Frequently Asked Questions - Funding

The Foundation has a clear mandate from its Trustees as to what can and cannot be funded.

Funding is provided strictly to non-profit initiatives that fall within one or more of the four broad themes that the Foundation focuses on in education and technology. For more information on these thematic areas, please see the relevant areas on this website.


The Shuttleworth Foundation understands and appreciates the great need for bursaries in South Africa but carries a mandate that prevents it from providing for them. Instead, funding is focused on driving change, innovation and policy reform in the areas of education and technology.

No, the Foundation will only consider funding for non-profit initiatives. Entrepreneurs with proposed for-profit projects should visit the HBD Venture Capital website

This nature of funding falls outside of the scope of the Foundation's mandate. Schools may visit the Department of Basic Education website for the contact details of their provincial office or call the DOE hotline on 0800 202 933. Links to other interested parties can also be found on the DOE website.

Back to top