The PA Foundation has published its 2024 annual report, announcing that it distributed over £2 million of grant-based funding and supported 43 charitable organisations last year. In partnership with PA Consulting (PA), the global innovation and transformation consultancy, the report highlights The PA Foundation’s key achievements, including its work with charity partners to break down barriers to social mobility. Its initiatives have created pathways to opportunity for those facing social, economic, or cultural disadvantage, and provided much-needed access to quality education, skills, and careers.
In 2024, The PA Foundation:
- Distributed over £2 million in funding to charity partners, taking total funding to £5.3 million since it launched in 2022.
- Supported 43 charitable organisations focused on education, skills, and employability across the UK, US, Nordics, and Netherlands.
- Scaled up its Ingenious Investment Fund to 17 grants from 11 grants in the previous year, supporting smaller organisations and expanding its global reach.
- Reached nearly 9,000 participants directly and 15,000 indirectly through its work with charity partners.
- Helped a further 60 social enterprises and non-profits build their long-term resilience and strengthen their impact.
Highlights from 2024 include The PA Foundation’s work with:
- The Poppy Factory, to build its employment service for UK Armed Forces veterans in the UK’s Midlands region.
- Start Lighthouse, to engage more than 600 students, particularly children from disadvantaged backgrounds, in Literacy Hub sessions and workshops in New York.
- Coding Pirates, to run more in-person and online technology and coding clubs for children in Denmark.
- UAF, to provide employability guidance and support to over 800 refugee students through its ‘En route to Work’ programme in the Netherlands.
- Stand Out, to empower prisoners across the UK to realise their potential and leave the justice system for good.
Alongside The PA Foundation’s financial support, charities also benefited from the significant time and expertise that PA’s people volunteered. This included mentoring, work experience, and career insights through Be Ingenious, PA’s global education and skills development programme, with a particular focus on science, technology, engineering, and maths (STEM) and those from low-income backgrounds. PA’s Community Innovators programme focused on building further capacity in the charity sector through bootcamps and pro bono consulting projects with PA people.
The impact of these activities received industry-wide recognition in 2024. The PA Foundation won the British Diversity Awards’ ‘Social Mobility Initiative of the Year’, Third Sector Business Charity Awards’ ‘Professional Services’ category for its partnership with The Economist Educational Foundation, and the Social Mobility Awards’ ‘Innovation’ category for its work with those who have had experience with the criminal justice system.
Anita Chandraker, Chair of The PA Foundation Board of Trustees, said: “At The PA Foundation, we’re passionate about enabling social mobility. 2024 was a year of consolidation for us, where we refreshed our strategy and finetuned our objectives. We are delighted to have supported over 40 charitable organisations and thousands of individuals last year, helping to unlock opportunity where it was needed most. Working with PA Consulting and our charity partners, we are proud to back the bold ideas and brilliant people who are building a better future.”
Christian Norris, CEO of PA Consulting, said: “In 2024, The PA Foundation made a tangible difference to breaking down social mobility barriers, creating opportunities for people to thrive, and building a more inclusive, equitable world. I am proud of its achievements and the dedication of PA people who gave their time and expertise to amplify its activities. From helping disadvantaged young people continue their studies, to empowering prison leavers looking to rebuild their lives, or supporting refugees and migrants to enter the job market, 2024 marked a year of meaningful progress and impact.”
