The Hilary Craft Charitable Foundation Limited (action Against Cancer)

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £421,250 (2024)
• Total Income: £539,676 (2024)
• Decision Time: Rapid funding with minimal bureaucracy
• Geographic Focus: UK-based, funding research at leading UK institutions
• Application Method: No public application process

Contact Details

Address: Action Against Cancer, Regency Chambers, Jubilee Way, Bury, Lancashire, BL9 0JW

Website: www.aacancer.org

Phone: 0161 280 4000 / 0161 280 4243

Email: info@aacancer.org

Fundraising and Communications: Charley Cranmer - charley@aacancer.org / 07535 806067

Overview

Founded in 2011 by Hilary Craft OBE, The Hilary Craft Charitable Foundation (operating as Action Against Cancer) represents a distinctive approach to cancer research funding. Having battled three different cancers herself within 15 years, Craft's vision was to create “a different kind of cancer charity” - one that takes informed risks, funds cutting-edge research exploring new aspects of cancer, operates with minimal bureaucracy, and grants funds quickly. Sadly, Craft passed away from cancer in 2020, but her legacy continues. In its first nine years, the charity raised over £12 million and funded numerous important breakthroughs. As of 2024, the foundation holds total income of £539,676 with charitable expenditure of £421,250. The charity is run efficiently with only 2 employees and 6 trustees, supported by 4 volunteers. Craft was awarded an OBE for services to fundraising and research into cancer diagnostics and treatments.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation provides seed funding for innovative cancer research projects that other funders might consider too risky. Specific grant amounts are not publicly disclosed, but the charity spent £421,250 on charitable activities in 2024. Grants are awarded on a discretionary basis by trustees rather than through open calls.

Priority Areas

Research Focus:

• Developing new drugs and totally new approaches to therapy
• Understanding the Cancer Brain
• Targeting the Guardian of the Genome
• Cancer Stem Cells research
• Genetic Switches in cancer development
• Drug Development for cancer treatment
• Metastasis research
• New cancer diagnostics
• Improved cancer treatments

Funded Institutions:

• Imperial College London
• University of Sussex
• University of Manchester
• Anglia Ruskin University Cambridge

Research Philosophy: The charity explicitly supports “groundbreaking research that takes informed risks” and explores cancer from new angles that may not receive traditional funding.

What They Don't Fund

The charity focuses exclusively on cancer research. They do not fund:

• Non-cancer medical research
• Direct patient care or support services
• General operational costs for other organizations
• Projects outside their established research partnerships

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Governance and Leadership

Late Founder: Hilary Craft OBE (passed away 2020) - Founder and former Chairwoman who established the charity after her own experiences battling three different cancers

Key Personnel:

• 6 Trustees (names not publicly disclosed)
• Charley Cranmer - Director of Fundraising and Communications

Scientific Leadership:

• Professor Justin Stebbing - Professor of Biomedical Sciences and Consultant Oncologist at Imperial College London, leads much of the funded research. Trained at Oxford, Johns Hopkins, Royal Marsden, and Imperial College, he has published over 700 peer-reviewed papers in journals including the Lancet, New England Journal of Medicine, Blood, Journal of Clinical Oncology, and Annals of Internal Medicine.

Patrons (18 individuals and families including):

• Lord David Alliance, CBE
• Sir Paul and Lady Ruddock
• Sir Douglas Myers, KNZM CBE
• Roger Cadbury Family
• The Harold and Daphne Cooper Charitable Trust

Hilary Craft's Vision: “To set up a different kind of cancer charity that would take informed risks to fund cutting-edge research that aims high, and examines aspects of cancer never explored in the same way before - to make a significant difference. A charity that would be run efficiently, light on its feet, with low bureaucracy and overheads.”

How to Apply to The Hilary Craft Charitable Foundation Limited (action Against Cancer)

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process. The foundation awards grants through trustee discretion to specific research institutions and scientists with whom they have established relationships. The charity was specifically set up to support Professor Justin Stebbing's research at Imperial College and has expanded to fund researchers at three other UK universities.

The charity uses a peer review process to validate scientific proposals, but this is managed internally rather than through an open application system.

Decision Timeline

Not applicable due to the absence of a public application process. However, the charity is known for its “rapid funding with minimal bureaucracy,” suggesting that decisions are made quickly once research proposals are under consideration.

Application Success Factors

As this charity does not accept unsolicited applications, the following factors are relevant to understanding their funding approach:

Research Selection Criteria:

• High-risk, high-reward projects: The charity specifically seeks “groundbreaking research that takes informed risks” and explores “aspects of cancer never explored in the same way before”
• Seed funding for innovative approaches: They provide “crucial seed funding” for projects that other funders might not support
• Scientific validation: Proposals undergo peer review to ensure scientific validity
• Focus on translation: Research should aim to “translate laboratory findings into potential patient treatments”
• Novel therapeutic targets: Discovery of new druggable targets is a priority

Hilary Craft's Approach: The founder wanted to support research that “aims high” and would “make a significant difference” while minimizing bureaucracy to allow “scientists to focus on experiments without extensive reporting.”

Institutional Relationships: The charity works with established research teams at four UK universities, funding multiple researchers at each institution who collaborate on complementary research areas.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• This charity does not accept unsolicited applications - all funding is by invitation or through trustee discretion
• The charity was established specifically to support Professor Justin Stebbing's research and has expanded to other selected researchers
• Their funding philosophy emphasizes innovative, high-risk research that traditional funders might reject
• They provide seed funding to get novel projects started that can then attract larger grants
• The charity values efficiency and low bureaucracy - only 2 employees manage £421,250 in annual charitable expenditure
• Research must focus on cancer prevention, treatment, or cure with emphasis on novel approaches
• Strong preference for research that can be translated into patient treatments
• The charity operates with rapid decision-making and minimal reporting requirements for funded researchers

Similar Funders

These funders have a similar focus and geographic reach:

• The Caron Keating Foundation
• The Rosemere Cancer Foundation
• Sussex Cancer Fund
• Yorkshire Cancer Research
• The Hope Foundation For Cancer Research
• The Albert Van Den Bergh Charitable Trust
• The Richard Oatley Trust Number 2
• The Willie And Mabel Morris Charitable Trust
• Denise Coates Foundation
• The Eight Foundation

References

• UK Charity Commission Register, Charity Number 1143743: https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/en/charity-search
• Action Against Cancer official website - About Us: https://www.aacancer.org/aboutus.html.php
• Action Against Cancer - Our Work: https://aacancer.org/ourwork/index.html.php
• Action Against Cancer - Research Team: https://aacancer.org/researchteam.html.php
• Action Against Cancer - Contact Us: https://aacancer.org/contactus.html.php
• Action Against Cancer - Patrons: https://aacancer.org/patrons.html.php
• UK Fundraising News - New Year's Honours List 2019: https://fundraising.co.uk/2019/01/03/fundraisers-volunteers-recognised-new-years-honours-list/
• A Charitable Direction blog - Action Against Cancer article (2017): https://charitabledirection.wordpress.com/2017/07/04/article-action-against-cancer/