Moto Foundation

Moto Foundation, established in 2005 as Moto in the Community and rebranded in 2022, serves as the charitable arm of Moto Hospitality Limited, the UK's largest motorway service area operator with 59 sites. Its mission is to drive lasting positive change in communities within a 15-mile radius of these sites across England, Scotland, and Wales, guided by the CARE values framework—Corporate Citizenship, Adding Value, Relationships, and Employee Engagement. The Foundation has distributed over £12 million since inception, including £977,000 in 2024, focusing on education (e.g., Books to Schools delivering 280,000+ books, Young Author Competition), mental health (partnerships with Mind and SAMH), environmental conservation (over £570,000 to Woodland Trust for tree planting, Wildfowl & Wetland Trust), and community development, alongside a benevolent fund for Moto employees.

It funds project-based initiatives like educational programmes, mental health support, environmental projects, and community capacity-building for local schools, small charities, CICs, and not-for-profits, prioritising grassroots efforts with measurable local impact; core costs or small capital items may be supported if community-linked.

Eligible applicants are UK-registered charities, CICs, or academic institutions (e.g., schools) within 15 miles of a Moto site, with a strong preference for small/medium organisations; all require formal endorsement from a Moto employee. Applications are unsolicited via online form on a rolling basis, with decisions within 8 weeks by a trustee board.

Grants typically range £1,000–£2,500, rarely higher for strong partnerships. Exclusions include political, religious, or overseas projects; its unique Moto staff endorsement rule, hyper-local geography tied to service areas, and blend of national partnerships with community-rooted funding set it apart.