Powell Family Foundation

The Powell Family Foundation is an independent UK grantmaker dedicated exclusively to supporting blind and vision-impaired children, young people, and adults aged 25 and under across the United Kingdom. Established to address the unmet needs of this vulnerable group, it invests around £1m annually from its endowment to enhance their emotional and physical well-being, advance education and skills, and promote independence. Guided by values of empowerment, inclusion, integrity, transparency, and safeguarding, the foundation—governed by trustees with lived experience—prioritises high-impact, evidence-based interventions, distinguishing itself as one of the few UK funders with such a tight thematic focus on vision-impaired youth.

It funds a targeted range of activities, including assistive technology, early years and educational development, independent living skills, well-being and social participation programmes, specialist teaching, capacity building, and select core costs for organisations directly benefiting this population. Grants go to individuals for essential needs or to UK charities/not-for-profits delivering innovative projects that boost life chances, such as mobility training, adapted sports, and skills initiatives.

Eligible applicants include UK-registered charities and not-for-profits (with no more than six months' unrestricted reserves) or individuals (aged 25 or under, vision-impaired, permanent UK residents) whose work or circumstances align precisely with the foundation's aims; UK-wide scope with no regional limits. Applications are unsolicited, submitted via Word forms emailed with supporting documents; individuals reviewed monthly, organisations quarterly on a rolling basis, with decisions within two weeks.

Typical grants are up to £5,000 for individuals and £50,000 for organisations (higher possible for strong cases). It excludes research, umbrella bodies, non-specialist schools, and re-applications within 12 months of prior funding/decline, emphasising discretionary, flexible support for those most at risk.