Dukes Foundation grants
Dukes Foundation gives grants typically of £10,000 to £75,000 a year for up to two years, but says its grant programme does not accept unsolicited proposals.
Guidance last checked 16 July 2026· from the funder’s own website
Overview
Dukes Foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals for its main grant programme. It says it will instead identify potential funding partners through its leadership, staff and other stakeholders across the Dukes family. There is one route that has been open to applicants: its Extraordinary Impact initiative. That initiative has run rounds accepting letters of interest and full applications, so check whether one is currently open. Grants typically fall in the range of £10,000 to £75,000 per annum for up to two years. It awards grants to registered charities and organisations that can demonstrate their charitable purposes. Its focus areas run from education and healthcare to environmental conservation and social welfare. It does not give retrospective funding, and organisations with more than nine months' running costs in unrestricted reserves are less likely to receive support.
What they fund
The Charity Commission records general charitable purposes, education and training, overseas aid and other charitable purposes for this foundation.
Who and where
The register records it working throughout England and Wales, with children and young people, other charities and the general public.
Who they help
Where they fund
What Dukes 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 Dukes Foundation will make grants to diverse projects that have the potential to effect lasting change. Our focus areas encompass a wide range of causes, from education and healthcare to environmental conservation and social welfare”
Source: dukesfoundation.org.uk — Our 'Extraordinary Impact' Initiative – Dukes Foundation →
Who they say they'll fund
“The Foundation awards grants to registered charities and organisations that can demonstrate their charitable purposes”
Source: dukesfoundation.org.uk — FAQs – Dukes Foundation →
What they say they won't fund
“The Foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals, but will identify potential funding partners through our leadership, staff and other stakeholders across the Dukes family”
Source: dukesfoundation.org.uk — Our Grant Programme – Dukes Foundation →
“Retrospective funding - grants for a project that has started or been already completed.”
Source: dukesfoundation.org.uk — FAQs – Dukes Foundation →
“organisations with more than nine months' running costs in unrestricted reserves are less likely to receive support”
Source: dukesfoundation.org.uk — FAQs – Dukes Foundation →
Grant sizes they mention
“Our grants typically fall in the range of £10,000 - £75,000 per annum for up to two years.”
Source: dukesfoundation.org.uk — FAQs – Dukes Foundation →
Deadlines they mention
“The 2026 round of our Extraordinary Impact grants is now open for both letters of interest and full applications. Applications should be made by 1st June 2026.”
Source: dukesfoundation.org.uk — Our 'Extraordinary Impact' Initiative – Dukes Foundation →
How they say to apply
“Applicants must first explain how the grant will be used and put forward a strong case for support in a letter of interest. In no more than 500 words”
Source: dukesfoundation.org.uk — Our 'Extraordinary Impact' Initiative – Dukes Foundation →
Their charitable objects
As registered with the Charity Commission (their formal purposes):
To advance in life and help younger people under the age of 25 (but not necessarily restricted to that group) in the UK and overseas through the provision of education and community activities that enable them to participate in society, including but not limited to:-- awarding to such persons scholarships, maintenance…
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 Dukes Foundation typically give?
Its grants typically fall in the range of £10,000 to £75,000 per annum for up to two years. Its Charity Commission entry records £182,684 in grants to organisations in its most recent financial year.
What does Dukes Foundation fund?
It makes grants to diverse projects that have the potential to effect lasting change. Its focus areas encompass a wide range of causes, from education and healthcare to environmental conservation and social welfare.
Who can apply?
For its main grant programme, no one directly: the Foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals, and will identify potential funding partners through its leadership, staff and other stakeholders across the Dukes family. It has separately run rounds of an Extraordinary Impact initiative, open for letters of interest and full applications, so check whether a round is open. Its stated audience is registered charities and organisations that can demonstrate their charitable purposes.
What won't Dukes Foundation fund?
Retrospective funding, meaning grants for a project that has started or been already completed. It also warns that organisations with more than nine months' running costs in unrestricted reserves are less likely to receive support.
How do I apply?
For the Extraordinary Impact initiative, applicants must first explain how the grant will be used and put forward a strong case for support in a letter of interest of no more than 500 words. Its main grant programme is not open to unsolicited proposals, so check whether a round is currently open before spending time on an application. Check the funder's own website (www.dukesfoundation.org.uk) and its Charity Commission entry (charity number 1197007) for current guidance, as processes can change.
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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 Dukes Foundation.