Shackleton Foundation

Overview

The Shackleton Foundation provides seed funding and support, by means of a single grant or loan of £15,000 to early-stage social ventures with a primary focus on benefiting young people in the UK 

Founded in 2007 by descendants of Sir Ernest Shackleton’s Antarctic expeditions in the early part of the 20th century, the Shackleton Foundation seeks to help disadvantaged and socially marginalised young people. 

Funding is to support leaders with innovative social ideas aimed at generating positive social change for disadvantaged and socially marginalised young people. Trustees have a preference for Leaders to be running charities, social enterprises or not-for-profit organisations. 

The projects should be long-lasting and far-reaching with a clear social purpose and not solely reliant on grants and donations. 

They look for individuals, often with lived experience, who display courage, resilience and leadership who have a big bold idea to help young people in the UK. 

Eligible ideas must:

• Be innovative and fresh
• Fulfil a clear need and demand
• Be in the first year of development
• Have a real social impact
• Have well-defined outputs and goals
• Have the potential for real growth and sustainability
• The beneficiaries of the work must be young people predominantly based in the UK

What is Seed-Funding?

They provide up to £15,000 of seed funding and support.

If your project or organisation is within the first 12 months of development they can provide a grant or loan of £15,000 to help you get your concept off the ground. Projects should have a clear social purpose benefiting young people in the UK with a sustainable business model. Their model is a unique way of transforming the lives of some of the UK’s most disadvantaged young people by supporting these bold, inspiring, and effective ideas, and helping to make them a reality.

They support leaders with high risk, but high potential.

True to the spirit of Shackleton himself, they take calculated risks in supporting social entrepreneurs who are often considered too risky or early stage. These are projects that may struggle to gain funding from traditional sources so our funding comes at a crucial time. If you’re passionate about generating positive social change for disadvantaged young people and have an idea for how to do it, then they can provide funding and practical support to make it happen.

Their Leadership Programme

Successful applicants can expect to receive assistance with the practical aspects of starting up a social venture.

These include:

• Seed-funding
• Mentoring by existing Leaders
• Access to quarterly advice surgeries and an annual Leader's Forum
• Awareness building for your venture
• Introductions to potential second stage funders

Guidelines on Grant or Loan 

The Shackleton Foundation will issue a £15,000 grant Award to social enterprises whose legal structure falls into categories A, B, C, D or E below. 

The Shackleton Foundation will issue a £15,000 loan Award to social enterprises whose legal structure falls into categories F, G, H or I below. 

The loan facility would be interest-free with no fixed term. The main condition is that when your organisation becomes profitable, it would repay the loan before distributing to shareholders. Information on the terms of the loan will be available to successful applicants. 

Legal Structures. 

• A. Unincorporated Registered Charity 
• B. Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) 
• C. Company Limited by Guarantee with Charitable Status 
• D. Community Interest Company Limited by Shares (CIC-CLS) 
• E. Community Interest Company Limited by Guarantee (CIC-CLG) 
• F. Company Limited by Shares (CLS) 
• G. Company Limited by Guarantee (CLG) 
• H. Sole Trader/Partnership 
• I. Other