Family foundations have significantly increased their giving to £1.4bn, showing resilience in a year when their actual wealth substantially declined in real terms, according to research released today.  

The top 100 family foundations in the UK gave £1.4bn in 2008/2009, up by 40 per cent on 2005/2006 levels, according to figures in the Family Foundation Giving Trends 2010 report.

Family foundations demonstrated a willingness to maintain giving levels despite their own financial difficulties, according to the report which found that the largest foundations saw a real terms drop of 12 per cent in their asset values in 2008/2009, but their giving only fell by 0.2 per cent.

The Wellcome Trust was by far the most generous of all family foundations, expending £681m over the financial year. The next top four were the Gatsby Charitable Foundation, giving away £50m, followed by the Leverhulme Trust, Wolfson Foundation and Monument Trust.

Trevor Pears, executive chair of Pears Foundation which collaborated on the research, issued a challenge to wealthy individuals to follow the family foundation model. “The top 100 foundations set an example of what passion, commitment and strategic thought can achieve, but that’s not enough. We  need hundreds more foundations and many more initiatives which show philanthropy working at its best,” he said.

“We are calling on the wealthiest individuals and families in the UK to be inspired, step up and usher in a new age of long term, committed giving.”

The report, produced by the ESRC Centre for Charitable Giving and Philanthropy in collaboration with the Pears Foundation, is the third report in a series that observes the giving patterns of family-run foundations.