David Forbes-nixon Family Charitable Foundation

Charity Number: 1155919

Annual Expenditure: £0.6M

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £595,604 (2024 expenditure)
  • Total Income: £319,012 (2024)
  • Grant Range: £200,000+ for major partnerships
  • Geographic Focus: National (UK)
  • Application Method: No public application process - trustee discretion/invitation only
  • Number of Trustees: 7

Contact Details

Charity Number: 1155919

Company Number: 08906571

Website: https://dfnfoundation.org/

Note: The foundation currently has sizeable commitments and is not accepting grant applications.

Overview

The David Forbes-Nixon Family Charitable Foundation was established in 2014 by David Forbes-Nixon OBE, a philanthropist who created the foundation following his mother's death from myeloma in 2008. The foundation operates as both a grant-making charity and an initiator of charitable projects, working across four key pillars: disability education, disability employment, myeloma cancer research, and wildlife conservation. With total expenditure of £595,604 in 2024, the foundation takes a strategic, hands-on approach - either partnering with established organizations where they can add value, or creating and growing new charities to address gaps in provision. David Forbes-Nixon was awarded an OBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours 2021 for services to people with disabilities. In November 2024, the foundation appointed Philippa Charles, former director of the Garfield Weston Foundation, to lead the organization into a “bold new chapter.”

Funding Priorities

Major Grant Recipients and Partnerships

Myeloma UK - £1 million over 5 years (2019-2024)

  • Established the Jacquelin Forbes-Nixon Fellowship at the Institute of Cancer Research
  • Named in memory of the founder's mother
  • Supports high-risk and aggressive myeloma research
  • Inaugural fellowship held by Dr Martin Kaiser at ICR
  • Funded the OPTIMUM trial for ultra-high-risk myeloma patients

Snowdon Trust Partnership

  • Up to 6 DFN Snowdon Master's Scholarships available annually
  • For students with disabilities aiming for positions in business leadership, government, or policy
  • Partnership extends the reach of the Snowdon Trust's scholarship programme

Butterfly Conservation

  • Sponsorship of the Big Butterfly Count
  • Focus on ensuring survival of British butterfly species
  • Increasing public awareness of butterfly conservation

Charitable Organizations Founded/Established by the Foundation

DFN Project SEARCH (Charity 1183834)

  • Founded in 2018 as an independent national charity
  • Enables young adults with learning disabilities and/or autism to secure meaningful employment
  • As of 2024: 2,200 young adults placed into jobs
  • The foundation continues to provide strategic guidance and support

Undershaw Education Trust/Stepping Stones School

  • Foundation purchased the derelict Undershaw site in September 2014 for £800,000
  • Raised £1.5 million for restoration and fit-out by March 2016
  • World-class special needs school for children with hemiplegia, physical, medical, anxiety, and autism
  • Foundation funded the Progression Coach role and created an Employability and Life Skills Faculty

DFN MoveForward Programme (concluded April 2024)

  • 5-year programme developed in partnership with ThinkForward
  • School and college-based employability training
  • Results: 84 adults transitioned into employment pathways (64 full-time, 20 part-time)
  • Facilitated 90 young adults in accessing supported internships

Priority Areas

  1. Disability Employment - Creating pathways to meaningful employment for young people with learning disabilities and autism
  2. Disability Education - Supporting world-class special needs education provision
  3. Myeloma Research - Funding research into high-risk and aggressive forms of myeloma cancer
  4. Wildlife Conservation - Supporting British wildlife and endangered species conservation

What They Don't Fund

The foundation does not accept unsolicited applications. Their funding approach is highly strategic:

  • They focus on issues they understand personally (often connected to the founder's family experience)
  • They identify clear gaps in provision
  • They work where their funding, skills, and resources can add significant value
  • They prefer either establishing new organizations or forming strategic partnerships with existing charities
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Governance and Leadership

Current Leadership (as of November 2024)

Philippa Charles - Director (joined November 2024)

  • Formerly spent 16 years as director of the Garfield Weston Foundation
  • Appointed to lead the foundation into a “bold new chapter”

Kevin Horne - CEO of DFN Charitable Foundation and DFN Project Search (appointed 2024)

David Forbes-Nixon OBE - Founder and Chairman

  • Awarded OBE in Queen's Birthday Honours 2021 for services to people with disabilities
  • Created the foundation following his mother's death from myeloma in 2008
  • Quote: “I am truly humbled by all the people who helped turn vision into positive outcomes for so many people. My real intention with this charity was quite simple - try to make a positive difference, especially for those whose voices have not been well heard.”

Board of Trustees/Directors

  1. David Forbes-Nixon - Chairman, Founder
  2. James David Laurence Dickson - Investment Manager
  3. Eric William Low - Chief Executive
  4. Nicola Christine Brentnall - Trustee
  5. Simon Nicholas Konsta - Solicitor
  6. David Charles Neil Tosh - Trustee
  7. Philippa Charles - Director (joined 2024)

The board includes 7 trustees, none of whom receive remuneration from the charity. The foundation employs 1 staff member earning between £70,000-£80,000.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

The David Forbes-Nixon Family Charitable Foundation does not have a public application process.

According to their website, the foundation “currently has sizeable commitments and is not accepting grant applications.”

Their funding is awarded through:

  • Trustee discretion - The board identifies causes and organizations aligned with their strategic priorities
  • Invitation only - The foundation approaches organizations they wish to partner with
  • Founder-led initiatives - Many projects originate from the founder's personal experience and vision

Getting on Their Radar

The foundation has made specific strategic partnerships with organizations in their four priority areas. Their approach includes:

Strategic Partnerships: The foundation seeks established organizations where they can add significant value beyond funding - including skills, resources, and strategic guidance. The Snowdon Trust partnership demonstrates they will collaborate with well-established charities in their focus areas.

Sector Events: David Forbes-Nixon serves on the board of The Pangolin Project and is active in the wildlife conservation community, particularly in Kenya. He is also engaged in the disability employment and special needs education sectors.

Personal Connection to Cause: The foundation's myeloma research funding was driven by the founder's mother's experience. Their disability education and employment work stems from deep personal understanding of these issues. Organizations whose mission resonates with the trustees' lived experiences may be more likely to attract their attention.

Long-term Vision: The foundation prefers creating new organizations to fill gaps rather than making one-off grants. Organizations proposing transformative, scalable solutions to underserved problems may align with their approach.

Application Success Factors

Since this foundation does not accept applications, success in securing funding would require:

Alignment with Strategic Priorities: The foundation operates in very specific areas - disability education, disability employment, myeloma research, and wildlife conservation. Organizations outside these areas are unlikely to secure funding.

Scalability and Impact: The foundation's track record shows preference for initiatives with significant, measurable impact. DFN Project SEARCH has placed 2,200 young adults into employment. The Jacquelin Forbes-Nixon Fellowship funds cutting-edge clinical trials. They think big.

Gap Identification: From the founder's own words: “My real intention with this charity was quite simple - try to make a positive difference, especially for those whose voices have not been well heard.” They look for underserved populations and unmet needs.

Long-term Commitment: The myeloma fellowship is funded for 5 years. They established entire new charities (DFN Project SEARCH, Undershaw Education Trust) rather than making short-term grants. This foundation invests for the long haul.

Evidence and Expertise: Their partnership with established organizations like the Institute of Cancer Research and Snowdon Trust shows they value proven expertise and research excellence.

Personal Connection: The myeloma funding honored the founder's mother. The disability work reflects deep personal understanding. Causes that resonate with the trustees' personal experiences may receive consideration.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • This is not an open grant-maker: The foundation explicitly states they are not accepting applications and operate through trustee discretion and invitation only
  • Focus is highly specific: Only four areas funded - disability education, disability employment, myeloma research, wildlife conservation
  • They prefer founding to funding: The foundation has created multiple new charities (DFN Project SEARCH, Undershaw Education Trust, DFN MoveForward) rather than simply making grants
  • Major commitments only: When they do fund external organizations, it's significant (£1 million to Myeloma UK, multi-year Snowdon Trust partnership)
  • New leadership may signal change: Philippa Charles's appointment from Garfield Weston Foundation in November 2024 suggests possible evolution in strategy
  • Personal mission drives funding: The founder's lived experience (mother's myeloma, commitment to disability inclusion) shapes all funding decisions
  • Long-term partnerships over one-off grants: 5-year myeloma fellowship, ongoing support for organizations they establish, sustained partnerships

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