As part of abrdn’s overall sustainability strategy, the abrdn Charitable Foundation (aCF) has launched its inaugural Innovation Fund, open to charitable organisations and other non-profit entities across the globe.
The Innovation Fund aims to make a social and environmental impact within local communities by seeking funding applications from non-profits and social enterprises, as well as registered charities.
Organisations from across the UK, Americas, Asia-Pacific and EMEA, the four regions where abrdn operates, are encouraged to apply, with one grant up to a maximum of £50,000 (or local currency equivalent) to be awarded per region.
The Fund is looking to provide organisations with much-needed resources to pilot new projects linked to technology and innovation within aCF’s strategy of ‘Tomorrow’s Generation’. This features two themes of People and Planet, which includes helping people overcome barriers and gain access to opportunities aligned with education, employment and financial wellness, as well as protecting nature and addressing climate change.
A key feature of aCF’s approach is to support a small number of Powerful Partnerships which are typically significant multi-year grants to organisations and projects where the aCF’s support can have a transformative impact. It is hoped the Fund will deliver a significant impact through its support of small to medium-sized projects that could potentially become Powerful Partnerships of the future.
Key Information about the Innovation Fund:
- Open to registered charities, social enterprises, community interest companies, charitable incorporated organisations, and similar non-profits.
- Funding of up to a maximum of £50,000 (or local currency equivalent) per region for projects that innovate or develop new approaches significantly furthering the organisation’s mission.
- The application window for 2024 is from 1st October to 1st November. Future application periods will typically occur in the second and/or fourth quarters annually, announced via our website and abrdn’s social media.
- Applicants are requested to complete an online application form which can be found here.
Sarah Moody, Chair of the abrdn Charitable Foundation, said:
“The abrdn Charitable Foundation has launched its inaugural Innovation Fund aimed at advancing social mobility, combating climate change, and protecting nature. We are inviting applications from across the globe from organisations that propose compelling solutions to social and environmental challenges. We will foster these pioneering projects, supporting them in exploring groundbreaking ideas with the potential to significantly benefit global communities.”
Kirsty Brownlie, Senior Social Impact and Partnerships Manager, said:
“Innovation is a core part of our giving strategy, and we believe that investing in new ideas is key to identify solutions to existing and emerging social and environmental challenges. The introduction of our new Innovation Fund allows us to support a diverse range of non-profit organisations based within our regions to test their ideas and potentially find sustainable solutions of the future aligned to social mobility, climate and nature. We’re excited to play our part in supporting innovation and look forward to exploring the amazing work being done across our communities”
