The Joseph Rowntree Foundation is one of the largest social policy research and development charities in the UK. It spends about £7 million a year on a research and development programme that seeks to better understand the causes of social difficulties and explore ways of better overcoming them.
The Foundation does not carry out the research in-house, but works in partnership with a large variety of academic and other institutions to achieve its aims. It also engages in practical housing and care work through the Joseph Rowntree Housing Trust. The Foundation places great emphasis on disseminating the findings of its work and engaging with policy-makers and practitioners to develop better policies and practices.