What The KPMG Foundation does

The KPMG Foundation is an independent grant-making charity established in 2000 and supported by KPMG in the UK. Registered as a charity in England & Wales (no. 1194474) and as a company limited by guarantee (no. 13083579), it operates from a registered office at 15 Canada Square, London E14 5GL, with governance provided by approximately ten trustees drawn from within the KPMG family and externally through open recruitment. Its stated purpose is to improve the life chances of vulnerable children and young people across England, Wales, and Scotland, with priority themes focused on care experienced children and young people (including those on the 'edge of care'), children under five including the first 1001 days, and occasional related issues where the Foundation can add value.

The Foundation delivers its impact through a portfolio of grant programmes structured by stage and intent: Start up Grants (testing new ideas or organisations), Step up Grants (building on independent evidence with potential to influence policy and practice), Step Together Grants (partnership and collaboration funding for systems-level impact), and Research Grants (action-focused initiatives designed to analyse data and influence systems). It maintains approximately fifteen partner organisations in its active portfolio at any one time, with a current live grants portfolio valued at £4.09 million and new grants awarded of £1,633,440 in 2023/24 and 2024/25 across the main programme. In its 25th anniversary year (2025), it launched the 25@25 special grants programme, awarding 25 grants of £25,000 each (£625,000 total) to charities often overlooked by mainstream funders. The Foundation measures and reports outcomes using the Common Outcomes framework (SAFE, HEALTHY, HAPPY, LEARNING, ENGAGED), publishes grants data openly through 360 Giving, and was rated 'A' overall in the 2023/24 Foundation Practice Rating.

The Foundation does not sell products or services and has no technology platform or proprietary software; its technology footprint is limited to its public website (kpmgfoundation.org.uk), downloadable publications, and standard data disclosures. Its funding model is philanthropic rather than commercial: it receives financial support from KPMG UK operations and redistributes those funds as grants through a proactive, non-application-based selection process. The Foundation actively seeks potential partners through research, networks, and collaboration, considers proposals at three annual trustee meetings, and supplements grant funding with non-financial assets such as convening power, amplifying partner achievements, and catalysing new ideas. Current leadership is provided by Interim Chief Executive Corrine Harms, and trustees include senior KPMG partners and external sector specialists spanning youth work, social care research, special educational needs policy, risk management, and carer advocacy.

Name

The KPMG Foundation

Legal name

KPMG Foundation

Website

https://kpmgfoundation.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The KPMG Foundation is an independent UK grant-making charity established in 2000 and supported by KPMG UK. It funds partner organisations working to improve outcomes for vulnerable children and young people in England, Wales, and Scotland through staged grant programmes and research initiatives.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Charitable Foundation and Grant-Making Services

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (8132)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Education Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Grantmaking & Philanthropic Funds (Institutional Donors) (BPADAOAB)

Keywords

• Grant-making charity
• Children's social impact
• Vulnerable children funding
• UK charitable foundation
• Social mobility grants

Headquarters

HQ city

City Of London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. KPMG UK Support: KPMG Foundation is an independent grant-making charity supported by KPMG in the UK. The Foundation receives its funding from KPMG UK operations.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

The KPMG Foundation is an independent grant-making charity that awards catalytic grants to UK non-profit organisations working to improve outcomes for vulnerable children and young people. It deploys funding through distinct programmes (Start up, Step up, Step Together, Research, and 25@25) prioritising care-experienced children, the early years (including the first 1001 days), and occasional related issues, with active support beyond money such as idea catalysation, amplification of partner achievements, and stakeholder connection.

Product overview

The KPMG Foundation is a grant-making charitable organization, not a technology product company. It does not offer software products or services. Its activities consist of awarding grants to partner charities through three funding models (Start up, Step up, Step Together, and Research) focused on vulnerable children and young people in the UK.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Start up Grants Early-stage grants for testing new ideas or supporting organisations with a strong track record of leadership or lived experience, vision, and potential to influence and/or scale, awarded within The KPMG Foundation's priority themes.
• Step up Grants Grants for projects supported by independent evidence that build transferable, sustainable and cost-effective approaches with high potential to influence policy and practice, awarded within The KPMG Foundation's priority themes.
• Step Together Grants Partnership and collaboration grants for organisations or consortia with systems-level ambition and the ability to convene key stakeholders for greater impact, awarded within The KPMG Foundation's priority themes.
• Research Grants Grants for action-focused research initiatives where findings can be put into practice, analysing data to take action and influence systems within The KPMG Foundation's priority themes.
• 25@25 Special Grants Programme A special milestone grants programme awarding 25 grants of £25,000 each (£625,000 total) in 2025 to support babies, children, young people and families in localities that are often overlooked across the UK, marking the Foundation's 25th anniversary.

Quantifiable outcome

• £4.09m total live grants portfolio supporting vulnerable children across England, Wales, and Scotland
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.

• 25@25 Grant PartnersmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Special grants programme marking 25th anniversary awarded 25 grants totalling £625,000 to charities representing work happening across the UK to support babies, children, young people and families in localities that are often overlooked. Includes Kids Matter, Skills Builder, Institute of Health Visiting, The Children's Foundation, Family Gateway, Blue Cabin, and many others.
• Now FostercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStartup grant recipient (£150,000) supporting care experienced children and young people. Focus on innovation in the care sector with strong leadership and vision.
• Family Rights GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStep up grant recipient (£225,000) providing evidence-based support for families. Works to help families stay safe and together where possible.
• Safe Families (Home for Good)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStep together grant recipient (£120,000) working in partnership for greater impact. Supports families experiencing crisis through volunteer befriending.
• Think EqualcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStartup grant recipient (£75,000) focusing on early years social and emotional learning. Innovation with potential to influence and scale.
• 50 Things to docoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStep up grant recipient (£300,000) focused on early years development. Evidence-based approach with high potential to influence policy and practice.
• Birth CompanionscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStep together grant recipient (£100,000) supporting mothers with mental health needs in the perinatal period. Collaborative approach with national significance.
• Education Policy Institute (EPI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch grant recipient (£51,190) investigating food poverty in early years. Influences national policy through data-driven research.
• The DifferencecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStep up grant recipient (£300,000) working with schools to improve outcomes for vulnerable children. Evidence-based intervention with national reach.
• Anna Freud CentremajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRecent or current grant partner providing mental health support for children and young people. Leading organisation in children and young people's mental health.
• Buttle UK (Chances for Children)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRecent or current grant partner supporting children and young people facing poverty and disadvantage. Focus on practical support and opportunities.
• KinshipmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRecent or current grant partner supporting kinship carers. Research partnership on experiences of kinship carers from Black and Asian communities.
• The Fostering NetworkmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRecent or current grant partner focused on foster care. Research on Foster Carer Retention and Recruitment implemented nationwide through Toolkit.
• Lucy Faithfull FoundationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRecent or current grant partner working to prevent child sexual abuse. Research on supporting effective leadership responses to harmful sexual behaviour in schools.
• Skills BuildermajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRecent or current grant partner focused on essential skills development for young people. Partnership supporting skill building across the UK.
• Happy Baby CommunityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGrant recipient (£45,250) supporting families in early years with practical and emotional support.
• 360 GivingminorOthersPublishes information about grants in open and accessible format through 360 Giving Data Standard, helping those seeking grants use resources efficiently and helping other funders make better decisions.
• Common OutcomesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative effort to improve outcomes for all babies, children and young people. KPMG Foundation supports and uses the Common Outcomes framework describing change under headings: SAFE, HEALTHY, HAPPY, LEARNING and ENGAGED.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Buttle UK: UK grantmaking charity supporting children and young people facing poverty and disadvantage; explicitly listed as a KPMG Foundation grant partner and direct mission peer.
• BBC Children in Need: UK children's grantmaking charity funding projects for disadvantaged children and young people; most direct comparison in mission and geographic scope to KPMG Foundation.
• The Henry Smith Charity: UK grantmaking charity funding charities working with disadvantaged people; comparable in grantmaking model and focus on disadvantage, though thematic scope is broader than children.
• Lloyds Bank Foundation: UK corporate-affiliated grantmaking foundation funding small charities supporting vulnerable people; directly comparable as a corporate-bank-affiliated UK grantmaker with a similar proactive relationship model.
• The Robertson Trust: Scotland-based grantmaking charity supporting charities and communities; comparable in grantmaking approach, with overlapping UK geographic scope focused on tackling inequality.
• The Tudor Trust: UK grantmaking foundation supporting small charities and community groups across the UK; comparable as a similarly sized UK grantmaker using a relationship-led, non-application model.
• The Children's Foundation: UK charity focused on improving children's health, wellbeing and life chances through grantmaking and partnership; directly comparable in children-focused UK grantmaking.

Broad incumbents

• The Paul Hamlyn Foundation: Major UK grantmaking foundation with a Children & Young People portfolio; comparable in focus on vulnerable children but operates at substantially larger scale and broader thematic remit.
• National Lottery Community Fund: UK's largest community grantmaker funding projects that improve lives; comparable as a UK grantmaker with significant children/youth funding but vastly larger scale and an open-application model.
• Esmée Fairbairn Foundation: Large UK grantmaking foundation funding social change, the arts and the natural environment; comparable in grantmaking approach but operates at materially larger scale and broader thematic scope.

Market position

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The KPMG Foundation