About us

Columba 1400

Founded in 1961, Esmée Fairbairn Foundation is one of the UK’s largest independent funders.

In 2024, we provided £48.8m in funding towards a wide range of work in support of our aims: to improve Our Natural World, secure A Fairer Future and nurture Creative, Confident Communities. We also have a £60m allocation to social investments and a £10m allocation to impact investments. Our money comes from our investments.

Learn more about our strategy

Celebrating 60 years of Esmée

In 2021, Esmée Fairbairn Foundation turned 60. We wanted to take some time to reflect over the last 60 years, and to celebrate the breadth of our work and all that we have achieved working with so many brilliant people and partners.

  • The FiELD, East London Dance

    Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

    Our commitments on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion as an organisation and through our work.

    Read more
  • climate-road-landscape-people-2990647.jpg

    Climate Change

    Read about our commitment to addressing the causes and impacts of climate change.

    Read more
  • Zoielogic Dance Theatre

    Our funding data

    We publish all our grants and social investments on 360Giving, an initiative that aims to help UK funders share their data in an open and standard format online.

    Read more
  • Glencoe rainbow

    Our investments

    Our investments ensure that we can keep working to improve our natural world, secure a fairer future and strengthen the bonds in communities in the UK for decades to come.

    Read more
  • West London Zone

    Strategy

    Information about our strategic plan including our impact goals and the outcomes we hope to achieve by 2030. We also outline how we will work in support of our mission.

    Read more
  • The Deep Hessle Foreshore Beach Clean

    Governance

    Esmée is governed by a Board of Trustees who meet six times each year to set and oversee the delivery of the Foundation’s strategy. We also have a number of Trustee committees, which support our work throughout the year.

    Read more
  • IVAR-flexible funder pledge (7).png

    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).

    Read more
  • Creative Academies-HG31-ODrisscollCollective5AnthonyShintai.jpeg

    Working for Esmée

    Our vision is for Esmée to have a diverse team of staff and Trustees – with the skills, knowledge, experience, networks and insights required to deliver our strategic plan.

    Read more
  • White flowers in a grassy field

    HR policies

    Information on HR policies for people working at Esmée. As well as providing guidance on employment issues including the range of benefits available to staff, they ensure that we adhere to the law with consistency and consideration.

    Read more
Latest

You might be interested in

  • BGHUK-GreenandAway-Photobylaurelle-97
    24 September 2025

    Pre-application Q&A Webinar: 17 September 2025

    Watch a pre-application Q&A webinar we held on 17 September 2025 for organisations interested in applying to Esmée for support who have questions about our application process or guidance.

    Read more
  • Voice of Domestic Workers-VODW members taking part of the One Billion Rising global movement campaign 'Rise for Freedom'

    Gender Justice Portfolio Review 2025: Invitation to tender

    We are looking to work with an external consultant to carry out a short review of our Gender Justice portfolio, to inform the future delivery of our strategy.

    Read more
  • Image and Text block

    Business action on nature in the UK: Webinar on 8 October

    We're pleased to share a new report by Will McDonald for Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, which explores how business in the UK is taking action on nature and the drivers behind it. Join us for a webinar to discuss the findings and what's needed to make progress.

    Read more
  • CIFC Blog

    Funding women’s access to justice

    A new report from the Corston Independent Funders’ Coalition aims to map their collective funding towards women’s access to justice.

    Read more