Blagrave Trust

Who we are

At Blagrave we know that young people are often the most inspiring leaders of change, but can be denied access to the networks, funding and spaces that enable their ideas to take flight.   

We change that. 

 
We fund and stand alongside young changemakers - listening deeply to what they and their communities tell us about the injustice they face, and co-creating programmes and activities that spark the greatest local impact. 

We invest in the strength of the local youth sector, knowing that when organisations thrive - and collaborate - young people gain the foundations they need to lead meaningful, lasting change. 

We invest in physical spaces, too: buildings that will remain rooted in communities, supporting long-term local benefit. In longer-term contexts, this includes democratic governance structures that support local accountability and shared decision-making. These places become hubs of possibility, where young people and their communities can imagine boldly, build solutions creatively, and turn local challenges into long-lasting opportunities. 

Nationally, we share what we learn - between grant partners, and across the wider funding and community sectors.  Our hope is to help inspire long-lasting change across the funding sector – supporting a future rooted in local community ownership, shared decision-making, and the leadership of young people facing deep-rooted inequality. 

Our culture and values

Our approach sets out how we work as a Trust. We value relationships, learning over perfection, and being open about how decisions are made.  We stay accountable to local communities, and young people are central to everything we do. Our commitments show how this comes to life. Every day, we will champion young people and communities as leaders of change, recognising their expertise and supporting them with care and humility. We will communicate clearly and honestly, creating space for feedback and taking responsibility when things go wrong. We will also work to address deep-rooted inequality by transferring resources into local community ownership and ensuring young people help shape decisions. Through it all, we will collaborate – bringing partners together, sharing learning, and standing alongside communities working for a fairer future. 

Equality, diversity and inclusion policy

At Blagrave, we recognise that philanthropy does not sit outside of historical and economic inequality. The resources we hold, and the decisions we make, can unintentionally reinforce those patterns if we are not thoughtful and intentional in how we act. 

Our commitment to anti-racism and anti-oppression means centring lived experience in decision-making, valuing learning over perfection, and staying accountable to the communities we serve. We work to examine and improve how our funding, language, and structures operate. We take responsibility if mistakes occur and are committed to learning from it. 

We aim to ensure that our resources are used in ways shaped by communities and young people, particularly those most affected by injustice, and that young people play a central role in helping shape decisions that affect their lives.