SMF invests £0.5 million in next phase of Everton in the Community partnership

For a child struggling in school, the challenge is rarely just attendance. It might be poor mental health, family pressures, unmet special educational needs, concerns about safety, or uncertainty about what comes next after school. This is why we have backed Everton in the Community with a further £488,554 of funding, which will support around 2,800 children, young people and their families in the Liverpool City Region through to March 2027.

The investment will enable EitC to further embed its powerful Community Impact Model in North Liverpool, South Sefton, Speke, Garston and Knowsley, creating clearer routes to vital support and helping children and families access help earlier.

The grant will also support the ongoing development of our strategic partnership with Everton in the Community, helping us achieve even greater impact together in the future.

Sue Gregory, Chief Executive of Everton in the Community, said:

“Children and families need support that is connected, consistent and built around real life. This investment allows us to bring our education, wellbeing, family support, employability and SEND programmes together through one Community Impact Model, helping more people access the right support at the right time and creating stronger and positive pathways into the future.”

Paul O’Neill, Deputy CEO at the Steve Morgan Foundation, said:

“Everton in the Community has shown what can happen when trusted local organisations are given the time and stability to do their best work. This funding will help create a more joined-up model of support for children, young people and families, while strengthening our strategic partnership for the years ahead.”

Everton in the Community is the official charity of Everton Football Club, delivering trusted support in communities experiencing persistent social disadvantage for almost 40 years. Since 2019, the Steve Morgan Foundation has invested more than £8 million in EitC, helping young people and families access opportunities that improve educational outcomes, health and wellbeing, build aspirations, and find routes into employment.

Communications and Impact Manager

Shape the voice of one of the UK’s leading family foundations.

The Steve Morgan Foundation is seeking a Comms and Impact Manager – this is a new role.

2 days / 16 hours per week (can be worked flexibly across the week)
£50,000 full-time equivalent, £20,000 actual
Based at Bridgemere House, Preston Brook, Cheshire, WA7 3BD
Permanent

Since 2001, our total investment and impact has passed £500 million and we are now delivering a five-year, £100 million commitment from 2025 to 2030. We invest in communities across Merseyside, North Wales, Cheshire west of the M6 and North Shropshire for the long term. We back organisations tackling the root causes of social disadvantage, not just the symptoms. We also partner with others to fund the global race to cure Type 1 Diabetes.

We want someone in-house who can shape and protect our voice, tell strong stories about our work, and help us communicate the difference that long-term funding can make.

You would shape our voice across everything we publish: website content, LinkedIn, grant announcements, speeches, reports and partner communications. You would also lead our relationship with a retained national communications agency, making sure its campaign and media work meet the standards we expect. You will be comfortable balancing strategic judgment with hands-on writing, and confident challenging agencies, colleagues and partners when something is not good enough.

This exciting new role is deliberately designed around two days a week. It is not a full-time role squeezed into part-time hours. A key part of the job is deciding what stays in-house and what goes to the agency, and we will back your judgment.

You will have:

A track record of strategic communications in the charity, public or philanthropy sector
Experience of owning an organisation’s voice rather than executing someone else’s.
Experience of commissioning and directing an agency and external suppliers, including writing briefs, agreeing scope, and holding delivery to a standard.
A track record of high-quality written communications.
A genuine interest in the communities, causes and issues SMF supports.

The role reports to the Deputy CEO and it is based at Bridgemere House. Read the full job description below:

Communications and Impact Manager – JD

To apply:

Please send a CV and attach a covering letter to jobs@stevemorganfoundation.org.uk by 23:59 on Sunday 6 September 2026. In your covering letter, tell us how you would approach your first three months, and what you would choose not to do. You’re welcome to use AI to help prepare your application but we’re interested in your original thinking. Make sure your covering letter reflects your own judgment, experience and approach.

First interviews are on 10 and 11 September 2026 and second-stage interviews are on 16 and 17 September 2026. If you need reasonable adjustments during the application or interview process, please tell us when you apply.

We are not using a recruitment agency. If you know someone the role would suit, we would be grateful if you passed it on. We welcome applications from people with different backgrounds and experiences who can bring the skills and judgment this role needs.

Operations Manager

Run the systems behind our five-year, £100 million commitment

The Steve Morgan Foundation has a vacancy for an experience Operations Manager

Full time
£40,000
Based at Bridgemere House, Preston Brook, Cheshire, WA7 3BD
Permanent

Since 2001, our total investment and impact has passed £500 million. We are now delivering a five-year, £100 million commitment from 2025 to 2030. We invest in communities across Merseyside, North Wales, Cheshire west of the M6 and North Shropshire for the long term. We back organisations tackling the root causes of social disadvantage, not just the symptoms. We also partner with others to fund the global race to cure Type 1 Diabetes.

Behind every grant, partnership and investment is the operational work that makes it possible. The Operations Manager leads that work.

You would own the systems, processes and governance behind the Foundation’s activity, including grant administration and payments, finance processes, IT, Board support, statutory filings, supplier contracts and our grants management platform, Plinth.

You would also help us make intelligent use of technology, including finding routine tasks we can automate so the team has more time for work that needs judgment and expertise.

The role is wide and varied – in an organisation of our size, one person leads the whole operational function. The right person will enjoy that breadth and responsibility.

Our Office Manager is leaving at the end of August and responsibilities will be covered across the team until this post is filled. That means there will be systems and processes to understand, improve and strengthen in your first few months.

We are looking for someone who has carried significant operational responsibility in a small organisation and who has built or substantially improved systems rather than simply maintained them.

You do not need an accounting qualification nor experience of Plinth. Strong candidates may come from charities, small businesses, professional services firms or other organisations where broad operational responsibility sits with a small number of people.

Importantly, you will also have an interest in the communities, causes and issues SMF supports.

The role reports to the Chief Executive. Read and download the full job description below:

Operations Manager for SMF – Job Description

To apply:

Please send a CV and attach a covering letter to jobs@stevemorganfoundation.org.uk by 23:59 on Sunday 6 September 2026.

In your covering letter, tell us about an operational improvement you led and what changed as a result. You’re welcome to use AI to help prepare your application. But we’re interested in your thinking, not a tool’s. Make sure your covering letter reflects your own judgement, experience and approach.

First interviews will take place at Bridgemere House on 10 and 11 September 2026. Second-stage interviews are on 16 and 17 September 2026. If you need reasonable adjustments during the application or interview process, please tell us when you apply.

Steve receives honorary degree from the University of Exeter

Steve Morgan joined new University of Exeter graduates this summer to receive an Honorary Doctorate of Laws.

Our Founder and Chairman was selected to be part of the class of 2026 for his outstanding achievements in business leadership and philanthropy, particularly for the impact his support has had in type 1 diabetes research through the Type 1 Diabetes Grand Challenge. In her speech Professor Sarah Richardson – a Senior Research Fellow at the university – said that what sets Steve apart is not only the scale of his giving, but the way he gives. His approach is as energetic as his approach to business: hands-on, thoughtful, and deeply personal.

Steve accepted the honorary degree alongside other prominent figures, 6,760 graduates and 15,000 guests.

Steve said:

“I am honoured and deeply grateful to receive this Honorary Degree of Laws from the University of Exeter. To be recognised by such a distinguished institution is a great source of pride. It is also a reflection of the remarkable people I have worked alongside over the years, both in business and in philanthropy. I firmly believe that business, at its best, is a force for good which has enabled me to give back to others less fortunate. The true measure of success lies not just in what we build for ourselves, but in what we create for others.”

In her letter to Steve, Professor Lisa Roberts, President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Exeter wrote:

“Your entrepreneurial vision and commitment to excellence have left a lasting mark on the construction industry and on communities across the country whilst your philanthropic work through the Steve Morgan Foundation has been truly exceptional.

“It would be a privilege for the University of Exeter to celebrate your achievements and contributions through the conferment of an Honorary Doctorate of Laws.”

Building skills, confidence and opportunity through football

Our Founder and Chairman, Steve Morgan CBE, sent a video message to 50 young people as they graduated from the Wrexham AFC Foundation Young Leaders programme. Drawing on his own path into business, he spoke about the setbacks he faced, the opportunities he took and the lessons he learned along the way. His message was simple: resilience, ambition and hard work create opportunity.

The Young Leaders programme inspires young people, provides personal development opportunities and offers career pathways through the power of football.

We support the programme because it helps young people develop the skills, confidence and experience they need to thrive. Using football as a platform, Young Leaders can build leadership skills, gain coaching qualifications and explore future career pathways.

At the graduation ceremony, Wrexham AFC first-team managers Phil Parkinson and Jenny Sugarman presented awards recognising the group’s contribution to their local communities over the past season. Participants also shared the work they had completed throughout the year, including event plans, session delivery and coaching qualifications.

Speaking about the programme, Parkinson said:

“I think it’s very important, for youngsters, for their own personal development, to go out and show leadership qualities and to develop those social skills of interacting with people of all different ages.”

Earlier in the day, the achievements of the Primary Dragons Captains (another initiative supported by the Steve Morgan Foundation) were also celebrated. The programme supports Year 5 and Year 6 pupils to promote play, inclusion, youth voice and community engagement within their schools.

The Captains came together to mark their achievements before taking part in a football session. They were then joined by Wrexham AFC Women’s player Lili Jones, who presented awards and took part in a Q&A, sharing her experiences of leadership on and off the pitch.

New £500,000 partnership with Generation UK

Young people across the Liverpool City Region who face barriers to work, with no clear route into growing sectors, are about to get a direct path into digital, healthcare and green skills jobs.

We’ve committed £500,000 over three years to Generation UK through our Regional Grants programme. The partnership will support 300 young people across the Combined Authority with training, employer connections and ongoing support to secure sustainable careers, with initial programmes focused on high-growth sectors including digital, healthcare and green skills.

Generation UK has supported more than 4,000 people into employment nationally since 2019, with strong long-term outcomes.

Michael Houlihan, Generation UK CEO, said:

“We’re excited to partner with the Steve Morgan Foundation. Together, we can help more people overcome barriers to work, access opportunities in growing sectors and build meaningful careers. We know that people often do not have the skills employers need or expect. But we look forward to building programmes in collaboration with partners here in Liverpool City Region that address this, and supporting hundreds of people into life-changing jobs and careers.”

Our Development Director, Paul O’Neill, said:

“Good employment changes lives. As part of our wider commitment to improving employment opportunities across the region, we’re delighted to be partnering with Generation UK. Their proven model helps young people facing barriers to work gain the skills, confidence and connections needed to secure sustainable careers, while supporting employers to access diverse talent.”

This grant is also supported by UBS Optimus Foundation. Our strategic partnership with them brings additional philanthropic funding and expertise into the region.

The partnership also aligns with the ambitions of the Milburn Review, which highlights the importance of the right level of support for people facing complex barriers, and training tailored to in-demand skills and live job opportunities with local employers. Generation’s delivery model is built around exactly that. Through this investment, we aim to connect more young people to sustainable employment while supporting inclusive growth across the region.

A further £6 million committed to LFC Foundation

The Steve Morgan Foundation has committed a further £6 million to Liverpool Football Club’s official charity, the LFC Foundation, through an ambitious new five-year partnership to tackle deep-rooted inequalities across the Liverpool City Region and create lasting change for children, young people, families and communities.

The agreement takes our total funding contribution to more than £10 million over the course of a decade, making us the LFC Foundation’s largest sole funder.

The expanded partnership and ambitious scale-up will support a fully integrated programme across education, wellbeing, employability and community development, designed to deliver measurable, long-term regional impact. The funding will also continue to support the LFC Foundation’s 11 community hubs across the region, which work to reduce isolation, tackle food insecurity and create opportunities for local communities. At the heart of the partnership is a shared commitment to place-based change, with a strengthened focus on Anfield alongside wider work across the Liverpool City Region.

Steve Morgan said:

“As a local lad and lifelong Liverpool supporter, it’s incredibly rewarding to support the club’s charitable work in such a meaningful way.

“Taking our support beyond £10 million and becoming the Foundation’s largest funder is a milestone I’m proud of, but the real measure of success is the opportunities created, communities strengthened, and lives changed.

“The LFC Foundation team does exceptional work, often behind the scenes, and this latest £6 million commitment backs them to have an even greater impact.”

Matt Parish, Chief Executive of the LFC Foundation, added:

“The partnership between the LFC Foundation and the Steve Morgan Foundation has already made a profound difference to thousands of lives across the Liverpool City Region.

“I can’t thank and praise Steve, Sally and everyone at the Steve Morgan Foundation enough for their support and belief in our work. This latest commitment is a significant milestone for our partnership and will enable us to work towards achieving our ambitions plans to support half a million people per season by 2030.”

Photo caption (L-R): Chris Kirkland – LFC Foundation Community Ambassador, Jonathan Bamber – LFC Chief Legal & External Affairs Office and LFC Foundation Board member, Matt Parish – LFC Foundation CEO, Steve Morgan – Steve Morgan Foundation Chair of Trustees, Brian Clark – Steve Morgan Foundation Trustee, Paul O’Neill Steve Morgan Foundation Development Director, Laura Weston – LFC Foundation Trustee, Sammy Lee – LFC Legend).

Maggie’s Liverpool breaks ground

Our third Maggie’s Centre has broken ground and is on track to open in 2027.

Thanks to £5million from the Foundation, Maggie’s Liverpool is now a big step closer to supporting people with cancer, as well as their family and friends, from across Merseyside.

The centre will be the second Maggie’s in Merseyside; Maggie’s Wirral, also funded by the Steve Morgan Foundation, opened in the grounds of Clatterbridge Cancer Centre – Wirral in September 2021. We also funded the Maggie’s centre in North Wales which opened in September 2025. The new Liverpool centre is being built close to the new Royal Liverpool University Hospital and Clatterbridge Cancer Centre – Liverpool.

The official groundbreaking event at the new site was attended by the Lord Mayor and High Sheriff of Merseyside.

All three Maggie’s Centres have been completely commissioned, designed and funded by the Foundation helping to bring free practical, psychological and emotional support to people with cancer from across the region.

Steve Morgan said:

“We are delighted to see the build phase of the new Maggie’s centre get underway – a step closer to bringing vital cancer support to the people of Liverpool.

This is our third Maggie’s centre in the region and a perfect example of the power of partnership and the difference it makes to our communities.”

Dame Laura Lee, Chief Executive of Maggie’s said:

“It is wonderful to start work on our centre in Liverpool today thanks to the ongoing generosity of the Steve Morgan Foundation and their commitment to commissioning, designing, building and funding three centres in the northwest of the UK.

“It is a truly phenomenal act of philanthropy which will ensure thousands of people will be supported.

“I am greatly looking forward to working closely once again with the Steve Morgan Foundation, and NHS University Hospitals of Liverpool Group and The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre’s Liverpool hospital to ensure the people of Merseyside living with cancer have the support they need at what is possibly the hardest time of their lives.”

Photo caption (L-R): Dame Laura Lee DBE Maggie’s Chief Executive, Tori Young Chief Operating Officer The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre NHS Foundation Trust, centre visitor Rachael Mountford, Steve Morgan CBE with his wife Sally and Chris Wynne, Managing Director of Wynne Construction.

Steve Morgan Foundation leads on Ministerial visit

On Friday 3 July, the Steve Morgan Foundation welcomed the Minister for Sport, Tourism, Civil Society and Youth, Stephanie Peacock to Merseyside for an afternoon of discussion, knowledge-share and insights.

Initiated by SMF trustee Sally Morgan, the visit highlighted the power of partnerships in transforming opportunities for young people and explored how the Foundation’s partnership approach is a powerful blueprint for the Impact Economy.

The visit was hosted by SMF strategic partner, OnSide at its Hive Youth Zone in Birkenhead.

The Minister heard from young people directly about what the Hive means to them, before joining a roundtable chaired by the Foundation’s CEO Liam Eaglestone, plus representatives from our strategic partners, Right to Succeed, Liverpool FC Foundation and Everton in the Community, together with the Department for Culture Media and Sport, Kindred and the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority. They discussed their aligned approach to tackling the root issues of social disadvantage through collaborative action and how this model of community-led investment can be grown and replicated across the country.

Steve Morgan said:

“We’ve been funding work in our region for over 25 years, and we know we need more longer-term partnership funding to make a bigger difference. We were delighted to welcome the Minister to the Hive to talk together about the impact our funding has made to improve the life chances for children, young people and families. We stand ready to continue our work with local, regional and national government.”

Minister for Sport, Tourism, Civil Society and Youth Stephanie Peacock said:

“What I’ve seen in Merseyside is philanthropy at its very best: generous, rooted in collaboration with local partners to maximise investment, and a shared focus on giving young people the chances they deserve. It is clear that when government, local partners and philanthropists work together, the results are transformative.

“This kind of partnership model demonstrates exactly what we want to champion and celebrate. We want to make these partnerships easier to form in different places across the country, and at all levels of government – so that every young person, wherever they grow up, has more access to the opportunities they need to thrive.”

SMF’s development director, Paul O’Neill will brief a wider group of MPs on the Foundation’s work in Westminster on Monday 13 July.

Photo credit: Lindy Rogers Photography

25th Anniversary Conference and Awards picture gallery

At the Steve Morgan Foundation Conference and Awards 2026 we celebrated 25 years of changing lives for good. It was fantastic to bring our partners and sector experts together to highlight the amazing work we have achieved together and share how we plan to shape the future of philanthropy.

Thanks to Lindy Rogers Photography for perfectly capturing the day – below is a selection of our favourite images.

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Coping with Diabetes – SMF announces additional £280,000 funding

As part of our investment into type 1 diabetes research and wellbeing, we are delighted to announce a further £280,000 of funding to Breakthrough T1D and DigiBete to expand their Coping with Diabetes online tool, significantly expanding personalised mental health support for children and young people living with type 1 diabetes across the UK.

Coping with Diabetes is a digital psychology resource co‑created by Breakthrough T1D and DigiBete and housed within the existing NHS‑funded, award-winning DigiBete app, with all resources clinically approved at Leeds Children’s Hospital Diabetes Team, part of Leeds Teaching Hospital Trust.

Designed specifically for children and young people with type 1 diabetes, the tool offers age‑appropriate films, animations and interactive activities to help users understand and manage the emotional impact of the condition. It is available free through the NHS to everyone under‑25 living with type 1 diabetes across the UK.

Thanks to the investment from the Steve Morgan Foundation, Coping with Diabetes will be expanded to include:

Personalised user journeys
Integrated emotional wellbeing screening.
Faster, easier access to support
Data‑driven service improvement

Hilary Nathan, Director of Policy & Community Engagement at Breakthrough T1D said: ”Children and young people living with type 1 diabetes carry a substantial psychological burden. This investment will strengthen Coping with Diabetes, enabling young people and their families to recognise when they are struggling and access the right support sooner and make everyday life more manageable for young people living with T1D.”

Maddie Julian, co-founder of DigiBete said: “It’s with huge thanks to the Steve Morgan Foundation that we are able to support young people with the next phase of this vital work and give young people the support they deserve, exactly when they need it. Personalised journeys, faster access to help, and data that drives real improvement all working together to make living with diabetes a little easier.”

Liam Eaglestone, CEO of the Steve Morgan Foundation said: “Mental health and diabetes are more connected than people often realise. This investment is about making sure the tools that help young people with T1D are genuinely personal and genuinely useful, not just available. The Steve Morgan Foundation is proud to back Breakthrough T1D and DigiBete to make that happen.”

Celebrating 25 years of investment and impact

The Steve Morgan Foundation 25^th Anniversary Conference and Awards celebrated 25 years of changing lives for good through £0.5 billion of investment and impact delivered since 2001.

Held at Carden Park Hotel on Monday 18^th May, the milestone event was all about celebrating partnerships and building the future of philanthropy through collaboration. The conference featured inspiring keynote speeches, an interview with Steve and Sally Morgan, and workshops packed with shared learning and solution-focused discussion – all bringing our new strategy to life.

Dame Julia Cleverdon DCVO, CBE, Chair of the National Lottery Community Fund, perfectly summed up the learnings from the day:

Successful partnerships are driven by acting with both head and heart
Positive change happens when we deliver with pace, attack and determination
Working collaboratively towards a shared outcome creates the biggest impact – those on the front line working with delivery partners, funders and metro mayors
Innovation comes from diverse voices in our communities
The importance of young people gaining a voice to influence

From collaboration to celebration

Following the conference, an awards celebration, hosted by Peter McDowall, Lead Presenter at LFCTV, shone a spotlight on the work of the Foundation over the last 25 years.

Congratulations to our award finalists – those that have made the biggest difference to their communities through their work with the Foundation – who were all celebrated as winners on the evening:

Long Term Impact Award

Overall winner – OnSide

Winner – Maggie’s

Winner – Type 1 Diabetes Grand Challenge

Innovation Award

Overall winner – Right to Succeed/Cradle to Career

Winner – Together Type 1

Winner – Angels Connect/SACN

Inspirational Leadership Award

Overall winner – Lee Pennington, Open Door Charity

Winner – Bev Morgan, Koala North West

Winner – Gaynor McKeown, DASU and RASASC

Partnership Excellence Award

Overall winner – Brighter Futures Rhyl

Winner – Everton in the Community

Winner – LFC Foundation

Lifetime Achievement Award

Special thanks and acknowledgement went to our Founder and Chair of Trustees, Steve Morgan CBE, without whom none of this fantastic work would have been possible. Steve was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award; and messages of thanks from strategic partners, footballing celebrities, friends and family were played to end the evening’s celebrations.

“It’s been a privilege to work alongside our fantastic partners and I’m humbled and proud of what’s been achieved over 25 years. But if anything, it makes me more determined to do more.” Steve Morgan