In each of the Strategic Areas of funding, The AIM Foundation makes different types of grants falling into the following strands:
1. Research and Policy
We work in collaboration with respected research bodies, campaign groups and think tanks to tackle causes of urgent problems and promote innovative work. We want to ensure that learning is shared as widely as possible and try to influence social change. We are working towards this strand being about 45% of our grant-making.
2. Prevention
The AIM Foundation funds core costs of medium sized organisations over a number of years that are competent, responsive and robust and are delivering effective prevention work. We look for opportunities to leverage their effectiveness and spread their impact through replication or scaling up. We often fund ways of improving the knowledge, competencies and support of the practitioners working in their respective fields.
3. Support
Aim supports people who are disadvantaged and small local groups or initiatives through this strand. The focus is on people living in Essex, as this is where AIM’s endowment funds were generated and the Founder Trustees live. The learning from these direct delivery projects to the end beneficiaries helps inform our other grant making.
4. Gifts
Some small grants are awarded at the discretion of individual trustees or family ambassadors. Some of these may be made as a way of researching and learning about new areas of funding. These are included in the full list at the end of the annual report.