The Dwf Foundation

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £293,658 (FY 2023-24)
• Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
• Decision Time: 4 months (if no response, application unsuccessful)
• Grant Range: No minimum - typically under £5,000
• Geographic Focus: International (13 countries where DWF operates)

Contact Details

Website: https://dwfgroup.com/en/about-us/dwf-foundation

Email: Charity@dwf.law

Phone: +44 333 320 2220

Foundation Manager: Clare Beavan - clare.beavan@dwf.law

Application Workshops: The Foundation offers one-hour online application workshops covering how to apply, what they look for in applications, and Q&A opportunities.

Overview

The DWF Foundation is an independent charity (CIO) established in December 2015 by DWF, a global legal business. The Foundation has distributed over £1.5 million in grants since its inception, supporting more than 500 charities and food banks. The Foundation provides funds, resources, and mentoring support to help individuals, groups, and communities achieve their full potential. All operating costs are covered by DWF, ensuring every penny raised goes directly to charitable causes. The Foundation operates across 13 countries where DWF has a presence, focusing on homelessness, health and wellbeing, employability, education, and environment and sustainability. With an annual income of £392,758 (FY 2023-24) and 322 volunteers supporting its work, the Foundation exemplifies corporate social responsibility in action.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

• Main Grant Programme: No minimum - typically under £5,000 (single-year grants only)
• Application Method: Rolling basis through online application form
• Geographic Reach: 13 countries including UK, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, India, Ireland, Italy, Poland, Qatar, Spain, UAE, and USA

Priority Areas

The Foundation supports initiatives that:

• Tackle specific community issues in five key themes:
• Homelessness
• Health and wellbeing
• Employability
• Education
• Environment and sustainability
• Help voluntary and community groups become more effective and efficient
• Encourage involvement of those too often excluded from community life
• Enable young people to develop skills for the benefit of the community

What They Don't Fund

• Multi-year grants
• Organizations in Singapore, South Africa, and Turkey (not DWF countries of operation)
• Non-registered charities

Ready to write a winning application for The Dwf Foundation?

Our AI helps you craft proposals that match their exact priorities. Save 10+ hours and increase your success rate.

Join the Launch List

Governance and Leadership

Board of Trustees

The DWF Foundation has 13 trustees who volunteer their time, including:

• Jim Davies, OBE - Founding Patron and former Chair (stepped down as Chair in 2020 but remains active as Patron and Trustee)
• Rob Binns - Independent Trustee
• Mark Stanbury - Independent Trustee
• Rebecca Alexander - Associate
• Jewels Chamberlain - Director
• Sean Monks - Senior Associate
• Peter Holland - Head of Legal Expenses Division
• Julia Perez - Partner

The trustees are “dedicated to providing the governance of the Foundation, setting its priorities, monitoring the results and ensuring we maximise the impact and effectiveness of the grants the Foundation awards.”

Leadership Quote

Jim Davies, OBE, Founding Patron: “As a founding partner of DWF, I was delighted when approached to help set up the DWF Foundation in 2015... I am so proud of what has been achieved and the over 500 charities and food banks we have been able to support.”

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis throughout the year. Only applications submitted through the online application form on the DWF Foundation website will be considered.

Before applying:

• Review the DWF Foundation Grant Guidelines
• Ensure your organization is a registered charity operating in a country where DWF has a presence
• Consider attending an application workshop with Foundation Manager Clare Beavan

Application method: Complete the online DWF Foundation application form at https://dwfgroup.com/en/about-us/dwf-foundation/foundation-application-form

Decision Timeline

• Grant Committee meetings: Held throughout the year
• Successful applicants: Receive response within one month of the Grant Committee meeting
• Unsuccessful applicants: Will not be notified - if you have not heard within four months of submitting your application, you can assume the application was unsuccessful

Success Rates

The Foundation does not publicly disclose application numbers or success rates. Between December 2015 and December 2022, the Foundation distributed over £1 million to good causes, supporting more than 500 organizations.

Reapplication Policy

The Foundation does not publicly state a specific reapplication policy. Given the rolling application process and lack of explicit restrictions, unsuccessful applicants may be able to reapply, but this should be confirmed with Foundation Manager Clare Beavan.

Application Success Factors

Based on the Foundation's stated priorities and funded projects, successful applications typically demonstrate:

1. Clear community impact - The Foundation looks for initiatives that tackle specific community issues and show how they will develop and improve local communities

1. Alignment with priority themes - Projects should clearly fall within one or more of the five key themes: homelessness, health and wellbeing, employability, education, or environment and sustainability

1. Inclusion focus - Strong applications demonstrate how they encourage involvement of those too often excluded from community life

1. Organizational effectiveness - The Foundation values helping voluntary and community groups become more effective and efficient

1. Youth development - Projects that enable young people to develop skills for community benefit are particularly valued

Recent funded projects that illustrate success factors:

• Veterans Aid (£1,000, March 2023): Provided two training kitchen sessions and a Christmas dinner which residents helped prepare and cook - demonstrating skills development and community building

• African Women Impact UK (£1,000, March 2023): Hired a community venue to offer support services for BME refugee women in Walsall, providing a safe space, essential resources, and guidance - demonstrating inclusion and support for marginalized groups

• Doctors of the World UK: Enabled GP registration support for 90% of people seeking help, including asylum seekers, migrants, Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities, and homeless individuals - demonstrating health access and inclusion

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Rolling applications work in your favor - You can apply at any time, allowing you to submit when your project is ready rather than rushing for deadlines

• Attend the application workshop - Foundation Manager Clare Beavan offers one-hour online sessions specifically to help applicants understand what they're looking for - this is insider guidance you shouldn't miss

• Think community impact over size - With most grants under £5,000, focus on specific, achievable community outcomes rather than large-scale programs

• No news is bad news - Unlike many funders, the DWF Foundation only contacts successful applicants, so plan your timeline accordingly (4 months for a decision)

• Demonstrate inclusion - Projects that involve marginalized or excluded groups appear particularly successful - show how your work reaches those typically left out

• Keep it to one year - The Foundation explicitly does not offer multi-year grants, so design your project with a clear one-year impact window

• Leverage international reach - If your organization operates in multiple DWF countries, consider how cross-border learning or impact could strengthen your application

Similar Funders

These funders frequently fund the same charities:

• Garfield Weston Foundation
• THE BRIDGE TRUST
• The Edward Gostling Foundation
• THE SCREWFIX FOUNDATION
• The John Armitage Charitable Trust
• THE HOSPITAL SATURDAY FUND
• Jack Petchey Foundation
• The Clothworkers' Foundation
• The Henry Smith Foundation
• The Albert Hunt Trust
• Backstage Trust
• THE CALLEVA FOUNDATION
• The Charles Hayward Foundation
• The Gerald and Gail Ronson Family Foundation
• The Mercers' Charitable Foundation
• DRAPERS CHARITABLE FUND
• John Laing Charitable Trust
• THE HADLEY TRUST
• National Lottery
• THE FOYLE FOUNDATION

References

• DWF Foundation official website: https://dwfgroup.com/en/about-us/dwf-foundation
• DWF Foundation Grant Giving page: https://dwfgroup.com/en/about-us/dwf-foundation/grant-giving
• DWF Foundation Trustees page: https://dwfgroup.com/en/about-us/dwf-foundation/trustees
• UK Charity Commission Register, Charity Number 1191347: https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-details/?regid=1191347
• Get Grants - DWF Foundation: https://www.getgrants.org.uk/dwf-foundation/
• Funding Scotland - The DWF Foundation: https://funding.scot/funds/a0Rb000000HRGQ9EAP/the-dwf-foundation
• UK Fundraising: “The DWF Foundation surpasses a million in giving”: https://fundraising.co.uk/2023/01/19/the-dwf-foundation-surpasses-a-million-in-giving-plus-other-funding-news-opportunities/
• Yorkshire Times: “DWF Foundation Appoints New Chair”: https://www.yorkshiretimes.co.uk/article/DWF-Foundation-Appoints-New-Chair