We aim to improve our natural world, secure a fairer future and strengthen the bonds in communities in the UK.
Turner Contemporary

Our Natural World
We want to ensure that our natural world is restored and protected and that people benefit from that recovery. Working with others, we will contribute to three key impact goals: preserved and improved species health and habitats, clean and healthy freshwater, and sustainable and ethical food.
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A Fairer Future
We want to contribute to a just and anti-racist society, where those most likely to have their rights denied have those rights protected, as well as the opportunity to speak and be heard, and the freedom to express their creativity. We want to shine new light on areas of need and challenge the cultures, systems and behaviours that stand in the way of change.
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Creative, Confident Communities
We want to strengthen the bonds in communities, helping local people to build vibrant, confident places where they can fulfil their creative, human and economic potential. Places where the local economy works better for the people who live there, where there is equality of access to arts and culture, and where communities are at the heart of change.
Find out moreOur impact
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£825.5m
Total grants made since 1961
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£53.5m
Grant funding spend in 2020
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£45m
Allocation to social investment
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65%
Grants for core or unrestricted costs
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About Esmée
Learn about our people, our governance and history as well as our approach to investment and see our annual reports.
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Our aims
Learn more about our impact goals and priorities for the next five years. We also share insights and learning as well as information about what we fund.
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Our support
Working in collaboration with others, we use all our tools to achieve our shared goals and to effect broader change. Learn more about our range of tools and support.
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Open and trusting grant-making
Learn about our commitments to open and trusting grant-making, which is part of a campaign launched by the Institute for Voluntary Action Research (IVAR).
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Involving young people
We want to do better at listening to and involving young people more directly with our work so we're working with the Involving Young People Collective to help us design and test ways in which we can do this.
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You might be interested in
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11 May 2022
Our Annual Report and Accounts for 2021
Read our 2021 Annual Report, which gives an overview of our operations, funding and investments during 2021.
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Working towards a more diverse, inclusive and equitable environment sector
We know that we cannot address the climate and nature crises without also addressing injustice and inequity in the environment sector. In a new blog, we share what we’ve been doing to support a more diverse, inclusive and equitable environment sector.
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Our strategy for A Fairer Future – an update
Our A Fairer Future funding will now be closed to new applications until the autumn of 2022. We remain open to applications in Our Natural World and Creative, Confident Communities.
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Championing peat and restoring peatland at scale
Jenny Dadd, Funding Manager and Our Natural World Lead shares what we’ve been doing – working alongside our amazing partners – to champion peat as a climate superpower and restore peatland at scale.
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