Unlocking change
Effervescent
We aim to improve our natural world, secure a fairer future and strengthen the bonds in communities in the UK
We do this by contributing all that we can to unlock change by people and organisations with brilliant ideas who share our goals.
You can explore our impact goals and priorities for the first five years for each aim below.
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Our Natural World
We want to ensure that our natural world is restored and protected and that people benefit from that recovery. Through our work, we want to make a significant difference on climate change.
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A Fairer Future
We want to contribute to a just and anti-racist society, where those who need it most have their rights protected, the opportunity to speak and be heard, and the freedom to express their creativity.
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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.
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Using all our tools
Working in collaboration with others, we use all our tools to achieve our goals. So, in addition to funding brilliant organisations through grants and social investment, we are taking a more active role ourselves: brokering alliances, using our influence and removing barriers.
Our support
In partnership
Using our experience and expertise, we work in partnership with other funders and organisations to co-design solutions and influence larger initiatives so that we can effect broader change. This includes exploring new approaches to funding to increase our reach and share learning. Examples include our funding partnerships such as the Act for Change Fund, Local Motion and Arts and Culture Impact Fund.
Funding partnershipsLearn more about our work
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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.
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Insights and learning
We share insights from our work along with research and evaluation we've commissioned, and key publications from work we fund.
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You might be interested in
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20 February 2025Funder Commitment on Climate Change: 2024
As a signatory, we recognise that the growing climate emergency is a serious risk to the pursuit of our charitable aims and have made six key commitments. This page gives an overview of actions we’ve taken towards the commitments during 2024.
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The RACE Report 2024: Esmée’s progress
The third annual RACE (Racial Action for the Climate Emergency) Report shares findings on the diversity of environment organisations and funders including Esmée Fairbairn Foundation. We share our initial reflections and plans to improve diversity, equity, and inclusion in the environment sector.
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Overview of grant funding 2024
Find an overview of the grants we made in 2024, broken down by type of support, amount awarded, and by aim and funding priority. We also share success rates for applications in 2024.
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Pre-application Q&A Webinar: 3 February 2025
Watch a pre-application Q&A webinar we held on 3 February 2025 for organisations interested in applying to Esmée for support who have questions about our application process or guidance.
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