# Fourth year of growth sees foundation giving reach £3.3 billion - Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2018/10/02/fourth-year-growth-sees-foundation-giving-reach-3-3bn/ - Published: 2018-10-02T11:11:56+01:00 - Author: Melanie May **Foundation giving reached £3.3 billion in the last financial year – an 11% increase on the previous year, according to research from the Association of Charitable Foundations( ACF).**   Assets also reached a new high of £65 billion while income hit £3.7 billion. ## Advertisement [⌊Posthub advert. You create the campaign. We'll handle the postal journey. Get started at post-hub.co.uk.⌉](https://fundraising.co.uk/ads/posthub-20261007-300x250/)   The [ACF](https://www.acf.org.uk/)‘s_ Foundation Giving Trends 2018_ looks at the finances and funding of the top 300 UK independent charitable foundations by grant- making. The annual research is carried out by Cathy Pharoah, Visiting Professor at the Centre for Charitable Giving at [Cass Business School](https://www.cass.city.ac.uk/), and Dr Catherine Walker of [The Researchery](https://www.theresearchery.com/), and supported by [Pears Foundation](https://pearsfoundation.org.uk/).   [](https://wfay6x.infiniteuploads.cloud/2018/10/Screen-Shot-2018-10-02-at-08.29.03.png)   According to the report, 63% of foundations increased their grant-making in real terms in 2016/17 on the back of growth in income and/or assets. Income from donations and investments both grew by around 10%, while average asset growth of 5% shrank to 2.5% after excluding the Wellcome Trust. The report also details trends among family foundations and corporate foundations. Family foundation giving totalled more than £2bn, while corporate foundation giving shrank slightly this year to £ 228m.   The report also includes a special feature on place-based giving initiatives, showing the range of approaches being taken by foundations of all sizes.       [](https://wfay6x.infiniteuploads.cloud/2018/10/Screen-Shot-2018-10-02-at-11.02.41-1.png)       ACF Chief Executive Carol Mack said:   > “This year’s research once again demonstrates the strength and resilience of the > foundation model, achieving record levels of giving despite a challenging social > and economic environment. > “Foundation Giving Trends is a hugely valuable source of data for foundations, > policy-makers, and academics alike, providing an evidence base that year-on-year > tracks the vital contribution that the sector makes to the health and pluralism > of civil society.”   Professor Cathy Pharoah added:   > “This latest research in the _Foundation Giving Trends_ series shows a vibrant > and diverse sector which is continuing to grow, and that foundations are swiftly > passing on income or asset gains to beneficiaries. > “In the tenth year that Pears Foundation has funded research measuring the contribution > of family foundations, the finding that giving from this group has now surpassed > £2bn demonstrates the growth that has taken place.” * **[Largest foundations see income fall but increase grant-making 10%](https://fundraising.co.uk/2019/10/11/largest-foundations-see-income-fall-but-increase-grant-making-10/)**( 11 October 2019) * **[Tough times see almost half a million turn to ACO member charities in a year](https://fundraising.co.uk/2020/01/22/tough-times-see-almost-half-a-million-turn-to-aco-member-charities-in-a-year/)**( 22 January 2020) * **[Responsibility for investments sits with every trustee, says ACF report](https://fundraising.co.uk/2020/07/08/responsibility-for-investments-sits-with-every-trustee-says-acf-report/)**( 8 July 2020) ![Loading](https://fundraising.co.uk/wp-content/plugins/page-views-count/ajax-loader- 2x.gif)