The Shackleton Foundation

The Shackleton Foundation was established in 2007 by the direct descendants of Sir Ernest Shackleton’s 1907-08 Nimrod expedition, to celebrate the legacy of the legendary polar explorer and great man. Its goal is to transform the lives of disadvantaged young people in the UK. We do this by providing seed funding to aspiring social entrepreneurs who exemplify the spirit of Sir Ernest’s leadership, and who seek to tackle significant social issues though their innovative projects. Project focussed on key issues such as: youth offending, education and attainment, life skills and employability, community cohesion, and physical and mental health. To be eligible, applicants’ projects must; – be innovative and fresh – fulfil a clear need and demand – be in the first year of development – have a demonstrable social impact – have well-defined outputs and goals – have potential for real growth and sustainability – benefit young people in the UK Following a rigorous and competitive application process, successful candidates (known as Leaders) receive one-off seed-funding of and access to our Shackleton Leaders alumni network, which offers the best chance of maximising impact and building a sustainable business model. Alongside the network, our support programme promotes continued learning and growth amongst our Leaders, with mentorship and forums to share knowledge and experience. We are a small charity—run by a diverse, voluntary trustee board with a wealth of expertise from across the business and voluntary sector, plus a part-time administrator. The projects we support are often considered too risky or too early-stage for the vast majority of funders, and without our help many would struggle to get their concept off the ground. Our model is a unique way of transforming the lives of some of this country’s most disadvantaged young people by identifying and pump-priming bold, inspiring and effective ideas, and making them a reality.