The Conran Foundation
At a glance
Key takeaways
- If your work is education in art and design, particularly the study of industrial and manufacturing design, the Foundation's stated purpose is a close match, and its annual giving is £1,500,000.
- It usually makes grants to organisations rather than individuals, so an organisation applying for its own work fits, while individuals should not apply.
- No typical grant size or range is given, so ask the Foundation what it would consider before setting the amount in your request, bearing in mind that trustees judge each application on its merits.
- Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, but nothing here says how competitive the Foundation is or how long a decision takes.
- No geographic focus is stated; the annual report shows grants mainly in England, which is useful context but not a rule about who may apply.
Overview
The Conran Foundation is a charity registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales (charity number 801667).
The Conran Foundation is a charity registered in England and Wales whose principal activity is advancing the education of the public in the study of industrial and manufacturing art and design. It was established and funded by its founder, and its annual giving is £1,500,000. It partly funds the Design Museum, sponsors The Conran Foundation Collections, has sponsored the Royal College of Art's Summer Graduate Show, and continues to sponsor the Conran Chair at the Royal College of Art.
What they fund
Priority Areas
The Conran Foundation supports organisations whose activities advance education in art and design. Its central purpose is the education of the public in the study of industrial and manufacturing art and design in historical, social, artistic, industrial and commercial contexts. It describes its wider objective as promoting outstanding design to improve quality of life, including for flora and fauna. The Foundation has supported design education through graduate shows, scholarships and work in schools, and contributes to a design museum, a design chair and its collections. It usually makes grants or donations to organisations rather than individuals. Trustees formally appraise each application and judge each case on its merits.
Themes
- Industrial and manufacturing art and design
Geographic Focus
No geographic focus is stated; the annual report shows grants mainly in England.
What they don't fund
- Does not usually make grants or donations to individuals
- Does not fund grants or donations to organisations whose activities do not support its objects
How to apply
The trustees formally appraise each application before making a grant and assess each case for a grant or donation on its merits.
Who can apply:
- Grants or donations are usually made to organisations, rather than individuals.
Application success factors
What the charity says:
- Applicants’ activities should support the Foundation’s objects.
Where they fund
Where its grants have gone
Similar funders
Funders supporting work similar to The Conran Foundation.
Grants
The largest grants to organisations in this funder’s latest annual report:
- The Design Museum£1,500,000year to 31 March 2025
Grant examples taken from the funder’s filed accounts.
Five years of accounts
| Financial year | Income | Expenditure | Grants paid | Accounts document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| year to 31 March 2021 | £5,322 | £758,590 | — | Accounts for year to 31 March 2021 |
| year to 31 March 2022 | £0 | £34,485 | — | Accounts for year to 31 March 2022 |
| year to 31 March 2023 | £0 | £347,090 | — | Accounts for year to 31 March 2023 |
| year to 31 March 2024 | £0 | £287,648 | — | Accounts for year to 31 March 2024 |
| year to 31 March 2025 | £14,664,341 | £1,544,140 | £1,500,000 | Accounts for year to 31 March 2025 |
- Grants paid, year to 31 March 2025: the accounts do not say whether this is grants awarded or paid.
Figures from the charity’s filed accounts and its register entry. The document icon links to the charity’s entry on the Charity Commission register, where its filed accounts can be found.
Sources
Registers and filings
Other sources
- conranfoundation.org/home · read on 30 October 2026
- conranfoundation.org/contact-1 · read on 30 October 2026
- Annual report (year to 31 March 2025)
This profile draws on the funder’s own website as well as its filed accounts.
Sources last checked on 30 October 2026.
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At a glance
Applying to The Conran Foundation?
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Applying to The Conran Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required