Education and Learning

Esmée Fairbairn's main focus in education and learning is to support practical solutions to help disadvantaged people.  Over the last four years we have made £13.9 million in grants towards education and learning and in 2011 such awards totalled £2.5 million. Our New Approaches to Learning Strand, now closed, contributed £4.5 million in grants. 

Our education and learning interests are:

• Our interest lies in the quality and intensity of support given, and in programmes that build social and cultural capital, enhance the skills, attitude and experiences of its users and not only raise aspirations and attainment, but also help people on to the pathway to achieving their goals.
• We are interested in organisations that engage with schools, the home and/or the community, and work in partnership to provide a sustained level of support which aims to impact on participants beyond the lifespan of the project.
• The Foundation is attracted to organisations (primarily NGOs) that offer direct programmes that aim to resolve learners' problems, whose work is underpinned by a distinct model of change. These organisations have a strong sense of the needs they are addressing and they can clearly demonstrate impact.

While the Foundation responds to the needs of the sector and so supports a wide range of work, it particularly focuses on projects developing unorthodox approaches, even if such approaches involve risks. This kind of work includes social inclusion programmes, arts education, curriculum-focussed projects and schemes for those with special educational needs.

Many of the organisations we fund have a long-term, sustainable vision for their programmes.  In addition to a positive impact on children, young people and adults, they can also demonstrate successful engagement with children's  families/carers and communities and other settings which influence them.

Please note that we no longer support research funding in education.

Please also see the Foundation's priorities.