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OVO Foundation gives kids all over the world a greener, fairer future

Our projects

From planting forests to installing solar panels, our carbon-kicking charity makes a real difference

About us

About us

The OVO Foundation is here to give kids and young people all over the world a greener, fairer future.

From installing solar panels in Kenya to constructing houses with young homeless people in the UK, we’re tackling the big problems – as well as teaching kids about the climate crisis and how to fight it!  

And here's why we do it

The climate crisis is the most important issue of our time. And it means even more to the next generation.

So we help in all kinds of ways – whether we’re planting forests or making schools more energy efficient. We put our efforts straight into the heart of communities. That’s where we can do the most good. 

Together, we can make a sustainable future possible. Thanks to the kindness of our members who donate, the hard work of the charities and organisations we partner with, and everyone in the OVO team who volunteers, giving up their own time and money too. We can help children and young people everywhere. Giving them access to education, energy, nature, and a safe place to live. Life’s essentials. 

Let’s change the world. 

Our vision:
Let’s give every child and young person a greener, fairer world to grow up in.

Our goals

Goal 1:

We’re getting kids clued up on climate change! Because global warming is the most important issue of our time – and it means even more to the next generation.
Our goals

Goal 2:

We’re giving kids the skills, knowledge, and confidence they need to change the world. Say hello to the UK’s next generation of climate-fighting conservationists!

Meet the OVO Foundation team

Gaby Sethi

Head of OVO Foundation

Hannah Howard

Senior Programme Innovation Manager
Who we are

Meet the team

The OVO Foundation team is small in size – but big in ambition! And we all do a little bit of everything. Whether that's researching social issues or working on our many projects – our team is making a difference, every day.

Gaby Sethi

Head of OVO Foundation

Hannah Howard

Senior Programme Innovation Manager

Gina Cicerone

Chair

Kate Weinberg

Trustee

Phil Kerry

Trustee

Raman Bhatia

Trustee

Kemi Akindele

Trustee

Tom Wilson

Trustee
Who we are

Our board of trustees

Our Board of Trustees meet four times a year. Their job is to help our team with strategy and important decision making. They're a critical friend to OVO Foundation (encouraging but also honest). And they really help our work make an impact.

Gina Cicerone

Chair

Kate Weinberg

Trustee

Phil Kerry

Trustee

Raman Bhatia

Trustee

Kemi Akindele

Trustee

Tom Wilson

Trustee

What we fund

We find and fund projects that give children and young people a greener, fairer world to grow up in.

Climate Changers

Project Jua

Future Builders

We’re helping kids in the UK tackle the climate crisis, by giving them the skills, knowledge, and confidence they need to change the world. Plus we’re kitting kids out with the know-how they need to become the next generation of conservationists.

We’re installing solar panels in Kenya, giving hundreds of thousands of people renewable energy. Did you know that over a billion people have no access to electricity? That’s 15% of the world’s population! The effect on education and health is huge. Which is why we’re passionate about bringing clean power to communities.

We’re breaking the cycle of youth homelessness, by helping hundreds of young people find independence. Through education, training, and fixing up affordable housing, our amazing projects help young people gain confidence – and get a roof over their heads for good.

Our funding strategy

Finding simple solutions to big environmental problems and social causes is what we care about most. And we only put money into organisations and projects that match our beliefs.

To make sure we do things right, we take time looking into issues, often getting to the root cause of the problem, to work out how we can help solve the problems properly.

Once we know that, we ask charities to send us ideas for projects, which we review carefully against specific criteria. If we decide to put money into that project, we then work out a plan with our partners from start to finish! Because we’re not about short-term fixes.

How we decide which projects to fund

Research

We’re a curious bunch, so our research will always focus on understanding the entire problem we’re trying to solve. We look for big gaps in funding and provision.

Find

We find creative organisations, who have simple but smart ideas to help solve the problems we’ve found. 

Pilot

We’re excited by projects with potential! Our money goes into getting that project off the ground, and we also make use of what we’ve learned along the way, from other projects.

Scale

Giving our projects wings is very satisfying! If a pilot project proves really life-changing and effective, we start building it up and expanding it – getting other funders on board to help too.

Our 3 principles of funding

Our projects must be powerful

We always measure the impact our work has – on people’s lives and the planet we all call home. We want to see trackable outcomes from the projects we invest in – so we know we’re doing real good. 

Our projects must be successful

We always pilot projects before investing more time and money in them, so we can find what works best. We make projects bigger and better all the time, and we always share what we learn with other charities and organisations along the way. We like to do fewer things – better and faster. The ideal is to achieve in months what might’ve taken years!

Our projects must be able to grow

We’ll only get behind a project if it has the potential to grow – and truly make a difference far and wide.

How we're funded

It’s all down to the kindness of OVO members. Every month, tens of thousands of OVO Energy members choose to support us by adding at least 25p to their monthly statement.

And 100% of their kind donations goes straight to our projects. 

Then, here at OVO, we match every donation people make. So, together, we’re doing double the good. 

OVO Energy members

If you’re an OVO member, it’s so easy to donate to the OVO Foundation.

Just head over to My OVO and tell us how much you’d like to give each month.
I'd like to donate

Join us

Only OVO members can support our charity at the moment. But if you like what we’re doing, why not find out about switching to OVO? We’re always looking for people to join us on the journey to zero carbon?

Then, you’ll also have the chance to support the OVO Foundation. To help kids everywhere – and kick tons of carbon while you’re at it!
OVO Energy

Make a monthly donation and know that 100% will go to our projects

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