Joseph Rowntree Foundation

The Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) is a charity that conducts and funds research aimed at solving poverty in the UK. JRF's stated aim is to "inspire action and change that will create a prosperous UK without poverty."

Originally called the Joseph Rowntree Village Trust, it was founded by English businessman Joseph Rowntree in 1904. Rowntree, a Quaker, was a long-standing philanthropist and with his brother developed a confectionery company, Rowntree's. He established the foundation in order to investigate the root causes of social problems. In its current form, the foundation works with private, public and voluntary sectors, as well as impoverished people. It is politically neutral and independent from all UK political parties.