Results Analysed 2025
Number of foundations achieving each rating – both overall, and within each domain.
As with the past years, practice on diversity continues to be much weaker than practice on other pillars. No foundation scored an A on diversity, while 64 foundations scored an A on Transparency.
Overall Rating
This graph illustrates a breakdown of how the assessed foundations faired overall.
8 foundations got an A.
36 foundations got a B.
34 foundations got a C.
22 foundations got a D.
Diversity
This graph illustrates a breakdown of how the assessed foundations faired on the diversity pillar.
0 foundation got an A. 12 foundations got a B. 44 foundations got a C. 44 foundations got a D.
Accountability
This graph illustrates a breakdown of how the assessed foundations faired on the accountability pillar.
10 foundations got an A. 33 foundations got a B. 28 foundations got a C. 29 foundations got a D.
Transparency
This graph illustrates a breakdown of how the assessed foundations faired on the transparency pillar.
64 foundations got an A. 11 foundations got a B. 12 foundations got a C 13 foundations got a D.
Domain scores for foundations which scored A’s overall
The foundations rated A overall in Year Four are very diverse. They include: six endowed foundations – some large, some much smaller; a corporate foundation (the Lloyds Bank Foundation for England and Wales); and one Scottish foundation. These foundations rated A or B in all domains.
Diversity
0 8 0 0
Accountability
7 1 0 0
Transparency
8 0 0 0
Domain scores for foundations which scored B’s overall
41 foundations rated B overall. Most foundations in this bracket had a C rating in Diversity and an A rating in Transparency; Accountability had a mix with 6 foundations rated A, 25 foundations rated B and 10 foundations rated C.
Diversity
0 4 32 0
Accountability
3 26 7 0
Transparency
36 0 0 0
Domain scores for foundations which scored C’s overall
34 foundations had an overall C rating. Most foundations in this bracket rated C and D in Diversity and Accountability. Practice on Transparency was better with almost all foundations rating A or B.
Diversity
0 0 12 22
Accountability
0 6 20 8
Transparency
20 11 3 0
Domain scores for foundations which scored D’s overall
22 foundations rated D overall. All foundations had a C or D rating all domains. All 22 rated D in Diversity; 21 had a D rating in Accountability; and 13 had a D rating in Transparency.
Diversity
0 0 0 22
Accountability
0 0 1 21
Transparency
0 0 9 13
These graphs illustrate that most foundations are pretty consistent in their practice, especially for those with overall ratings of A and D. Those with overall A rating had a rating of A or B in all domains, while those with D rating had a C or D rating in all domains. In all overall rating brackets, foundations displayed better practice on transparency and worst practice on diversity.
Domain scores for foundations scoring zero in each pillar
Number of foundations scoring zero in each pillar
Diversity – 13 Accountability – 0 Transparency – 1
The ten questions on which the foundations collectively scored highest
Is there contact information provided on the foundation’s website?
Can you navigate the foundation’s website using only the keyboard (without a mouse)?
NEW ENTRANT
For approximately what percentage of all funding are eligibility criteria presented? Please select one of the following scores: 0=none, 1=1-25%, 2=26-50%, 3= 51-75%, 4=76-99% or 5= eligibility information provided for all funding. Answer N/A if the foundation only accepts solicited proposals.
The ten questions on which the foundations collectively scored lowest
Whether the foundation publishes its recruitment policy for staff.
NEW ENTRANT
If the foundation publishes an analysis of its own effectiveness
Whether the foundation publishes some information of what it is doing differently as a consequence of the analysis of its effectiveness.
Examples of particularly good practice