Foundation Guide
A Tour of Our Global Community of Giving
The Ignota Foundation has one clear goal: to provide funding for two years of university for at least one child from each comprehensive (state) school in England.
The founder and trustees of the Ignota Foundation are committed to providing financial help without placing an undue sense of indebtedness on the recipient. Unlike traditional scholarships and financial aid programs, the Ignota Foundation remains anonymous during most of the process, based on the belief that “No student should feel beholden to a wealthy benefactor.”
The foundation’s growth strategy is intended to be organic with recipient schools nominating two other schools as part of the process.
The Ignota Foundation does not have a typical scholarship application process. Schools are nominated for the program by other recipient school and the foundation works with the head teacher and head of sixth form to select an underprivileged pupil who would probably not be able to attend university without extensive financial aid. The foundation does not choose candidates based only on academic results. Many of them have overcome personal difficulties, and often they will be the first in their families to even contemplate applying for university.
The school remains an integral part of the selection process at every step. Once an Ignota scholar is chosen, it is the school that delivers the news, not the foundation. Recipients of an Ignota scholarship are not made aware of the source of the donation or the Ignota Foundation until after they have completed their degree
The Ignota Foundation has an elegant scholarship program that funds the first and third years of university. The student is responsible for self-funding the second year of study. Funds are paid anonymously, directly to the university. Each scholarship is subject to the student maintaining and reaching specific academic goals that they have set themselves.
gnota’s first three full scholarships were awarded in 2016 to students from Woodbridge High School in Essex, Malmesbury School in Wiltshire, and Oaks Park High School in Essex. The students chose to attend Goldsmiths University, University of Exeter, and University of Birmingham.
The Ignota Foundation was officially established in 2015. However its founder began granting scholarships privately in 2014. Feeling grateful for his own success, the founder of Ignota set out to make a difference to the lives of other young people in the UK. He built the foundation on the principles of giving and receiving. As such, the foundation strives to give young people the opportunity to succeed without making them feel beholden to anyone. The founder of Ignota has chosen to remain anonymous, as have all of the donors.
The Ignota Foundation was officially established in 2015. However its founder began granting scholarships privately in 2014. Feeling grateful for his own success, the founder of Ignota set out to make a difference to the lives of other young people in the UK. He built the foundation on the principles of giving and receiving. As such, the foundation strives to give young people the opportunity to succeed without making them feel beholden to anyone. The founder of Ignota has chosen to remain anonymous, as have all of the donors.
The foundation is supported by several trustees who work with the schools during the various selection stages and are responsible for monitoring the progress and evaluating the process. Trustees of Ignota Foundation include Harry Blain, founder of art gallery Blain|Southern, educator Ben Yourd and former Christie’s Vice President, Guy Bennett.
