The Donald Gordon Second Foundation
At a glance
Key takeaways
- The Foundation's stated geographic focus is worldwide and the United Kingdom, with South Africa as a priority, but other published sources report that it does not fund organisations outside South Africa, so confirm this before writing.
- Its themes are research and education, poverty relief and the arts, and the annual report gives its payments as £1,608,041, though no grant range is stated, so the size of a realistic request cannot be judged.
- Unsolicited proposals are neither encouraged nor generally considered, and the Foundation is proactive and very rarely makes a grant in response to one, so a cold approach is unlikely to succeed.
- If you do approach it, send a short letter setting out the need, the nature and amount of the request, and your justification, which will be considered as a courtesy.
- Other published sources report that individuals seeking medical care, scholarships or fellowships, sports bodies, fundraising events, conference organisers, loans, micro-lending and endowment funds are excluded, so do not apply if your work is one of these.
Overview
The Donald Gordon Second Foundation is a charity registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales (charity number 1122865).
The Donald Gordon Second Foundation exists to advance scientific, medical and technological research and education, the practice of medicine, the relief of poverty, and the promotion and support of the Arts, along with other charitable purposes. It expects to allocate 50 to 75% of its current net income to charitable initiatives and projects each year. Much of its charitable activity is carried out through its registered Public Benefit Organisation in South Africa, and more recently it has also benefited registered charities in the United Kingdom.
What they fund
Priority Areas
The Foundation supports charitable activity within its objects: scientific, medical and technological research and education, the practice of medicine, poverty relief, the arts and other charitable causes. Much of its charitable activity has been undertaken through its registered public benefit organisation in South Africa, where the trustees have focused their initial efforts, and it has also benefited registered charities in the United Kingdom. It expects to allocate a proportion of its current net income to charitable initiatives and projects, with trustees able to adjust that proportion and approve specific capital distributions. Projects must fall within one or more charitable objects and be exclusively charitable. Trustees evaluate potential impact, sustainability and efficiency, assess viability, effectiveness and risk, and monitor progress and outcomes. The Foundation may collaborate with other charitable organisations to increase impact and pursue common goals.
Themes
- Research and education
- Poverty relief
- Arts
Geographic Focus
Worldwide; the United Kingdom. Priority: South Africa.
What they don't fund
- Individuals seeking medical care, educational opportunities, scholarships, or fellowships (as reported in other published sources)
- The organization of conferences, seminars, and symposiums, nor attendance fees (as reported in other published sources)
- Fundraising events, nor participation in them (as reported in other published sources)
- Centralized fundraising organizations (as reported in other published sources)
- Sports events, facilities, or clubs (as reported in other published sources)
- Adult literacy or numeracy training programs (as reported in other published sources)
- Entities that exclusively address land or housing issues (as reported in other published sources)
- Endowment funds (as reported in other published sources)
- Loans (as reported in other published sources)
- Micro-lending initiatives, in all their manifestations (as reported in other published sources)
- Activities that replicate government functions (as reported in other published sources)
- The construction of schools and the funding of primary healthcare services (as reported in other published sources)
- Organizations that engage in discrimination (as reported in other published sources)
- Any organisation which, or whose senior leadership, takes any stance or actions or makes any statements which could reasonably be construed as antisemitic (as reported in other published sources)
- Foundational education initiatives (as reported in other published sources)
- Organisations outside South Africa (as reported in other published sources)
- Unsolicited proposals (rarely; the Foundation is proactive and it is very rare that it makes a grant in response to an unsolicited proposal, even if it falls within its defined areas of interest) (as reported in other published sources)
How to apply
Unsolicited proposals are neither encouraged nor generally considered. An organisation that chooses to approach the Foundation may send a short letter setting out the need, nature and amount of the request, and its justification; the letter will be considered as a courtesy.
Application success factors
What the charity says:
- Projects are evaluated for their potential positive impact, sustainability and efficiency.
- Each project is assessed for viability, effectiveness and potential risks.
- The Foundation monitors progress and outcomes through appropriate monitoring and accountability.
Where they fund
Where it says it funds
- South Africa
- United Kingdom
- International
Similar funders
Funders supporting work similar to The Donald Gordon Second Foundation.
Five years of accounts
| Financial year | Income | Expenditure | Grants paid | Accounts document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| year to 28 February 2021 | £5,983 | £3,035,890 | — | Accounts for year to 28 February 2021 |
| year to 28 February 2022 | £2,534 | £6,096 | — | Accounts for year to 28 February 2022 |
| year to 28 February 2023 | £94,910,200 | £13,675 | £1,751 | Accounts for year to 28 February 2023 |
| year to 29 February 2024 | £3,526,352 | £1,225,728 | £1,042,890 | Accounts for year to 29 February 2024 |
| year to 28 February 2025 | £3,227,056 | £2,097,069 | £1,608,041 | Accounts for year to 28 February 2025 |
Income vs grants paid
IncomeGrants paid
Total value each financial year
Grants paid stayed within income across the 3 years shown.
- Grants paid, year to 28 February 2023; year to 29 February 2024: grants to institutions, as reported on the charity register (Part B).
- Grants paid, year to 28 February 2025: grants paid out in the year.
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
- donaldgordon.org/our-principles · read on 30 October 2026; a page about the charity on another site
- donaldgordon.org · read on 30 October 2026; a page about the charity on another site
- Annual report (year to 28 February 2025)
Sources last checked on 30 October 2026.
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At a glance
Applying to The Donald Gordon Second Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- info@donaldgordon.orgsource
- The Donald Gordon Foundation, PO BOX 87353 Houghton 2041source
- c/o Stonehage Fleming,St James’s Square,St. James’s, London SWIY 4JUsource
- Stonehage Fleming, 6 St James's Square, London, SW1Y 4JUsource
Applying to The Donald Gordon Second Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- info@donaldgordon.orgsource
- The Donald Gordon Foundation, PO BOX 87353 Houghton 2041source
- c/o Stonehage Fleming,St James’s Square,St. James’s, London SWIY 4JUsource
- Stonehage Fleming, 6 St James's Square, London, SW1Y 4JUsource