Meet our trustees
Elspeth Jones
Elspeth Jones
Elspeth is a non-profit leader and advisor (and former barrister) with over 15 years’ experience across the commercial, environmental and charity sectors. She is passionate about unlocking positive, systemic change for a healthy planet and thriving, inclusive society.
Most recently, Elspeth has been Deputy Chief Executive at the environmental law NGO, ClientEarth, leading an organisation of over 300 people across 8 offices globally, using the power of the law to drive systemic change. Elspeth has also been the Executive Director of the Cardiff-based climate change and sustainable development charity Size of Wales, and a trustee and Vice-Chair of the Board of Trustees for the Sumatran Orangutan Society, an Oxfordshire based charity dedicated to the conservation of orangutans and their forest habitat in Sumatra. Before moving into the not-for-profit sector, Elspeth practiced as a commercial barrister in London where her areas of expertise included commercial contracts, shipping, construction and insurance. Elspeth has also spent time working in law firms in Ghana, Hong Kong and Shanghai.
Elspeth was born and grew up Wales and is a Welsh speaker. She now lives in Wales with her family, where she enjoys going on adventures and exploring the outdoors.
She joined the Foundation in 2023.
You might be interested in
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17 December 2024New Connections funding: behind the scenes and reflections so far
Chebet Kuntai, Esmée’s Climate and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Co-ordinator, writes about the development of New Connections along with how we identified and reached out to organisations to support.
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New Connections: timeline and overview to date
See an infographic with a timeline for Esmée Fairbairn Foundation's New Connections programme, alongside an overview of the organisations funded.
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A thematic approach to impact investing
With the launch of Esmée Fairbairn Foundation’s first deep dive into thematic impact investing, our Head of Social and Impact Investment, Jonny Page outlines our thematic approach to impact investing.
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Sustainable food and agriculture: Investment deep dive
We're excited to share our first deep dive into thematic impact investing, which focuses on sustainable food and agriculture.
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Esmée staff and Trustee diversity data 2024
Analysis from the annual survey of Esmée Trustees and staff to help us track progress on diversity, equity and inclusion within the organisation.
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Freshwater mid-strategy review: Invitation to tender
We are looking to work with an external consultant from to carry out a short review to inform how we deliver our strategy for Freshwater.
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Pre-application Q&A Creative, Confident Communities: 14 November 2024
Watch our pre-application Q&A webinar for organisations interested in our support for Creative, Confident Communities, and hear the team talk through our updated guidance.
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Creative, Confident Communities: Update to our grant funding guidance
We have updated our grant funding guidance for support towards our funding priorities in Creative, Confident Communities.
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New Connections: 20 organisations awarded a total of £1.4m
At the end of last year, we announced New Connections, a new ringfenced fund for finding and supporting organisations who could not, or would not, usually apply to Esmée. We’re pleased now to share more about the organisations who have been awarded funding.
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Invitation to Tender: Learning Partner for Youth-Led Creativity programme
Esmée Fairbairn Foundation is looking to appoint a Learning Partner to co-design a Learning Programme for our Youth-Led Creativity programme.
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Youth-Led Creativity: 10 organisations awarded funding
We're excited to announce the 10 organisations awarded Youth-Led Creativity funding, totalling £1.1m. Organisations will also be supported through a Learning Programme, which will run alongside the funding, and will be co-designed with them and Esmée's Involving Young People Collective.
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Pre-application Q&A webinar: 23 September 2024
Watch a pre-application Q&A webinar we held on 23 September 2024 for organisations interested in applying to Esmée for support who have questions about our application process or guidance.
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Invitation to Tender: Review of diversity, equity and inclusion support received through Funding Plus
We are looking for a researcher to review the diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) support received through Funding Plus.
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Place Matters to research Esmée's place-led funding
Esmée Fairbairn Foundation has commissioned Place Matters to research the impact of our place-led funding pilots: Every One, Every Day in Barking and Dagenham (Participatory City Foundation), Plymouth Octopus Project in Plymouth, and Sandwell Council of Voluntary Organisations in Sandwell.
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Blue Spaces programme: highlights and learning so far
Esmée’s Freshwater Partnerships Development Manager, Jenny Wheeldon, shares an update on our Blue Spaces programme. Launched in early 2023, learn more about the brilliant organisations and activities being supported through the programme, along with highlights from what we have learnt so far.
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Designing a Senior Leadership Development programme for People of Colour in the Environment sector
Invitation to Tender: We're looking to work with a consultant to support the co-design of a senior leadership programme for people of colour in the environment sector.
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Our support and solidarity
To all the organisations and people we fund, we want to offer further support, encouragement, and flexibility at this time of racist violence and threat from the far right.
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Youth-Led Creativity funding: update
An update on our Youth-Led Creativity funding, which launched earlier this year. In it, we share more about the design of the fund, our approach to assessing applications and what’s next.
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Working towards A Fairer Future: reflections so far
Catherine Hillis, Director of A Fairer Future at Esmée, shares her reflections on her first year leading the team to deliver the first full year of our new A Fairer Future strategy and how the wider context is shaping our work.
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Annual Report and Accounts 2023
Our 2023 Annual Report and Accounts gives an overview of our funding, investments and operations during the year.
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Research to analyse DEI Data Standard's impact on UK funding
We are pleased to announce that the National Voluntary Community and Social Enterprise Data and Insights Observatory, in partnership with The Social Investment Consultancy, has been commissioned to analyse the impact of the DEI Data Standard on the UK funding landscape.
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LocalMotion secures £18m funding until 2031
LocalMotion's original funders, including Esmée, are continuing their involvement in the social justice network, ensuring six places in England and Wales can realise their long-term plans for change.
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Making partnerships work
Read our new Insights report, which shares learning and advice from organisations we fund on what makes good partnerships, and how to make them work.
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What do people think about Esmée Fairbairn Foundation 2024
Read the findings of a 2024 survey of successful and unsuccessful applicants about their experience of Esmée. Gina Crane, Esmée's Director of Communications and Learning shares her reflections on the findings.
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Corston Independent Funders’ Coalition shares new objectives
The Corston Independent Funders’ Coalition (CIFC) is a group of independent funders working together to enable women’s access to justice by supporting women-centred, holistic and trauma-responsive approaches.
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Using social investment to secure a fairer future
Tom Colborne, Esmée’s Social Investment Portfolio Manager, writes about our social investment plans to support in a fairer future. This is part of a series of blogs on how our social investment strategy will contribute to Esmée’s mission.
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Esmée and the Involving Young People Collective, Year 3
To help us reflect on how Esmée and the Involving Young People Collective are working together, staff and young consultants complete an annual satisfaction survey, based on the 10 values for co-production with young people.
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Pre-application Q&A webinar: 13 May 2024
Watch a pre-application Q&A webinar we held on 13 May for organisations interested in applying to Esmée for support who have questions about our application process and guidance.
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Increasing Funding Plus support for wellbeing
We are committed to targeting more Funding Plus support towards preventing burnout and improving wellbeing for the people we fund.
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Esmée’s allocation to social investment increased to £60m
We are delighted to announce that Esmée Fairbairn Foundation is increasing our allocation to social investment to £60m.
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