The Exilarch's Foundation

Charity Number: 275919

Annual Expenditure: £6.1M
Geographic Focus: Throughout London, Israel, United States

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £6,123,433 (2023)
  • Total Income: £8,153,789 (2023)
  • Geographic Focus: UK and Israel, with some international projects
  • Areas of Focus: Education, healthcare/medical research, UK-Israel relations
  • Funding Approach: Primarily proactive/trustee-led grantmaking

Contact Details

Address: 4 Carlos Place, London W1K 3AW

Phone: 020 7399 0850

Charity Number: 275919

Note: The Foundation does not appear to have a public website or formal application process. Grants are made at the discretion of the trustees.

Overview

The Exilarch's Foundation was established in 1980 by Sir Naim Dangoor CBE, an Iraqi-Jewish businessman and philanthropist who settled in London. The charity was named “Exilarch” after Dangoor's self-appointed title as leader of Iraqi Jews in Britain. Now led by his son David Dangoor CBE DL and family trustees (including Michael Arthur Jonathan Dangoor and Elie Basil Victor Dangoor), the Foundation has been supporting education and healthcare causes for over 40 years. With total income of £8.15 million and annual grant expenditure of approximately £6.1 million (2023), the Foundation operates primarily in the UK and Israel, supporting both Jewish and non-Jewish beneficiaries. The family's philanthropic philosophy stems from their personal experience as refugees, believing that education enabled them to rebuild their lives in Britain.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Foundation does not operate formal grant programs with published application processes. Instead, grants are made at the absolute discretion of the trustees, who proactively identify and support charitable causes aligned with their priorities.

Dangoor Education: A subsidiary of The Exilarch's Foundation that has supported dozens of charities in the UK and Israel, with particular focus on educational initiatives.

Major Grant Examples

Medical Research & Cancer Care:

  • £5 million to Imperial College London for cancer research and The Invention Rooms at White City Campus
  • £1.2 million to University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust for the CAR T programme
  • £300,000 for the Dangoor Fellowship at Imperial College London
  • Major donations to Cancer Research UK and the Francis Crick Institute (Europe's largest biomedical research facility)
  • Largest ever private donation to the Royal Society of Medicine

Education:

  • Dangoor Scholarships (2004): £1 million supporting 1,000 undergraduate students with no family history of further education at 1994 Group universities (£1,000 each)
  • Eliahou Dangoor Scholarships: Sponsored 4,000 students in STEM subjects, with government matching bringing total to £4 million
  • Westminster Academy sponsorship in West London (pupils from over 60 countries)
  • Support for Imperial College, The Open University, UK Space Design Competition
  • Funding for Bar-Ilan University's Dangoor Centre for Personalised Medicine in the Galilee
  • The Sir Naim Dangoor Program for Universal Monotheism at Bar-Ilan University
  • D-REAMS Laboratory at Weizmann Institute of Science
  • Scholarships at Nanjing University's Jewish Studies Institute

Defense & Security:

  • £2 million to Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies (RUSI)

Other Beneficiaries:

  • Age UK (supported development of shared case management database)
  • British Schools Exploration Society (Dangoor Next Generation Programme)
  • Jami's Children and Young Person's Service (renamed The Dangoor Children and Young Person's Service)
  • Jewish Book Week
  • The UK Israel Tech Hub
  • Mishkenot Sha'ananim

Priority Areas

  1. Higher Education: Universities, scholarships, STEM education, access for first-generation students
  2. Medical Research: Cancer research, personalized medicine, biomedical research facilities
  3. Healthcare Facilities: NHS trusts, pioneering treatment programs
  4. UK-Israel Relations: Academic partnerships, cultural exchange, defense/security think tanks
  5. Access to Education: Students from refugee backgrounds, those with no family history of higher education
  6. Youth Services: Mental health services, exploration programs for young people
  7. Scientific Research: Space science, multi-disciplinary research hubs

What They Don't Fund

The Foundation does not appear to accept unsolicited applications. As their charitable objects allow support for “all charitable objects, in any part of the world, within the legal meaning of the term, at the absolute discretion of the trustees,” exclusions are not publicly documented. However, based on their funding history, the Foundation focuses primarily on education and health rather than arts, sports, environmental causes, or general operating costs.

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Governance and Leadership

Trustees

  • David Alan Ezra Dangoor CBE DL - Chairman, Imperial College alumnus, Hon. President of the Space Science Engineering Foundation, member of the International Board of the Weizmann Institute
  • Michael Arthur Jonathan Dangoor - Trustee
  • Elie Basil Victor Dangoor - Trustee, Imperial College alumnus

Leadership Philosophy

David Dangoor has articulated the family's approach to philanthropy with several key principles:

On Education: “Education is a treasure that you give someone and they carry with them all their life.”

On Impact: “When you spend £1 on education, there is £10 of good you can do.”

On Relationships: “Our preference in philanthropy is to have a long relationship with an organisation. Once you believe in something, that belief continues.”

The family believes that “where you start in life should not determine where you end up,” reflecting their refugee background and commitment to access and opportunity.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

Important: The Exilarch's Foundation does not operate a formal application process or accept unsolicited grant proposals. The Foundation operates through proactive grantmaking, with trustees identifying and approaching organizations they wish to support based on internal research and strategic priorities.

For Organizations Seeking Support:

  • The Foundation builds long-term relationships with grantees
  • Trustees proactively identify organizations working in their core areas of interest
  • Personal connections and introductions may be valuable, particularly from current grantees or Imperial College/Weizmann Institute networks
  • Direct contact: 020 7399 0850

Decision Timeline

Not publicly documented. As grants are trustee-initiated rather than application-based, timelines likely vary by project and relationship development.

Success Rates

Not applicable due to the invitation-only approach.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable as the Foundation does not accept applications. However, their stated preference for “long relationship[s] with an organisation” suggests ongoing support for proven partners rather than one-off grants.

Application Success Factors

While the Foundation does not accept applications, understanding their approach can help organizations position themselves for potential partnership:

Strategic Alignment Factors

  1. Education as Transformation: The Dangoor family's personal experience as refugees drives their belief in education as life-changing. Projects that provide access to education for disadvantaged groups, particularly refugees or first-generation students, align with their core values.
  1. Long-term Impact Over Quick Wins: The family prefers sustained relationships and transformational projects over short-term initiatives. Multi-year programs with measurable impact on individuals' life trajectories are most compelling.
  1. STEM and Medical Research Excellence: Major grants have supported cutting-edge research in cancer, personalized medicine, and scientific innovation. Institutions with strong research credentials and innovative approaches to diseases are priority partners.
  1. UK-Israel Bridge-Building: David Dangoor is “a strong believer in strengthening UK-Israel ties.” Projects that facilitate academic collaboration, cultural understanding, or security cooperation between the two countries are strategically important.
  1. First-Generation Access: Both the Dangoor Scholarships and Eliahou Dangoor Scholarships specifically targeted students with no family history of higher education, reflecting commitment to breaking cycles of educational disadvantage.

Examples of Recently Funded Work

  • Imperial College London: £5 million for The Invention Rooms enabling collaborative multi-disciplinary cancer research
  • UCLH: £1.2 million for pioneering CAR T cell therapy program
  • Bar-Ilan University: Dangoor Centre for Personalised Medicine analyzing genetic makeup of individual patients
  • Westminster Academy: Ongoing sponsorship of school serving students from 60+ countries
  • Jami: Multi-year grant for children and young person's mental health services
  • Age UK: Database development for more efficient service delivery

Relationship-Building Approaches

Since the Foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals:

  • Leverage Existing Networks: Imperial College, Weizmann Institute, Bar-Ilan University, and previous grantees may provide introduction pathways
  • Demonstrate Track Record: The Foundation supports established institutions with proven impact
  • Think Multi-Year: One-off projects are less aligned than sustained partnerships
  • Emphasize Innovation: Recent grants support pioneering approaches (personalized medicine, new cancer treatments, innovative database systems)

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • This is not an open application funder: The Exilarch's Foundation operates through trustee-initiated grantmaking only. Organizations cannot submit unsolicited proposals.
  • Focus areas are clear: Education (particularly access and STEM) and medical research (particularly cancer) receive the majority of funding. UK-Israel initiatives also receive strategic support.
  • Scale matters: Recent grants range from £300,000 to £5 million for major institutions. This is a significant funder supporting transformational projects, not small grants.
  • Personal story drives mission: The Dangoor family's refugee experience and belief that education enabled their success in Britain is central to their funding philosophy. Projects serving refugees, immigrants, or first-generation students resonate deeply.
  • Relationship-based approach: The stated preference for “long relationship[s]” means initial engagement may lead to sustained multi-year support for the right partners.
  • Imperial College connection is significant: Multiple family members are Imperial alumni, and the institution has received several major grants. Academic excellence at Russell Group/equivalent level appears to be expected.
  • Innovation in service delivery valued: Grants to Age UK for database systems and UCLH for pioneering CAR T therapy show appreciation for innovative approaches, not just traditional program delivery.

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