The Desmond Foundation

Charity Number: 1014352

Annual Expenditure: £0.5M

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £520,000 (2022)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
  • Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed
  • Grant Range: Varies significantly - from smaller grants to major donations (£25,000+ for Sunshine Coaches, £2.5m for major capital projects)
  • Geographic Focus: England and Wales
  • Total Charitable Giving: Over £34 million dispensed through The Desmond Foundation, Richard Desmond, Northern & Shell, and RD Crusaders Supergroup

Contact Details

Email: michael.downer@norshell.co.uk

Phone: 020 7308 5320

Address: The Northern and Shell Building, Number 10 Lower Thames Street, London EC3R 6EN

Charity Number: 1014352

Overview

The Desmond Foundation was registered on 23 September 1992 and is connected to Richard Desmond, founder of Northern & Shell. The foundation focuses primarily on children and young people's charities throughout England and Wales, with a strategic approach that allocates funds to smaller charities to allow money to go straight to those who need it. Richard Desmond takes a personal and active interest in every charity supported, and the foundation processes requests and assesses where funds should best be allocated. In 2022, the foundation made grants totaling £520,047. The foundation has supported charitable causes for over 40 years, with a particular emphasis on organizations serving disadvantaged children, blind and visually impaired children, and those addressing poverty and sickness.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation operates through a request-based system with no formal application deadlines or online portal publicly available. Grants vary significantly in size depending on the project and need:

  • Major Capital Projects: £2.5 million (e.g., The Richard Desmond Children's Eye Centre at Moorfields Eye Hospital)
  • Variety Sunshine Coaches: Approximately £25,000 per coach (donated almost annually for 40 years)
  • General Grants to Smaller Charities: Variable amounts, strategically allocated to maximize impact

Priority Areas

  • Children and young people's charities (primary focus)
  • Relief of poverty and sickness, particularly among children
  • Education and training programs
  • Advancement of health and saving lives
  • Disability support services
  • Organizations supporting blind and visually impaired children
  • Schools, hospitals, retirement homes, carer organizations, hospices
  • Medical support groups

Beneficiaries Include

  • Children and young people
  • Elderly people
  • People with disabilities
  • People of particular ethnic or racial origin
  • Other charities and voluntary bodies

Previous Grant Recipients

Notable beneficiaries include:

  • The Richard Desmond Children's Eye Centre at Moorfields Eye Hospital (£2.5m)
  • The Royal Society for Blind Children
  • The Evelina Children's Hospital
  • World Jewish Relief
  • Norwood
  • Variety, the Children's Charity (Sunshine Coaches donated almost annually for 40+ years)
  • Bomber Command Memorial Fund
  • Humanitarian aid charities in Niger
  • Mudchute Children Services
  • Schools and organizations throughout the UK (Sunshine Coach recipients)

What They Don't Fund

Information about explicit exclusions is not publicly available, though the foundation states that while children's charities remain the focus, “consideration is given by the Trustees to worthy causes outside this area.”

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Governance and Leadership

Trustees

Richard Clive Desmond - Chair and sole named trustee (appointed 5 March 1992)

The foundation is closely connected to Northern & Shell PLC and Richard Desmond's business interests. Trustees receive no remuneration, payments, or benefits from the charity.

Leadership Approach

Richard Desmond “takes a personal and active interest in every charity supported,” and the foundation “processes requests and assesses where funds should best be made available.” This suggests a hands-on, personalized approach to grant-making decisions.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

The Desmond Foundation does not appear to have a formal public application portal or published application guidelines. Based on available information:

  • Applications are processed through a request-based system
  • Contact the foundation via email (michael.downer@norshell.co.uk) or phone (020 7308 5320)
  • The foundation processes charity requests and assesses fund allocation

Decision Timeline

No specific decision timelines are publicly disclosed. Given that Richard Desmond takes a personal interest in every charity supported, the timeline likely varies depending on the size and nature of the request.

Success Rates

Success rates are not publicly disclosed.

Reapplication Policy

No information available on reapplication policies or waiting periods for unsuccessful applicants.

Application Success Factors

Strategic Alignment

  • Focus on Children: Organizations serving children and young people are most likely to receive funding. The foundation has maintained this focus for decades.
  • Demonstrable Impact: The foundation aims to “use donations in a focused and informed way to realise the best possible benefit to recipients,” suggesting that applications should clearly articulate impact and outcomes.
  • Smaller Charities: The foundation's strategy “allocates funds to smaller charities allowing the money to go straight to those who need it,” suggesting that smaller organizations may be favorably considered.

Personal Connection

Richard Desmond's hands-on approach suggests that building a relationship and demonstrating the personal impact of the work may be important. The foundation has supported Variety, the Children's Charity for over 40 years, indicating value placed on long-term partnerships.

Types of Projects Funded

Based on past grants, the foundation supports:

  • Capital projects (buildings, equipment)
  • Accessibility equipment (Variety Sunshine Coaches for schools)
  • Medical facilities and equipment
  • Direct services to disadvantaged children
  • Organizations supporting specific disabilities (particularly visual impairment)

Areas of Demonstrated Interest

  • Visual impairment and eye health (£2.5m donation to Moorfields)
  • Educational access (Sunshine Coaches for schools)
  • Health services for children (Evelina Children's Hospital)
  • Religious and cultural organizations (World Jewish Relief, Norwood)
  • Humanitarian causes

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  1. Children-focused applications have the strongest chance: While the foundation considers other worthy causes, children and young people's charities are the clear priority and have been for decades.
  1. Relationship building is key: With Richard Desmond taking a personal interest in every charity supported and no formal application process, building a relationship through initial contact is likely important.
  1. Demonstrate direct impact: The foundation values ensuring money goes “straight to those who need it,” so applications should emphasize direct service delivery and minimize overhead.
  1. Consider capital projects: The foundation has funded significant capital projects like the £2.5m Children's Eye Centre, suggesting they consider major infrastructure requests alongside smaller grants.
  1. Long-term partnerships are valued: The 40+ year relationship with Variety, the Children's Charity demonstrates the foundation's commitment to sustained partnerships with aligned organizations.
  1. Small charities are strategically prioritized: Don't be discouraged if your organization is small—this may actually be an advantage given the foundation's stated strategy.
  1. Contact directly: Without a formal application portal, proactive outreach via email or phone to introduce your organization and request is the appropriate first step.

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