Executive Officer John Ions, please click here.
Social Mobility and Entrepreneurship
The Foundation will fund organisations that help establish and develop sustainable micro businesses and supports social entrepreneurs based in the UK. These businesses provide employment and income, which in turn will drive social mobility.
The Foundation provides seed funding, business education and advice through making grants to and working in close partnership with typically smaller, agile charities in the UK that share our vision. The Foundation is focused on supporting technology-led or tech-enabled projects with the scale and scope to maximise social change. The Foundation is committed to supporting access and inclusion for marginalised communities, ensuring under-represented groups have a voice and are heard.
Conservation and Nature Recovery
The Foundation partners with organisations to help increase the recovery and conservation of nature – with the further ambition of increasing inclusion in conservation and investing in entrepreneurship as a means of social change.
The Foundation will typically fund smaller NGOs that work on projects in the UK and potentially elsewhere in the world. The Foundation seeks to support approaches to nature recovery and tackling the extinction crisis by engaging communities in the decision-making process and increase opportunities for marginalised groups; has a clear focus on overlooked areas of greatest need and new approaches to nature recovery and habitat restoration; and initiatives that support a greater awareness of the values of nature to society or are integrating nature into areas of business or local decision-making.
“The Foundation seeks partnerships that many others might overlook and through which it is possible to maximise impact. The Trustees are prepared to be bold, seeking innovative approaches through early stage investments, and ensuring communities and individuals whose voice can be unheard.”
Governance
The Liontrust Foundation is governed by a Board of Trustees that represent the business and include experts in the specific areas the Foundation is focused on.
Chief Marketing Officer, Liontrust Plc
CEO of SEO London
Director of Conservation and Policy, Zoological Society of London (ZSL)
Non-Executive Director, Liontrust Plc
Responsible Capitalism Manager, Liontrust Plc
Investment Analyst, Liontrust Plc
Presentations and DTP Manager, Liontrust Plc
Contact
The Liontrust Foundation takes a largely active approach to grant-making and will publish specific funding opportunities. Given limited resources, we remain focused on our target areas and are unable to fund more broadly.
To contact the Foundation please email: foundation@liontrust.co.uk.
The Liontrust Foundation is a UK registered charity (no: 1205713). The Foundation receives its funding in the form of an annual donation from Liontrust Asset Management Plc.
