Strategic Initiatives

From time to time the Foundation will embark upon strategic initiatives where, following research, the Foundation will fund a programme of activities or a special scheme or project to address specific concerns and which will achieve higher overall impact than single grants would have made. Examples include the following:

National Cataloguing Grants Scheme for Archives

In April 2008 The Foyle Foundation awarded £500,000 (payable over five years) towards the National Cataloguing Scheme for Archives, administered by the National Archives to which all applications should be submitted. The scheme plans to distribute more than £1.3 million over five years to tackle the backlog in cataloguing nationwide.
The funding partnership is led by principal funders The Pilgrim Trust, The Foyle Foundation and The Wolfson Foundation and supported by The Gladys Krieble Delmas Foundation, The Mercers Charitable Foundation and the Goldsmiths Company.

Foyle Science Scholarships Scheme

In February 2008 The Foyle Foundation awarded £500,000 (payable over five years) towards the Foyle Science Scholarships at Imperial College, a continuation of the three year INSPIRE pilot which brings post-doctoral research scientists and PhD graduates upon completion of their research degree together with schools to expose young people to first-hand science research and to encourage PhD graduates to become teachers thus both improving science teaching and overcoming the shortage of dedicated science teachers.

The programme will offer a specially designed 9 month PGCE incorporating 2 months of integrated INSPIRE activities, which will include: master classes; science clubs; university-level training for post 16 students; careers advice; science conferences; and student visits to university research laboratories. Imperial College estimates that 30,000 pupils, together with staff in the selected schools/FE colleges, will experience the scheme and benefit during the 5 year period.

Foyle Young Poets of the Year Awards

Devised and administered by The Poetry Society, The Foyle Foundation has invested in the Foyle Young Poets of the Year since November 2001 as the national poetry competition open to young writers aged between 11 and 17 years. Since 2001 our investment in the awards has totalled £669,500 enabling the competition to develop, fulfill its potential and become one of the premier literary awards in the country.

Each year 100 winners (85 commendations and 15 overall winners) are selected from over 11,000 entries to receive their awards at the annual prize giving event on National Poetry Day. Ten winners from the 15 to 17 category attend a week long Arvon residency to develop their writing skills. Five winners from the younger age group benefit from poetry residencies at their school followed by distanced mentoring. Previous winners have gone on to be published in books and anthologies from Carcanet and tall-lighthouse, as well as magazines such as Acumen and on the Poems on the Underground project. You can also catch some of the winners reading at festivals across the UK.

The London Philharmonic Orchestra’s Foyle Future Firsts

Since 2004 the Foundation has awarded £352K towards The London Philharmonic Orchestra’s Foyle Future Firsts annual apprenticeship programme which helps to bridge the transition period between college and the professional platform for up to 16 outstanding young musicians each year. The scheme offers a varied programme of activities including 22 desk partnership rehearsals (active involvement in full LPO rehearsals), chamber music and orchestral performances, eight private lessons per participant with their relevant Section Principal, a wide variety of education work, mock audition seminar and special events throughout the year, plus a showcase concert held in the Purcell Room at the end of the academic year.