Clore Duffield Foundation grants
The Clore Duffield Foundation supports arts, education and welfare charities in the UK, but says it does not accept unsolicited applications except in occasional programmes.
Guidance last checked 16 July 2026· from the funder’s own website
Overview
The Clore Duffield Foundation supports arts, education and welfare charities in the UK, with a particular focus on engagement and excellence in art, culture and heritage. The first thing to know is that it does not accept unsolicited applications, except within occasional grant programmes announced from time to time. So the useful question is not whether you fit its interests, but whether a programme is currently open. One such programme has been its School Trips Grant, which works with schools from specific priority local authorities in England, namely Blackpool and Cornwall. The Foundation only funds charities registered in the UK, and it does not fund individuals. Trustees decide twice a year, once in summer and once in winter, and applications are required around six weeks before the meeting.
What they fund
The Charity Commission records a broad set of purposes for this foundation, including arts, education, health and the relief of poverty.
Who and where
The register records it working throughout England and Wales with a wide range of groups, including children and young people, people with disabilities and older people.
Who they help
Where they fund
What Clore Duffield Foundation says in its own guidance
Quoted directly from the funder’s own website, with a link to the page each quote came from. Always the most current word is theirs — check the source before you apply.
What they say they're looking for
“The Foundation supports the arts, education and welfare charities in the UK with a particular focus on engagement and excellence in art, culture and heritage.”
Source: cloreduffield.org.uk — Grant Making FAQs | The Clore Duffield Foundation →
Who they say they'll fund
“The Foundation only funds charities registered in the UK. It does not fund individuals.”
Source: cloreduffield.org.uk — Grant Making FAQs | The Clore Duffield Foundation →
“working with schools from specific priority local authorities in England (Blackpool and Cornwall)”
Source: cloreduffield.org.uk — School Trips Grant | The Clore Duffield Foundation →
Grant sizes they mention
“Our donations to fund learning spaces have varied from £40,000, to £2.5m at the very top end for very extensive projects in national museums.”
Source: cloreduffield.org.uk — Clore Duffield Foundation Guidance for CLS applications →
Deadlines they mention
“decisions are made at Trustee meetings which take place just twice a year, once in the summer and once in the winter. Applications will be required around 6 weeks before the meeting.”
Source: cloreduffield.org.uk — Grant Making FAQs | The Clore Duffield Foundation →
How they say to apply
“We do not accept unsolicited applications except within occasional grant programmes that may be announced from time to time.”
Source: cloreduffield.org.uk — Grant Making FAQs | The Clore Duffield Foundation →
“Please do not submit applications in hard copy. Applications must be submitted electronically.”
Source: cloreduffield.org.uk — Grant Making FAQs | The Clore Duffield Foundation →
“for capital projects, please note that we do not fund feasibility studies and if RIBA stages apply, you should have reached at least RIBA Stage 3 before trustees will consider an application”
Source: cloreduffield.org.uk — Grant Making FAQs | The Clore Duffield Foundation →
Their charitable objects
As registered with the Charity Commission (their formal purposes):
To benefit such charities and such charitable purposes as the trustees may determine.
How to approach them
Start with the official sources — they’re always more current than any directory, including this one.
Common questions
How much does the Clore Duffield Foundation give?
It does not publish a general grant range. For one strand of its work, its guidance for learning spaces applications says donations to fund learning spaces have varied from £40,000 to £2.5m at the very top end, for very extensive projects in national museums. That range applies to learning spaces projects, not to its grant-making as a whole. Its Charity Commission entry records £6,261,988 in grants to organisations in its most recent financial year.
What does the foundation fund?
It supports the arts, education and welfare charities in the UK, with a particular focus on engagement and excellence in art, culture and heritage. It has also run a School Trips Grant working with schools from specific priority local authorities in England, which it names as Blackpool and Cornwall.
Who can apply?
The Foundation only funds charities registered in the UK, and it does not fund individuals. It does not accept unsolicited applications except within occasional grant programmes that may be announced from time to time, so check whether a programme is currently open before you spend any time on an application.
What else should we know before applying?
For capital projects it does not fund feasibility studies, and where RIBA stages apply you should have reached at least RIBA Stage 3 before trustees will consider an application. Applications must be submitted electronically, not in hard copy.
How do I apply?
Decisions are made at trustee meetings held just twice a year, once in the summer and once in the winter, with applications required around six weeks before the meeting. Check the funder's own website (www.cloreduffield.org.uk) and its Charity Commission entry (charity number 1084412) for whether a programme is currently open, as processes can change.
Is your charity a fit for Clore Duffield Foundation?
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Contains public sector information from the Charity Commission for England and Wales licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0, and grants data from 360Giving used under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0. Figures are derived (filtered and summarised by TrusteeMeetings), not republished unchanged. About the data · Terms of use. This page is a starting point for your own research, not a promise of funding, and is not endorsed by or affiliated with Clore Duffield Foundation.