Walcot's Foundation Practice rating Results

We are really pleased that Walcot Foundation received an A rating in the 2023 results for the Foundation Practice Rating initiative.

Foundation Practice Rating aims to improve practice across the grant-making sector on the key themes of acocuntability, transparency and diversity.  They have created a four level rating system (A, B, C, D) where Foundations are scored against information they provide about themselves on their public information (e.g. website, Charity Commission).  This research was carried out by Giving Evidence and over 100 Foundations were reviewed from ACF’s top 300 list using this rating system.   This is the second year of the initiative.

This year, seven Foundations achieved an A rating, which is an improvement on last year when the FPR announced its first ever set of results and awarded three A ratings. The Foundations that received an A rating vary in size and structure (Walcot Foundation, Oxfordshire Community Foundation, John Ellerman Foundation, Blagrave Trust, Wellcome Trust, Esmée Fairbairn Foundation and Paul Hamlyn Foundation).

Although, we weren't selected in Year 1, we found the Foundation Practice Rating was a really helpful tool for us in reviewing our public information and our processes.  It helped spur us on to improve our practice.  During 2022, we carried out the following improvements:

• Published diversity of staff and trustees on our website.
• Added UserWay to our website to make it more accessible.
• Added information about applicant success rates and clearer about who makes grant decisions.
• Published our investment strategy and our Equalities, Diversity and Inclusion statement on our website.
• Published our trustee recruitment, staff recruitment and salary policies on our website.

For the coming year, we support Foundation Practice Rating's #Three Commitments Campaign.  Over this year, we will: 

1. Publish details on plans to improve diversity in staff/Governors
2. Publish bios about Governors and senior staff
3. Have clearer ways of communicating complaints/whistleblowing issues on the website