Challenge Partners has been awarded a grant from the Digital Impact Fund to help accelerate the education charity’s digital transformation as it works towards reaching more than half a million children a year by 2027.
Supported by the Permira Foundation and the Social Business Trust, the Digital Impact Fund is investing over £190,000 across seven social enterprise organisations working in education, youth employment and mental health. Challenge Partners and its fellow recipients will use the grants for specific digital or online projects and will also be given access to professional expertise.
For over a decade, Challenge Partners has created practitioner-led programmes and networks that identify and share exceptional practice in schools so that more young people can access an excellent education. Its acclaimed school improvement and leadership development programmes already benefit more than 300,000 pupils a year.
The new award will be used to automate the sign-up and reviewer allocation process of Challenge Partners’ flagship programme, the Quality Assurance Review, a rigorous three-day peer evaluation of schools within its network. This digital automation will significantly cut administration time, allowing the team to expand its focus on content and reviewer training.
Dr Kate Chhatwal, CEO of Challenge Partners, said:
“We’re hugely grateful for the support from the Permira Foundation and the Social Business Trust, through the Digital Impact Fund, in awarding Challenge Partners this grant.
“The money will enable us to harness technology so we can reach at least half a million children each year, reducing education disadvantage and improving life chances for all children.”
Joanne Hay, CEO of the Social Business Trust, added:
“We’re delighted to be working again with the Permira Foundation on the Digital Impact Fund.
“This initiative will improve the online and digital infrastructure of organisations that are all making a positive difference to society. The combination of financial support coupled with professional expertise from our corporate volunteers creates a great springboard for success.”
Olivia Reeves, Director of the Permira Foundation, said:
“The Digital Impact Fund draws on SBT’s unique model and its deep understanding of the social enterprises it supports, ensuring improved efficiencies and greater social impact. The Permira Foundation is proud to be working with SBT again on this truly collaborative initiative.”
Click here to learn more about the Digital Impact Fund.