The Leathersellers Company

What The Leathersellers Company does

The Leathersellers' Company is a 600-year-old Livery Company of the City of London (legal entity: The Leathersellers' Company; charitable arm: The Leathersellers' Foundation, registered charity 278072) that operates as an endowed grant-making foundation rather than a commercial enterprise. It serves three beneficiary groups via three grant pillars: Charity (unrestricted multi-year grants to prevent and tackle Adverse Childhood Experiences and support small local charities); Education (undergraduate student grants of up to £5,000 per annum for up to five years — averaging around £4,100 — alongside Sixth Form scholarships at Colfe's School and governance/funding support for the Leathersellers' Federation of Schools, a six-school grouping in Lewisham serving approximately 3,000 pupils); and Leather (programmes supporting UK leather makers, leather education partnerships with institutions such as De Montfort University, and leather conservation). Historical anchor relationships include Colfe's School (governance link since 1658, sole corporate member since 2004), St Catherine's College Oxford and Fitzwilliam College Cambridge (both since 1894), and Cockpit Arts (since 2012).

The foundation's core "products" are its grant programmes rather than technology platforms; the relevant operational stack is governance-driven (Court of Assistants and Master as senior officer), with grant distribution executed via direct institutional partnerships and an online application portal. Marketing and beneficiary reach rely on a website, newsletter, LinkedIn/Instagram/Threads social presence, the Leathersellers' Review magazine, open data publication via 360 Giving, and word-of-mouth through an alumni network.

The revenue model is endowment-funded and non-commercial: the foundation distributes grants from historical assets and endowment returns rather than selling products or services. Customer segments are beneficiary organisations and individuals (charities, schools, colleges, students, leather makers). Pricing is grant-shaped rather than commercial — a £5,000/year student grant cap is the most concrete published threshold. Over Aug 2020 – July 2025, total grants distributed across the Company, Foundation and Minor trusts were £10,839,725 (Charity £5,182,909, Education £1,479,453, Leather £4,177,363). Geographic scope is UK-only with a South East London concentration.

Name

The Leathersellers Company

Legal name

The Leathersellers' Company

Website

https://leathersellers.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The Leathersellers' Company is a 600-year-old City of London Livery Company and endowed charitable foundation distributing unrestricted multi-year grants across three pillars: ACEs-focused charities, education (student scholarships and a six-school federation serving 3,000 pupils), and the UK leather trade — disbursing £10.84m over 2020–2025.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Charitable Foundation and Grant-Making

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (8132), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Research Grants, Fellowships & Stipends (International) (EDAIAOAJ)

Keywords

• Charitable grant making
• Education grants
• Leather industry support
• Philanthropy funding
• Adverse childhood experiences

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Charitable Grant Distribution: The Leathersellers Foundation distributes unrestricted multi-year grants to prevent and tackle adverse childhood experiences, support small charities, foster educational opportunity, and support the UK leather trade. Revenue comes from the organization's endowment and historical assets as a Livery Company.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Leathersellers Company operates as a charitable Livery Company of the City of London that distributes grants across three main areas: (1) Charity grants to prevent and tackle adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and support small local charities, (2) Education grants including undergraduate student grants (up to £5,000/year for up to five years), Colfe's School Sixth Form scholarships, and support for the Leathersellers' Federation of Schools serving 3,000 pupils, and (3) Leather industry grants supporting UK leather producers, makers, education partnerships, and conservation. The organization is funded by its historical endowment and assets and operates as a registered charity (number 278072).

Product overview

The Leathersellers' Company and Foundation operates as a charitable organization rather than a technology product company. Its core offering is a portfolio of grant programmes focused on three areas: (1) Charity - providing unrestricted multi-year grants to tackle Adverse Childhood Experiences and support small charities; (2) Education - offering Undergraduate Student Grants (up to £5,000/year for 5 years), Colfe's School Sixth Form Scholarships, and support for the Leathersellers' Federation of Schools serving 3,000 pupils; and (3) Leather Industry Support - funding programmes for leather makers, education partnerships, and conservation. Total grants distributed over Aug 2020 - July 2025: £10,839,725.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Leathersellers' Foundation: The charitable foundation arm of The Leathersellers' Company, distributing grants for education, charity, and leather industry support.
• Leathersellers' Federation of Schools

Products and services

• Leathersellers' Undergraduate Student Grants Programme A flagship grants programme supporting undergraduate students who are care-experienced and/or students of Leathersellers' Federation of Schools or Colfe's School. Maximum grant of £5,000 per annum for up to five years, with average awards around £4,100. In 2025-2026, 360 students were supported across 56 universities and 81% of new awards went to care-experienced students.
• Colfe's School Sixth Form Scholarships Fully funded Sixth Form scholarships for pupils from neighbouring boroughs who would otherwise not have access to opportunities at Colfe's School. Supported 15 students in 2023-2024 across both years of Sixth Form, with £2.6 million provided since 2010 and a further £883,000 committed.
• Leathersellers' Federation of Schools Support Educational support for 3,000 pupils across six schools (Prendergast School, Prendergast Ladywell School, Prendergast Primary School, Prendergast Vale School, Prendergast Vale Primary School, and Prendergast Sixth Form) in Lewisham through governance appointments and grant funding of £1.3m since 2018.
• Charity Grants (ACEs and Small Grants programmes) Unrestricted multi-year grants to prevent and tackle the consequences of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and to support small charities to meet local need. Distributed £5,182,909 in charity grants over Aug 2020 – July 2025, including main grants, small grants, and responsive giving.
• Leather Industry Support Programme Programmes supporting those working to produce and create with leather as a versatile and sustainable material for the future. Includes support for makers (e.g., Cockpit Arts partnership since 2012 with 25+ individuals benefited), education partnerships (e.g., De Montfort University leather design awards, summer school, and equipment), and leather conservation and heritage.
• Higher Education Partnerships (Oxford, Cambridge, RCN Foundation) Long-term partnerships with St Catherine's College Oxford and Fitzwilliam College Cambridge providing postgraduate studentships for disadvantaged students and outreach programme funding, plus match-funded bursaries with the RCN Foundation for registered nurses, midwives, nursing support workers, and nursing students.

Quantifiable outcome

• 81% of care-experienced young people go to university vs 15% nationally - Leathersellers has 81% of new awards going to care-experienced students
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Cockpit ArtscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012Partnership since 2012 supporting makers working with leather. Over 25 individuals have benefited through studio cost subsidies and business incubation services. Leathersellers' Award provides studio subsidy and engagement with Leather Hub manager.
• Colfe's SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1658Leathersellers have been sole corporate member since school incorporation in 2004. Company nominates governors and provides Sixth Form scholarships. Since 2010, £2.6 million given for scholarships with further £883,000 committed. Historical link since 1658 when Abraham Colfe bequeathed school governance.
• 360 GivingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Leathersellers publishes open grants data through 360 Giving, demonstrating commitment to transparency and enabling comparison with other funders.
• IVAR (Institute for Voluntary Action Research)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRecognized by IVAR as an 'Open & Trusting' flexible funder, demonstrating leadership in trust-based philanthropy.
• Living Wage FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAccredited as a Living Wage Employer, demonstrating commitment to fair pay for all employees.
• UK Armed Forces CovenantminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSigned the Armed Forces Covenant, committing to support serving and former Armed Forces personnel and their families.
• St Catherine's College, OxfordcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupported since 1894 with postgraduate studentships for disadvantaged students and funding for outreach officer and Catalyst programme. One of longest-standing educational partnerships.
• Fitzwilliam College, CambridgecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupported since 1894 with postgraduate studentships and outreach programme funding. Partnership began with Fitzwilliam House.
• RCN FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMatch-funded bursaries for registered nurses, midwives, nursing support workers and nursing students across healthcare specialties.
• Leathersellers' Federation of SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCompany appoints members and trustees to governance positions. £1.3 million provided since 2018 plus £300,000 unrestricted funding over four years (£25,000 per school annually). Schools include Prendergast School, Prendergast Ladywell School, Prendergast Primary School, Prendergast Vale School, Prendergast Vale Primary School, and Prendergast Sixth Form.
• De Montfort UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMulti-purpose grant supporting leather-related Design Awards, summer school for leatherworking skills, connections to leather industry, and equipment. Also supported 'Artifacts Live: A Legacy in Leather' exhibition.
• VisyonminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMental health charity for young people in Cheshire East receiving £15,000/year for four years plus £15,000 additional for cost-of-living crisis to support children affected by Adverse Childhood Experiences.
• Jack Petchey FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNew partnership contributing £15,000 over three years to support young people under 25 who are care-experienced or studying healthcare degrees. Five students in 2024-2025 are joint scholarship awardees.
• Place2BeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerChildren's mental health charity providing counselling services at Leathersellers' Federation of Schools. Funded through unrestricted grants to support pupil mental health and wellbeing.
• Future FrontiersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProgramme pairing Year 10 students with employees at City companies for career guidance. Targeted at Pupil Premium students or those needing extra boost.
• The Brilliant ClubminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCharity supporting less advantaged students to access competitive universities. Postgraduate students from Oxford, UCL, and Warwick work with Federation students.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• The Skinners' Company: Livery Company with a comparable City of London membership model and a substantial charitable programme focused on education, apprenticeships, and community welfare, operating both grant-funded and school-owned activities.
• The Clothworkers' Company: Livery Company with Livery heritage tied to a UK craft trade, supporting related industry alongside a broad charitable programme in education and welfare, mirroring Leathersellers' leather-trade support alongside its main charitable pillars.
• The Haberdashers' Company: Historic Livery Company running a substantial grant programme and direct ownership of multiple schools (Haberdashers' Academies federation). Provides direct comparability with Leathersellers' combination of charitable grants and school governance/ownership model.
• The Mercers' Company: Another major City of London Livery Company with a parallel historical mission, distributing multi-million pound grants across education, welfare, and almshouse activities. Highly comparable governance structure and multi-pillar charitable grantmaking model with similarly longstanding Oxford/Cambridge ties.
• The Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths: City of London Livery Company operating a charitable trust with similar heritage, multi-pillar grantmaking, and stewardship of trade-related educational initiatives comparable to Leathersellers' support of craft and leather skills.
• The Drapers' Company: Major Livery Company operating both a charitable foundation and direct ownership/control of educational institutions (including schools). Shared structure of guild heritage, multi-year unrestricted grantmaking, and direct school governance makes The Drapers' the closest structural peer.

Broad incumbents

• Garfield Weston Foundation: One of the UK's largest and most established family foundations distributing significant sums annually across education, communities, and heritage. Offers a useful scale and sector comparable for assessing Leathersellers' grantmaking reach.
• Leverhulme Trust: UK-wide grantmaking trust focused heavily on UK higher education and research, including studentships and fellowships at major universities. Most directly comparable to Leathersellers' postgraduate studentship programmes at Oxford and Cambridge.
• Esmée Fairbairn Foundation: Major UK grantmaking foundation known for long-term, unrestricted, trust-based grantmaking — the same model Leathersellers is recognised for by IVAR. Comparable strategic approach even if structured as a modern foundation rather than a Livery Company.

Regional players

• City Bridge Foundation: The City of London Corporation's charitable arm, distributing grants across London with explicit social mobility/education focus. Strongly comparable thematic and geographic footprint for partnerships and benchmarking within the London charitable ecosystem.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/leathersellers
• Instagraminstagram.com/theleathersellers

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries2 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 Leathersellers Company