Rix-Thompson-Rothenberg Foundation

The Rix-Thompson-Rothenberg Foundation is a long-established UK charitable foundation, founded by individuals and families with personal ties to the learning disability community—including trustees like Professor Jonathan Rix and Bob Rothenberg—dedicated exclusively to enhancing the care, education, training, development, and leisure opportunities for people with learning disabilities. Its mission centers on improving quality of life, fostering social inclusion, independence, and empowerment through equitable access to arts, social activities, skills-building, and community participation, guided by values of lived expertise, measurable impact, and barrier-breaking initiatives that enrich everyday lives for beneficiaries of all ages and their carers.

The Foundation prioritizes projects like inclusive arts programs (e.g., Create Arts), sports and social groups (e.g., Allsorts Gloucestershire), and accessible activities (e.g., PAMIS Scotland), funding education, leisure, wellbeing, and rights advocacy that build skills, networks, and cultural engagement. It supports UK-registered charities of all sizes—preferring smaller, local ones—operating UK-wide (primarily England, Scotland, Wales), with no income thresholds, religious restrictions, or geographic sub-limits.

Grants typically range from £2,000 to £6,500 (average £5,000) for project or core costs, covering revenue and some capital elements. Applications are invite-only: contact Administrator Lesley Gray (rtrfoundation@gmail.com or 07532 320138) by February for June meetings or August for December, allowing 4-6 months for decisions after initial phone/email discussion and invited formal submission with audited accounts.

Distinctive for its narrow, passionate specialism—unlike generalist funders—rooted in trustees' hands-on expertise, it avoids research, standalone capital projects, individual aid, or international work, ensuring targeted, high-impact support for learning disability empowerment.