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Coutts foundation

The mission of the Coutts Foundation is to support sustainable approaches to tackle the causes and consequences of poverty, in the communities where Coutts has a presence. Building on the legacy of Thomas Coutts and Angela Burdett-Coutts, the grand-daughter of Thomas Coutts, who was a progressive 19th-century philanthropist - The Foundation currently focuses on work that supports vulnerable women and girls and work that empowers young people through the performing arts. The Coutts Foundation is an independent corporate foundation, supported by Coutts.

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The Coutts Foundation makes significant commitments to a small number of organisations that reflect its mission.
 

Organisations SUPPoRTING
WOMEN & GIRLS

  • Aanchal Women’s Aid

    Aanchal Women’s Aid has for nearly 40 years, supported over 40,000 women and children to live a life free from abuse, working to ensure they can achieve financial and emotional self-reliance.  Aanchal offers a free and confidential service for Asian women and their children who have experienced or who are experiencing domestic violence with emotional and practical support, guidance and tools to enable them to make positive life decisions and live a fulfilling life. 

    A grant of £120,000 over three years (£40k per annum) was approved in 2023. 

    Visit Aanchal Women's Aid 

     

  • Amina

    Amina is an award-winning charity that empowers and supports Muslim and BME women to create an inclusive Scotland in which they can contribute fully and fulfil their aspirations.  Amina is recognised as the national hub for gaining access to and consulting with marginalised voices across Scotland.

    Amina offers a range of tailored support services on a one-to-one basis including their helpline, employability support and befriending and group support including violence against women workshops and refugee work.  Amina also creatively raises awareness of key issues including their schoolwork engaging with over 2,000 young people to tackle prejudice and hate crime.

    A grant of £105,000 over three years (£35k per annum) was approved in 2023. 

    Visit Amina

  • The Angelou Centre

    The Angelou Centre is a black-led women's centre offering a range of holistic services for Black and minoritised women across the North East. The Centre offers training and employment support, social and creative activities, and support for survivors of violence and abuse. It also works at strategic and national levels to ensure the voices of black and minority women are represented and heard.

    A grant of £90,000 over three years (£30k per annum) was approved in 2018.

    A further grant of £120,000 over three years (£40k per annum) was approved in 2020.

    A £4,000 cost of living grant was awarded in December 2022.

    Visit The Angelou Centre

  • Bawso

    Bawso supports Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) women who are affected by or at risk of domestic or sexual violence, female genital mutilation (FGM), forced marriage, so-called honour-based violence, trafficking or modern slavery. Bawso also offers advice and information for BME men experiencing domestic abuse from partners and family members. The charity's services are provided across Wales, with over 5,000 people benefiting every year.

    A grant of £90,000 over three years (£30k per annum) was approved in 2017.

    An additional grant of £15,600 was provided in 2020 and a further grant of £150,000 over 3 years (£50k per annum) was approved in 2020.

    A £5,000 cost of living grant was awarded in December 2022.

    Visit Bawso

  • Southall Black Sisters

    Southall Black Sisters (SBS) helps black and minority ethnic women overcome poverty, distress and hardships, and campaigns on issues that affect them. SBS challenges all forms of gender related violence against women, empowering them to gain more control over their lives, live without fear of violence, and assert their human rights to justice, equality and freedom. It offers specialist advice, information, casework, advocacy, counselling and self-help support services in several community languages. Although based in West London, SBS has a national and international reach, supporting over 3,500 women every year.

    A grant of £120,000 over three years (£40k per annum) was approved in 2015.

    A further grant of £40,000 was made for 2019.

    A grant of £80,000 over two years (£40k per annum) was agreed in 2020.

    An additional grant of £15,000 was provided in 2020 and a further year's grant of £40,000 was agreed in 2021.

    A £4,000 cost of living grant was awarded in December 2022.

    Visit Southall Black Sisters

  • Stockport Women's Centre

    Stockport Women's Centre provides 'one stop shop' services for women facing complex issues including: mental ill-health, the effects of domestic and/or sexual abuse, involvement with the criminal justice system, poverty, isolation and unemployment. It is also one of the founder members for the Greater Manchester Women Support Alliance, which has been recognised for its integrated approach to supporting women offenders and those at risk of offending.

    A grant of £90,000 over three years (£40k per annum) was approved in 2019

    A further grant of £120,000 (£40k per annum) was approved in 2019

    Additional grants of £10,960 and £5,761 were provided in 2020.

    A £4,000 cost of living grant was awarded in December 2022.

    Visit Stockport Women's Centre

  • Tender

    Tender is an arts charity working with young people to help to prevent domestic abuse and sexual violence.  It supports young women to identify and avoid abuse and empowers all young people to form healthy relationships based on equality and respect. Ultimately, Tender's work aims to prevent young people from becoming involved in abusive relationships throughout their lives, and avoid the traumatic consequences, social disadvantage and poverty that arise from abuse.

    A grant of £90,000 over three years (£30k per annum) was approved in 2019.

    A further unrestricted grant of 120,000 over three years (£40k per annum) was approved in 2022. 

    A £4,000 cost of living grant was awarded in December 2022.

    VISIT TENDER

  • The Magdalene Group

    Based in Norwich, The Magdalene Group offers advice, services and emotional support to women and young people, including victims of sexual exploitation, trafficking and young people who have been affected by, or are at risk of, child sexual exploitation. It also runs education programmes in schools, youth groups and care homes to ensure young people understand how to stay safe.

    A grant of £90,000 over three years (£30k per annum) was approved in 2017.

    An additional grant of £8,217 was provided in 2020 and a further grant of £120,000 over 3 years (£40k per annum) was approved in 2020.

    A £4,000 cost of living grant was awarded in December 2022.

    Visit The Magdalene Group

  • Winner

    Winner, the Preston Road Women's Centre, provides information, support and advice to women in Hull, supporting them to have the best possible quality of life and life chances. It works intensively with 800 women a year, and a further 5,000 women and children benefit from services including domestic violence and abuse support, nursery childcare provision, young women's confidence and engagement, volunteering and training opportunities.

    A grant of £150,000 over three years (£50k per annum) was approved in 2019.

    A further unrestricted grant of £150,000 over three years (£50k per annum) was approved in 2022.

    A £5,000 cost of living grant was awarded in December 2022.

    VISIT WINNER

  • Women Acting in Today’s Society (WAITS)

    WAITS is a growing organisation that responds to the needs of women experiencing domestic abuse by providing advocacy, support, accommodation, and training.  They specialise in supporting Black and minority ethnic women and women offenders.

    Their vision is a society where women are safe, valued and fulfilled.

    Their mission is to empower women to make positive choices in their own lives.

    A grant of £120,000 over three years (£40k per annum) was approved in 2023.

    Visit WAITS

ORGANISATIONS SUPPORTING YOUNG PEOPLE THROUGH THE PERFORMING ARTS

  • 20 Stories High

    20 Stories High aims to create bold, contemporary and imaginative theatre with and for young people in Liverpool, particularly those from diverse and socially excluded communities. It brings new audiences into theatre venues and takes theatre out into communities locally, regionally, nationally and internationally.

    A grant of £105,000 over three years (£35k per annum) was approved in 2021.

    A £4,000 cost of living grant was awarded in December 2022.

     

    VISIT 20 STORIES HIGH

  • CARDBOARD CITIZENS

    Cardboard Citizens creates work with and for people who experience homelessness, inequality, or poverty.  They provide theatre, art and/or training that explores, interrogates, and challenges the injustices that are most alive in the world.  They believe that theatre and art can transform, that it can challenge the individual to grow and ignite a fire in the belly of wider society to change. 

    A grant of £105,000 over three years (£35k per annum) was approved in 2022.

     

    VISIT cardboard citizens

  • Contact


    Contact uses creativity to empower young people, with a focus on reaching disadvantaged, under-served and excluded young people. At Contact, young people aged 13-30 genuinely lead, working alongside staff to provide a diverse and accessible artistic programme for everyone. Contact offers an open access weekly youth theatre programme and progression routes to develop performance to a professional-standard and provide leadership training and entrepreneurial skills. Contact aims to enable young people to change their lives through the arts.

    A grant of £150,000 over three years (£50k per annum) was approved in 2021.

    A £5,000 cost of living grant was awarded in December 2022.

    VISIT CONTACT

  • Immediate Theatre

    Immediate Theatre provides participatory theatre programmes aimed at helping disadvantaged young people aged 5-25, living in Hackney, to reach their potential. Estate-based Youth Theatre in community venues is the cornerstone of the work. Its objectives are: to provide inspiring participatory theatre programmes enabling people to reach their potential and prevent exclusion and social isolation; to create performances which explore social issues, engage people in the process of change and influence decision making; to improve health and wellbeing and increase life skills and employability through engagement in the arts.

    A grant of £105,000 over three years (£35k per annum) was approved in 2021.

    A £3,500 cost of living grant was awarded in December 2022.

    visit Immediate Theatre

  • Toonspeak

    Toonspeak aims to transform lives through creativity.  Toonspeak is recognised as a forerunner in youth leadership and inclusive governance, and they are young person led, with participants supported to serve on the board of directors and empowered to influence the development of the organisation. Rooted in communities across the North of Glasgow and working with a network of partners, Toonspeak are community-focused, whilst seeking to influence peers across sectors throughout Scotland and beyond. 

    A grant of £135,000 over three years (£45k per annum) was approved in 2022.

     

    VISIt toonspeak

  • Travelling Light Theatre Company

    Travelling Light creates award-winning theatre for and with young people that inspires their thinking, engages their emotions, and fires their imaginations.

    The company offers a participation programme which includes youth theatre, creative learning, community engagement and employability projects and creates high quality professional shows for young audiences which tour nationally and internationally.

    A grant of £105,000 over three years (£35k per annum) was approved in 2021.

    A £3,500 cost of living grant was awarded in December 2022.

    A £5,000 cost of living grant was awarded in December 2022.

    visit Travelling Light Theatre Company

  • Trinity Community Arts

    Based in a listed Georgian church, Trinity Community Arts is the arts hub for East Bristol. Trinity believes that art improves individual well-being, empowers communities and enhances society. Its vision is for everyone to have the opportunity to access and shape arts and culture. Towards this aim it offers a diverse programme of arts, heritage, and cultural projects, activities and events reaching over 60,000 people each year. A key element of Trinity's programme focuses specifically on disadvantaged young people.
     

    A grant of £105,000 over three years (£50k per annum) was approved in 2021.
     

    visit Trinity Community Arts Trinity Community Arts 

OTHER ORGANISATIONS WE SUPPORT

  • The Connection

    The Connection at St Martin’s is London’s busiest homelessness charity supporting people away from the streets through specialist services including street outreach, a day and emergency night centre, help finding relevant training, volunteering or employment, and specialist mental health and addiction support.

    An unrestricted grant of £180,000 over three years (£60K per annum) was approved in 2017. A further grant of £180,000 over three years (£60k per annum) was approved in 2019.

    A further grant of £242,000 over three years was awarded in 2019 to support the Street Engagement Team -  a new day-time outreach service to support the wider street population in Westminster. This grant was extended for a further 6 months in 2022 (£41,840).

    A £5,000 cost of living grant was awarded in December 2022.

    Visit The Connection at St. Martin's

Who we are

The Board and Staff of the Coutts Foundation bring a wealth of experience and expertise. All are committed to the mission to support sustainable approaches to tackle the causes and consequences of poverty.

The Board of the Coutts Foundation includes members who are appointed by Coutts and Trustees who are independent of Coutts. The Foundation is run by the Director and is fortunate to be supported by volunteers and staff of Coutts who offer their expertise pro-bono.
 

Find out more about our trustees, staff and advisers

Information for Grant-seekers

The Coutts Foundation adopts a proactive approach to its philanthropy and in its identification of organisations to support. The Foundation's focus is supporting UK organisations or programmes that support women and girls and organisations that empower young people through the performing arts, with a particular focus on addressing the causes and consequences of poverty. It is especially interested in organisations that are developing innovative solutions and/or those whose successful work has the potential to be scaled up. The Foundation applies clear criteria in its selection of funding recipients.

The Foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals for funding. However, if you wish to bring information about your organisation or programmes that fit with our funding priorities to our attention, please complete the information submission form and either email it to us or post it.

Coutts Foundation,
440 Strand,
London WC2R 0QS

The Coutts Foundation will be in touch if we would like to learn more about your organisation. The Coutts Foundation is a Living Wage Funder. Thank you for your interest in the Coutts Foundation.
 

Coutts Foundation Privacy Statement

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Statement

Consideration of environmental, social, governance (ESG) or ethical factors in investment decision-making

The Coutts Foundation is committed to transparency, and we work with 360 Giving to publish information about our grants.

Using the 360 Giving Data Standard, our awarded grants since 2015 are available as a JSON file below to download. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. This means the data is freely accessible to anyone to be used and shared as they wish.  The data must be attributed to the Coutts Foundation.

We have published our grants on 360 Giving, an initiative that aims to help UK funders publish their data in an open and standard format online. By publishing our data in an open format through 360 Giving, it can be shared and compared more easily.

 

The Coutts Foundation is an independent charity registered in England and Wales. Registered charity number: 1150784 and a company limited by guarantee (number: 8395296).

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