Year Five - 2025/2026 Cohort

Year Five of the Foundation Practice Rating reveals significant progress in UK charitable foundations’ practices in diversity, accountability, and transparency — marking the strongest results in the initiative’s five‑year history. 

The annual sector-wide assessment of 100 UK foundations has seen the best ratings this year, and statistically significant improvements since it began assessing foundations’ practices five years ago. This year: 

• 12 foundations achieved an overall A grade (the highest grade) – the highest number ever to achieve this in one year. 
• three foundations achieved an A in each domain (diversity, accountability, and transparency) and an A overall – only one foundation has ever achieved this in the four years previously. 
• the number of foundations that achieved a D (the lowest grade) on all three domains is the lowest ever – seven (down from 12 in Year Four) .
• every criterion was achieved by at least one foundation – demonstrating that the rating isn’t looking for the impossible. (Every criterion has been achieved every year.)