University Of Oxford Van Houten Fund

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: Data not publicly available
• Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed (18 applications received in February 2025 round)
• Decision Time: Approximately 2-3 months (February-April bidding cycle)
• Grant Range: £2,000 - £12,000 (internal); lower amounts for external organizations
• Geographic Focus: Oxford and surrounding area
• External Funding Cap: £25,000 total across all external organizations per bidding round

Contact Details

Email: trusts@admin.ox.ac.uk

Address: Secretary to the Van Houten Fund, Trusts Management Team, University Offices, Wellington Square, Oxford

Website: https://governance.admin.ox.ac.uk/van-houten-fund

Overview

The Van Houten Fund was established in the 1960s through a bequest by Georges van Houten “for the benefit of the University in such ways as the Chancellor, the Vice-Chancellor, and Council see fit.” Since 2005, responsibility for assessing applications and determining grants has been delegated to the University Registrar, who reports regularly to Council on decisions taken. The fund operates through an annual competitive bidding process, inviting applications for projects that offer broad strategic benefit to the University but fall outside normal departmental operations and would not easily be funded from other regular sources. While primarily focused on internal University projects, the fund does accept applications from external organizations, particularly those working in partnership with or providing strategic benefit to the University of Oxford. Recent grants have supported disability careers development, wellbeing initiatives for students, and STEM education infrastructure.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Annual Grant Round (Fixed deadline, annual cycle)

• Internal applicants (University departments/colleges): £2,000 - £12,000
• External organizations: Lower amounts, with a £25,000 total cap across all external organizations per round
• Grants can be one-off awards or spread over two to three years
• Application period: Early February to April (specific dates TBC each year)

Priority Areas

For Internal Applicants:

• Projects closely aligned with the University's strategic plan
• Initiatives offering broad benefit across the University (not single departments)
• Strategic projects beyond normal day-to-day operations
• Projects that leverage Van Houten funding to secure additional external funding

For External Organizations:

• Projects providing strategic benefit to the University of Oxford
• Community initiatives with clear University connections or partnerships
• Projects supporting Oxford students or University mission
• Recent examples include disability support programs, student wellbeing initiatives, and local STEM education

Assessment Criteria:

1. Breadth of benefit to the University
2. Strategic importance of the project to the University
3. Availability of funds

What They Don't Fund

• Academic scholarships (other University trust funds exist for this purpose)
• Routine departmental costs or service funding
• Projects that would normally be budgeted for by departments
• Full project costs (match funding or co-funding expected)
• Projects with alternative University funding sources available
• Fully recurring activities without time-limited deliverables

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Governance and Leadership

Decision-Making Authority: The University Registrar assesses applications and determines grants, with regular reporting to the University Council.

Administration: Trusts Management Team, Governance and Planning Division, University of Oxford

The fund operates under delegation from the Chancellor, Vice-Chancellor, and Council, who retain ultimate oversight of the bequest established by Georges van Houten in the 1960s.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

Application Method: Annual competitive bidding round via application form

Application Window:

• Opens: Early February (dates announced on website)
• Closes: April (dates announced on website)
• The 2025 round closed in April 2025; the 2026 round will open in early February 2026

Application Requirements:

• Completed Van Houten Fund application form (available on website during bidding rounds)
• Demonstration of broad strategic benefit to the University
• Clear indication of how costs will initially be paid/managed
• Evidence of departmental contribution or plan to leverage funding for additional support
• External applicants should demonstrate clear University connection or partnership

Important Considerations:

• Grants will not ordinarily cover full project costs
• Departments/organizations must demonstrate capacity to pay initial costs
• Applications should show how Van Houten funding will help secure other funding sources
• For internal applicants: alignment with University strategic plan is prioritized
• Only in exceptional circumstances will grants be awarded to single-department projects

Decision Timeline

Process:

• Applications submitted: February - April
• Assessment by Registrar: April - May (estimated)
• Decisions communicated: Late spring/early summer (estimated)
• Funding for: Following financial year

Recent Activity: The February 2025 bidding round attracted eighteen applications.

Success Rates

Specific success rates are not publicly disclosed. The 2025 round received eighteen applications, but the number of awards made has not been published. Given the competitive nature and the £25,000 cap for all external organizations combined, external applicants should expect significant competition.

Reapplication Policy

Not explicitly stated. Given the annual cycle and competitive nature, unsuccessful applicants would likely need to wait for the next annual bidding round and could reapply with a stronger or revised proposal.

Application Success Factors

Alignment with University Strategy

For internal applicants, the fund explicitly prioritizes "initiatives that are closely aligned to the University's strategic plan." External applicants should similarly demonstrate how their project advances University priorities or strategic objectives.

Breadth of Benefit

The assessment focuses heavily on “the breadth of the benefit to the University offered by the project.” Single-department or narrow-focus projects are unlikely to succeed. Applications should articulate cross-University impact or benefit multiple departments/constituencies.

Strategic vs. Operational

Projects must offer “broad strategic benefit to the University, but that do not form part of the normal day-to-day operations of a department and would not easily be funded from other regular sources.” The fund is not for routine activities or standard departmental expenses.

Leverage and Additionality

The fund expects applicants to demonstrate match funding or use Van Houten grants “to assist in securing other funding (including external funding).” Applications should show how this seed funding will leverage additional resources.

Recent Funded Projects as Examples

OxAbility: The Oxford Disability Careers Development Programme - Focused on empowering disabled and neuro-divergent students to gain meaningful work experience, develop confidence in discussing workplace adjustments, and build skills for future success.

Supporting Social Anxiety in Young People: A Wellbeing Toolkit - Developed research-based resources to help sixth form teachers identify and respond to social anxiety, with adapted self-help materials for university students.

STEM Classroom Development at Ss Philip & James CE Primary School - Supported design, development, and building of a dedicated STEM classroom at a local school.

These examples demonstrate the fund's interest in student development, wellbeing initiatives, educational partnerships, and projects with tangible deliverables benefiting both the University and the broader Oxford community.

External Organization Considerations

External organizations face significant constraints:

• Much lower grant amounts than internal applicants
• £25,000 total cap across ALL external organizations per round
• Must demonstrate clear University connection or strategic benefit
• Likely competing against other external organizations for limited pool

External applicants should have strong existing relationships with University departments or clear demonstration of how their work directly benefits Oxford students, staff, or University mission.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• University alignment is critical: Whether internal or external, applications must demonstrate strategic benefit to the University of Oxford specifically
• Think cross-cutting impact: Single-department or narrow projects are explicitly deprioritized; show breadth of benefit
• Leverage, don't rely: The fund expects match funding or plans to use the grant to secure additional resources
• Time your application: Annual cycle only, with February-April window; plan well in advance
• External applicants face steep competition: With a £25,000 total cap across all external organizations, grants are likely small and highly competitive
• Establish University connections first: External organizations should develop relationships with relevant University departments before applying
• Focus on strategic, not operational: This is for one-off or time-limited strategic initiatives, not ongoing operational costs

References

• University of Oxford Governance and Planning Division. “Van Houten Fund.” https://governance.admin.ox.ac.uk/van-houten-fund
• University of Oxford Governance and Planning Division. “Applying for grants.” https://governance.admin.ox.ac.uk/applying-for-grants
• University of Oxford Medical Sciences Division. “Van Houten Fund.” https://www.medsci.ox.ac.uk/research/internal-research-funding/funding-directory/managed-by-other-divisions/van-houten-fund
• University of Oxford Governance and Planning Division. “van Houten Bequest.” https://governance.admin.ox.ac.uk/legislation/van-houten-bequest
• Oxford Accessibility Project. “Partners.” https://www.oxfordaccessibilityproject.org/partners
• Oxford Mutual Aid. “Support us.” https://www.oxfordmutualaid.org/donate/