Ellis Campbell Foundation

The Ellis Campbell Foundation, a Hampshire-based family foundation established in 1990 by Michael Campbell of the Ellis Campbell Group, drives systemic societal change through strategic philanthropy. Evolving from broad support in youth, education, heritage, and community causes—having awarded over £3.7 million by 2020—it now sharply focuses on building Youth Power and Leadership across the UK. Guided by values of active listening, deep partnerships with beneficiary communities, transformative multi-year initiatives, and rigorous impact measurement, the foundation aligns with the Power of Youth Charter, prioritizing youth-led, power-based learning for marginalised and minoritised young people outside Greater London, empowering them as agents of change with voices in decision-making.

It funds scalable projects in education, wellbeing, youth employability, digital inclusion, and social enterprise that amplify youth voice and leadership, supporting project costs, core funding, capacity building, and long-term partnerships with organisations like Treloar School, Straight Talking Peer Education, and Remake Scotland. UK-wide grantmaking emphasises regions like Hampshire and Perthshire, targeting small to medium-sized charities and social enterprises (typically £100,000–£2 million annual income) with proven governance and local impact among underserved youth communities.

Invite-only, the foundation does not accept unsolicited applications, instead identifying partners via networks, stakeholder consultations, and research; decisions are adhoc per trustees' priorities, with no fixed deadlines. Grants range from £10,000 to £200,000, often £30,000–£100,000 multi-year for core partners, flexibly scaling during crises like COVID-19. Distinctive for its multi-generational family stewardship, evidence-led strategy, and aversion to one-off interventions or capital projects, it differentiates through enduring commitments to youth empowerment beyond London.