Our Funders & Partners
Meet Our Funders
The National Lottery Community Fund is one of the UK’s largest community funders. It distributes money raised by National Lottery players to charities, community groups, and local projects, supporting people-led activities that help communities thrive, improve wellbeing, strengthen social connections, and address local needs.
Mott MacDonald is a global engineering, management, and development consultancy. It plans, designs, delivers, and maintains infrastructure across transport, energy, water, buildings, defence, and wider public services, helping clients solve complex challenges and create benefits for communities. KORI partners with Mott MacDonald to deliver two industry labs for young people annually. Through this partnership, Mott MacDonald and KORI were named winners of the Social Value Initiative of the Year at the 2025 Construction News Workforce Awards.
The Akamai Foundation is Akamai Technologies’ corporate foundation. It supports KORI’s mission to promote equal access to quality STEM education, with a particular focus on mathematics, digital inclusion, and widening diversity in the technology sector. KORI receives grants that help young people, especially K–12 learners, develop skills and pathways into future technology careers.
Big Give is a UK charity and online match-funding platform that helps charities raise more money by doubling public donations during fundraising campaigns. It connects charities with match funders, philanthropists, and supporters, running campaigns such as the Christmas Challenge to increase giving and support social impact. Big Give helps raise money for the core needs of KORI’s projects.
The Jack Petchey Foundation is a London and Essex youth grant-maker that supports young people aged 11–25. It enables KORI to recognise achievement and build the potential of young people who attend its weekly hubs through funding. These funds allow young people to access cultural opportunities, lead on choosing trips, activities, and equipment for the space, and support the creation of new projects.
The Rank Foundation is a UK grant-making charity that supports communities, leaders, and social-sector organisations. It focuses on developing leadership, encouraging enterprise, and building strong networks to tackle social challenges, improve lives, and support young people and disadvantaged communities across the UK. The Rank Foundation has provided KORI with funding for succession planning, transition support, and a Time to Shine fundraising lead. KORI has also received valuable learning opportunities and is proud to be a member of the co-learning space at Old Street.
Sport England is a government body responsible for growing grassroots sport and helping more people in England become physically active. It provides funding, research, guidance, and support to local clubs, organisations, and communities, with a focus on reducing inequalities and removing barriers to participation. Sport England provides funding that allows KORI to develop the Castle Climbing Project.
Meet Our Partners
To strengthen the foundations for youth, we team up with a diverse network of partners. These are organisations and individuals who share our vision, value grassroots connections with young people, and for whom we bring a wealth of experience in youth work. Together, we’re building stronger foundations for all young people to thrive.
Akamai Technologies is a global technology company providing cybersecurity, cloud computing and content delivery network services. It helps businesses build, deliver and protect digital experiences, supporting online services such as banking, gaming, video, e-commerce and remote learning. KORI partners with Akami to deliver two industry labs for young people annually. KORI also trains Akami’s volunteer in industry mentoring.
Bransford Court Farm is a welcoming community farm near Worcester, offering people opportunities to reconnect with nature, learn practical rural skills, volunteer, grow produce and improve wellbeing. It provides activities for schools, community groups and visitors, including nature-based learning, events and rural experiences. KORI partners with Bransford Court Farm to create a functional residential campsite that would serve young people and the local community for years to come.
KORI has been part of The Black Mental Health and Wellbeing Alliance. It is an initiative focused on improving culturally appropriate support for Black communities. It promotes awareness, healing, advocacy and better access to services, while challenging racial inequalities within mental health care.
BAYO is a UK online directory and community resource created by and for the Black community to support mental health and wellbeing. Developed by Efficacy EVA and hosted by The Ubele Initiative, with partners including Mind and YoungMinds, it connects people to culturally relevant organisations, collectives, services and events across the UK. BAYO provides culturally appropriate signposting for KORI.
The Castle Climbing Centre is a Hackney-based indoor climbing centre located in a converted Victorian water pumping station. It offers roped climbing, bouldering, training facilities, and community garden, while promoting climbing as a welcoming community activity with a strong sustainability focus. KORI partners with Castle Climbing to provide access to weekly physical activity and socialisation for marginalised young people.
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Efficacy EVA is a Community Interest Company and consultancy/training organisation. It works with individuals, civil society organisations, governments and businesses to address social challenges through knowledge-sharing, co-created practice and community-focused solutions, including work connected to Black mental health, menopause support and wider wellbeing, enabling partnership on a range of projects.
Global Generation is a London-based educational charity working with children, young people, residents, schools and businesses in Camden, Islington and Southwark. It co-creates urban gardens and nature-based learning activities to improve wellbeing, build community connections and support environmentally responsible communities. KORI partners with Global Generation to deliver projects that involve environmental learning.
The Intern Group is a London-founded provider of international, domestic and remote internship programmes. It supports students, graduates and early-career professionals to gain global work experience, build confidence, develop professional skills and explore career interests across different industries and locations. Through this partnership, KORI have hosted more than 30 international interns, both remotely and in-person.
Islington Virtual School is a council service that supports the education and life chances of children in care, care leavers, previously looked-after children, children with a social worker, and those in kinship care. It advises schools, carers, and professionals to improve attendance, attainment, Personal Education Plans, and progression into education, employment, or training. KORI has delivered two Vessel UK projects for Islington Virtual School students, taking one group to The Gambia and another to Namibia.
LIFEbeat is a UK youth charity that supports young people’s emotional wellbeing, confidence and personal development. It runs creative residential camps, mentoring and youth leadership activities for 14–18-year-olds, including young people facing disadvantage. KORI have signposted young people to LIFEbeat’s summer programme for over 20 years.
London Youth is a long-established charity that supports and strengthens youth organisations across London. Working with a network of around 600 members, it provides programmes, funding, training and outdoor residential opportunities so young people can build confidence, skills, wellbeing and positive futures. As a member of London Youth, KORI receive funding, training, leadership learning, and quality marks that help KORI achieve its goals.
Making Education a Priority is a Manchester-based community interest company and consortium supporting education and community development. It brings together organisations including Twilight Academy, Nurturing Foundations, MaCTRI, Highway Hope and G.I.F.T. to improve educational opportunities and support local communities. Though this partnership, KORI are able to signpost young people in accessing support for education.
Motive Productions is a London-based creative production company working across film, photography, and digital media. It supports storytelling, visual content, and creative projects, including work involving young people and community organisations. Motive Productions partners with KORI and Akamai to deliver two annual industry labs on the creative industries for young people.
The Rugby Black List is a UK initiative that celebrates Black achievement in rugby union, both on and off the pitch. It highlights Black players, coaches, volunteers, administrators, and leaders, aiming to increase visibility, recognise role models, and inspire future generations across community, pathway, and elite rugby. Founded by KORI’s CEO, Sagan Daniels, the Rugby Black List is supported by KORI through the amplification of young people in rugby.
Tutors United is a UK education charity that provides community-based tutoring for state school pupils, especially those facing barriers to learning. It hires, trains, and pays university students as tutors, supporting children’s academic attainment, confidence, and transition to secondary school, while also helping student tutors develop employability skills. KORI partners with Tutors United to deliver tutoring support for young people, as well as to co-create, develop, and deliver the S.T.E.A.M Ahead Project.
The Ubele Initiative is an African diaspora-led organisation that supports Black and Minoritised communities in the UK. It works with community leaders, groups, and organisations to strengthen sustainability, resilience, and voice through leadership development, capacity support, enterprise, and asset development, aiming to drive social and economic change. The Ubele Initiative provides training and networking opportunities for KORI.
