Dreamchasing

Charity Number: 1118488

Annual Expenditure: £2.5M

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £2,510,000 (2024)
  • Decision Time: Not applicable - trustee discretion
  • Grant Range: Varies widely by project
  • Geographic Focus: UK and international
  • Application Process: No public application process

Contact Details

Address: Blick Rothenberg, 16 Great Queen Street, London, WC2B 5AH

Phone: 020 7544 8865

Email: robin@blickrothenberg.com

Website: None

Note: Contact is through the charity's accounting firm.

Overview

DREAMCHASING is a private family foundation established in 2007 by Sir Ronald Dennis CBE, the former McLaren Technology Group Chairman and Formula 1 team principal. The charity was knighted in the 2024 New Year Honours for services to industry and charity. With total income of £2.6 million and charitable expenditure of £2.5 million in 2024, DREAMCHASING operates as a grant-making charity supporting individuals and organizations in the UK and worldwide. The foundation's mission, as articulated by Ron Dennis, is to “help young people achieve their aspirations and, through their successes, to become inspirational role models for others.” The charity focuses on mentoring and financing children and young people from all walks of life to pursue their dreams, inspired by Dennis's experience supporting Lewis Hamilton's career from age 13. DREAMCHASING operates as a discretionary trust, with grants determined by the trustees rather than through an open application process.

Funding Priorities

Priority Areas

  • Education and Training: Supporting youth development and skills-based programmes
  • Youth Mentoring: Helping young people achieve career aspirations across all fields
  • Health and Wellbeing: Including emergency healthcare worker support
  • Poverty Prevention and Relief: International development and family sponsorship programmes
  • Amateur Sport: Youth athletic development
  • Arts and Culture: Creative sector training for young people

Beneficiaries

  • Children and young people (primary focus)
  • Other charities and voluntary organizations
  • Individuals pursuing career aspirations
  • Healthcare workers (during emergencies)
  • General public/mankind

Geographic Focus

The charity operates throughout England and Wales, with international reach including Ethiopia and other countries.

Recent Grant Examples

Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment - DREAMCHASING Young Producers Programme

Major multi-year support for a skills-based development programme training 12-17-year-old students in artistic planning, event production, camera craft, set design, and marketing. The programme includes mentoring from industry professionals and led to the students launching their own recording label, Crosseye Records, in 2022-2023.

SalutetheNHS Initiative (2020)

£1 million donation from the Dennis family through DREAMCHASING, plus £500,000 in match-funding, to provide one million free meals to NHS frontline workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. The initiative delivered nutritious meals to ICU teams, anaesthetic teams, and A&E staff during 12-hour shifts.

Fida International - Ethiopia Family Sponsorship

The charity's first major operation was a sponsorship programme supporting over 40 families out of poverty in Ethiopia and funding educational opportunities for children.

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Governance and Leadership

Board of Trustees

  • Sir Ronald Dennis CBE (Chair) - Founder, former McLaren Technology Group Chairman
  • Francesca Dennis - Family member
  • Christian Dennis - Family member
  • Charlotte Hall - Family member, ICU anaesthetist (inspired NHS meals initiative)
  • Clive Christopher Roger Bannister
  • Nigel Martyn Carrington

Governance Notes

The charity operates with 6 trustees and maintains policies including financial controls, risk management, and safeguarding. No trustees receive remuneration, payments, or benefits from the charity. The charity has no trading subsidiaries.

Leadership Philosophy

Ron Dennis stated: “Dreamchasing is about making a difference and investing in the next generation.” He describes the foundation's approach as providing opportunities for young people to pursue their goals, regardless of background. Dennis was inspired to establish the foundation after his experience mentoring Lewis Hamilton, noting: "Without that support, [Hamilton] probably wouldn't even be here."

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process.

DREAMCHASING operates as a private family foundation where grants are determined by trustee discretion. The charity identifies and selects beneficiaries based on the trustees' assessment of charitable causes and individuals, rather than accepting unsolicited applications. There is no website, application portal, or published guidelines for how organizations can apply for funding.

The charity makes grants through two primary mechanisms:

  1. Direct grants to organizations identified by trustees
  2. Support for individuals pursuing their aspirations (selection process not publicly documented)

Application Success Factors

Understanding DREAMCHASING's Approach

Since DREAMCHASING operates through trustee discretion rather than open applications, understanding their funding patterns and priorities is essential:

Youth Development Focus: The charity was founded on the principle of helping young people achieve their aspirations. Projects like the DREAMCHASING Young Producers demonstrate their interest in comprehensive skills-development programmes that provide mentoring, practical experience, and career pathways. Ron Dennis's statement that the foundation is “about making a difference and investing in the next generation” reflects this core priority.

Long-term Relationships Over One-off Grants: The multi-year support for the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment and the ongoing Ethiopia sponsorship programme suggest DREAMCHASING prefers sustained engagement rather than one-time donations.

Mentoring and Role Models: The foundation's mission explicitly mentions “becoming inspirational role models for others,” reflecting Dennis's own experience with Lewis Hamilton. Projects that include mentorship components and create pathways for young people to inspire others align with this philosophy.

Crisis Response Capacity: The £1.5 million NHS meals initiative demonstrates the foundation's ability to respond quickly to urgent needs, particularly when family connections (in this case, daughter Charlotte Hall's work as an ICU anaesthetist) provide direct insight into the need.

Multi-sector Approach: From motorsport (Lewis Hamilton) to classical music (OAE) to international development (Ethiopia), the charity doesn't limit itself to specific sectors but looks at the quality and impact of youth development initiatives across all fields.

What Success Looks Like to DREAMCHASING

Based on funded projects:

  • Measurable skills development with clear career pathways
  • Young people gaining real-world experience and credentials (e.g., launching Crosseye Records)
  • Collaboration with established institutions that provide mentorship
  • Projects that lift young people out of poverty or limited circumstances
  • Initiatives where young people can demonstrate achievements and inspire others

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No public application process exists - DREAMCHASING identifies beneficiaries through trustee discretion and personal connections rather than soliciting applications
  • Youth development is paramount - The charity's core mission centers on helping young people achieve aspirations across all career fields, not limited to specific sectors
  • Multi-year commitments preferred - Examples like the OAE partnership and Ethiopia sponsorship show sustained engagement rather than one-off grants
  • Mentorship matters - Projects incorporating mentoring from accomplished professionals align with the foundation's philosophy, inspired by Dennis's experience with Lewis Hamilton
  • Crisis responsiveness - The charity demonstrated capacity for major rapid response during COVID, particularly where trustees have direct knowledge of the need
  • Family foundation structure - With three family members on the six-person board, personal connections and trustees' direct knowledge of causes strongly influence funding decisions
  • International scope - Despite UK base, the charity supports projects worldwide, particularly in poverty relief and education in developing countries

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