The James Dyson Foundation

Charity Number: 1099709

Annual Expenditure: £5.7M

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £5,652,535 (total expenditure on charitable activities)
  • Annual Income: £5,490,145
  • Grant Types: Strategic institutional partnerships, local community fund, student awards
  • Geographic Focus: UK (particularly Malmesbury area), USA, Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, Japan, and 22 other regions
  • Application Method: Mixed (invitation only for major grants; annual application process for local community fund)

Contact Details

Address: Dyson Ltd, Tetbury Hill, Malmesbury, SN16 0RP

Phone: +44 1666 828416 / +44 1666 746802

Email: jamesdysonfoundation@dyson.com

Website: www.jamesdysonfoundation.co.uk

Local Community Fund: Apply through the website contact page at jamesdysonfoundation.com

Overview

The James Dyson Foundation was established in 2002 by Sir James Dyson as an international engineering education charity. The foundation operates with three core charitable objectives: advancing education and training particularly in design and technology; advancing scientific or medical research; and supporting charitable and educational projects in regions where the foundation operates. With an annual expenditure exceeding £5.6 million, the foundation has donated over £140 million to charitable causes to date, including major strategic investments in universities (£12 million to Imperial College London, £8 million to Cambridge University), medical facilities (£4 million for the Dyson Cancer Centre, £1.5 million to Race Against Dementia), and schools (£35 million to Gresham's School). The foundation employs 6 staff members and is governed by 4 trustees who receive no remuneration. The foundation's approach combines large strategic partnerships with selected institutions alongside grassroots support through local community grants and student awards programs.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Major Strategic Institutional Grants (£4 million - £35 million)

  • Large-scale donations to universities, medical facilities, and schools
  • Infrastructure investments (buildings, laboratories, equipment)
  • Multi-year research programs
  • No public application process - foundation-initiated partnerships

Local Community Fund (Small financial donations - typically under £10,000)

  • Annual fund launched at the beginning of each year
  • Financial donations and Dyson machines for fundraising
  • Open to organizations within five-mile radius of Malmesbury, UK
  • Over £200,000 distributed to local charities, schools, and events
  • Application method: Through website contact form

University Student Support (£1,000 - £24,000)

  • Individual student bursaries at partner universities
  • Project development funding (£140,000+ distributed)
  • Full postgraduate scholarships (£24,000/year at Royal College of Art)
  • Administered through partner universities

Medical Research Grants (£1.5 million - £4 million)

  • Major facility investments and equipment
  • Research program funding
  • Clinical trial support
  • Partnership-based rather than open application

The James Dyson Award (International design competition)

  • National winners: $6,000
  • International winner: $35,000
  • Sustainability winner: $35,000
  • Open application process for students/recent graduates

Priority Areas

Engineering Education

  • Design and technology programs in schools and universities
  • Hands-on problem-solving and iterative design
  • STEAM education facilities and equipment
  • Free educational resources and challenges for schools
  • Support for engineering and product design students

Medical and Scientific Research

  • Cancer treatment facilities and research
  • Dementia research programs
  • Medical physics and nuclear medicine
  • Clinical trials infrastructure

Local Community Support (Malmesbury area)

  • Youth groups and sports teams
  • Local festivals and community events
  • Food banks and social welfare organizations
  • Local schools in the Malmesbury area

What They Don't Fund

  • Organizations outside their geographic focus areas (except for major strategic partnerships)
  • General operating costs for large established organizations (they prefer strategic projects)
  • Activities outside their three core charitable objectives
  • Local community applications from organizations more than five miles from Malmesbury
  • Applications that don't align with engineering education, medical research, or local community support
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Governance and Leadership

Trustees: 4 trustees including founder Sir James Dyson (born May 1947, Designer)

Staff: 6 employees (no employees receive benefits over £60,000)

Trustee Remuneration: No trustees receive any remuneration, payments or benefits from the charity

Key Quotes from James Dyson

On engineering education: “Education should be about problem-solving rather than retaining knowledge simply to pass exams. Problem-solving is something young people are naturally good at. Because there is a huge shortage of engineers, we need a way of educating young people that makes the subject as wonderful and as exciting as it is.”

On the foundation's purpose: "The problems and challenges of the future will be solved by the next generation of engineers and scientists. The James Dyson Foundation is Dyson's engineering education charity that helps promote change for young inventors."

On learning: “Enjoy failure and learn from it. You can never learn from success.”

On the UK education system: “Engineering undergraduates should not be charged fees. They should receive grants, not student loans, and the government will get the money back long-term from increased exports.”

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

For Major Strategic Grants (Universities, Medical Research, Schools):

The James Dyson Foundation does not have a public application process for major institutional grants. These substantial donations (typically £4 million to £35 million) are strategically identified and initiated by the foundation's trustees rather than through open applications. These partnerships are selected based on alignment with the foundation's mission and the potential for significant impact in engineering education or medical research.

For Local Community Fund (Malmesbury Area):

  • Process: Annual fund launched at the beginning of each year
  • Application Method: Apply through the contact page on jamesdysonfoundation.com/contact-us/ask-us-a-question/
  • Eligibility: Organizations and charities within a five-mile radius of Malmesbury, UK
  • Requirements: Must fit within the charity's remit (engineering education, medical research, or local community support)
  • Support Types: Small financial donations and Dyson machines for fundraising raffles

For Student Awards and Bursaries:

  • Students should check with their university if it has an existing partnership with the James Dyson Foundation
  • Partner universities include Cambridge University, Imperial College London, Royal College of Art, Singapore University of Technology and Design
  • Selection criteria typically focus on engineering design, product design, or advanced problem-solving projects

For The James Dyson Award:

  • Open international competition for design students and recent graduates
  • Online application through jamesdysonaward.org
  • Must upload proof of student status or recent graduation
  • Projects judged on problem-solving, innovation, and communication

Getting on Their Radar

The James Dyson Foundation takes a highly strategic approach to major grant-making, with decisions made at trustee level. Based on their funding history, organizations that have received major support share these characteristics:

For Universities and Research Institutions:

  • Strong existing reputation in engineering, design, or medical research
  • Alignment with hands-on, practical problem-solving approaches
  • Potential for infrastructure projects that will inspire future engineers
  • Located in areas with Dyson operations or founder connections
  • Programs that bridge academic theory with industrial application

For Medical Research:

  • Focus on cancer treatment or dementia research
  • Emphasis on engineering solutions to medical challenges
  • Projects that combine medical research with design and technology
  • Facilities that serve substantial populations (the Dyson Cancer Centre serves 500,000 people)

For Schools:

  • Personal connections to James Dyson or Dyson staff (e.g., Gresham's was Dyson's old school)
  • Strong commitment to STEAM education
  • Located near Dyson facilities
  • Projects involving significant infrastructure investment

For Local Organizations:

  • Establish presence in Malmesbury area
  • Demonstrate clear alignment with engineering education, medical research, or community benefit
  • Apply through the annual local community fund process

Decision Timeline

Local Community Fund: Decisions made annually after the launch at the beginning of each year. Specific timeline not publicly disclosed.

Major Strategic Grants: No fixed timeline - these are trustee-initiated partnerships that may develop over months or years of relationship building.

The James Dyson Award:

  • National judging: Several months
  • International shortlist: 20 finalists selected by Dyson engineers
  • Final selection: Made personally by James Dyson

Success Rates

The James Dyson Award: Nearly 2,000 completed entries in 2024, with 1 international winner, 1 sustainability winner, 2 runners-up, and national winners from each participating country/region. This represents approximately 30+ winners from 2,000 entries (success rate of ~1.5% for major prizes).

Local Community Fund: Success rates not published, but the foundation has supported diverse local organizations including food banks, youth groups, festivals, and sports teams.

Major Strategic Grants: Invitation/trustee-initiated only - not applicable for unsolicited applications.

Reapplication Policy

Not publicly documented for any funding stream. For the local community fund, the annual nature suggests organizations can apply each year. The James Dyson Award rules would need to be checked for specific reapplication policies for unsuccessful entries.

Application Success Factors

For Local Community Fund Applications

Geographic Specificity: Organizations must be within a five-mile radius of Malmesbury, UK. This is a strict requirement given the foundation's stated focus on the “local community.”

Mission Alignment: Applications must clearly fit within one of three areas: engineering education, medical research, or local community support. Demonstrate this alignment explicitly in your application.

Practical Impact: The foundation has supported practical causes like food banks (donating 1.5 tons of food), youth groups, and local festivals. Show tangible community benefit.

Fundraising Applications: The foundation provides Dyson machines for fundraising raffles. Consider whether this in-kind support might suit your needs alongside or instead of financial grants.

For University Partnership Consideration

Problem-Solving Focus: James Dyson has stated: “Education should be about problem-solving rather than retaining knowledge simply to pass exams.” Universities that emphasize hands-on, iterative design and practical problem-solving align with the foundation's philosophy.

Engineering Design Integration: Successful partnerships (Imperial College, Cambridge) have focused on design engineering that bridges traditional engineering with product development. The Dyson School of Design Engineering at Imperial teaches a curriculum "designed in partnership with Dyson's engineers to ensure industry relevance."

Infrastructure Projects: Major grants have funded buildings, laboratories, and facilities (£8 million for Cambridge's Dyson Centre for Engineering Design, £12 million for Imperial's Dyson School). Proposals should involve substantial infrastructure that will inspire future generations.

Student-Centered Outcomes: Projects that support individual students through bursaries, equipment for final-year projects, and prototyping facilities have received funding (£140,000+ for final year project support, £1.5 million for 40 postgraduate students).

For Medical Research Initiatives

Engineering Solutions to Medical Problems: The foundation's medical grants combine engineering innovation with healthcare (cancer treatment facilities, medical physics, nuclear medicine). Research that applies engineering thinking to medical challenges aligns with their mission.

Scale and Impact: The Dyson Cancer Centre serves 500,000 people and houses 60+ clinical trials. Demonstrate how your project will achieve significant impact and benefit substantial populations.

Facility and Equipment Focus: Grants have supported “state-of-the-art medical equipment and dedicated research facilities” rather than pure research funding without infrastructure components.

For The James Dyson Award

Communication Quality: Projects are "judged on the strength of the entry, not just the invention itself, requiring communication of the invention's significance, product development process, and final design." Document your iterative process thoroughly.

Brief Responsiveness: Dyson engineers evaluate “how well each entry answers the brief” with “an iterative, trial-and-error approach serving well.” Show your problem-solving journey including failures and iterations.

Commercial Viability: Judges keep “commercial viability in focus” during selection. Consider real-world application and market potential.

Problem-Solving: The foundation values genuine solutions to real problems. As James Dyson stated: “Problem-solving is something young people are naturally good at.”

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Mixed Model: The foundation operates two distinct funding streams - major strategic partnerships initiated by trustees (no public application) and an annual local community fund with open applications for Malmesbury-area organizations.
  • Local Community Fund is Accessible: If your organization is within five miles of Malmesbury and aligns with engineering education, medical research, or community support, apply annually through the website contact form.
  • Major Grants Are Invitation-Only: Don't submit unsolicited proposals for large grants. The foundation's £4-35 million donations to universities and medical facilities are trustee-initiated strategic partnerships, not responsive to applications.
  • Personal Connections Matter: Major beneficiaries often have personal connections (Gresham's School was Dyson's alma mater) or are in locations with Dyson operations. Geographic proximity to Malmesbury or other Dyson facilities appears advantageous.
  • Problem-Solving Philosophy: All funding reflects James Dyson's belief that “education should be about problem-solving” and that “failure is an inevitable part of the process of innovation.” Emphasize iterative, hands-on, learning-through-making approaches.
  • Infrastructure Focus: Major grants fund buildings, equipment, and facilities rather than programmatic costs. The foundation invests in tangible infrastructure that will inspire future engineers.
  • Student-Centered Support: Beyond major institutional grants, the foundation supports individual students through bursaries, project funding, and awards. If you're at a university, investigate whether partnership opportunities exist at institutional level.

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