Clore Duffield Foundation

What Clore Duffield Foundation does

The Clore Duffield Foundation is a UK grant-making charity founded in 1964 by the entrepreneur Sir Charles Clore and now chaired by his daughter Dame Vivien Duffield DBE. The Foundation distributes philanthropic capital — not commercial products or services — to UK registered charities working in arts, education, Jewish life, social welfare and health. It does not accept unsolicited applications; instead, it operates through targeted flagship programmes including the Clore Learning Spaces programme (which has funded over 80 dedicated learning spaces in national museums, performing arts centres, heritage sites and libraries since 2000), the Clore Leadership Programme for the cultural sector, Clore Social Leadership for the wider charity sector, a School Trips Grant Programme, the Clore Schools Partnership with Ark Schools, and the Clore Garden capital project at Tate Britain. The Foundation has also created and continues to anchor major institutions including JW3 (London's Jewish Community Centre, opened 2013), Eureka! (the first British children's museum, opened 1992), and a suite of smaller grant products (Small Clore Fund, Fit for the Future Fund).

The Foundation is funded by its endowment and the personal contributions of its Chair rather than by commercial revenue generation. Grant decisions are made at Trustee meetings held twice yearly (summer and winter), and administration costs are kept below 10% of total spend. Since 2000 — when the Clore Foundation merged with the Vivien Duffield Foundation — the organisation has supported over 750 UK charities with cumulative grants exceeding £110 million, supplemented by a £30 million anniversary gift from Dame Vivien Duffield in 2024. Revenue mechanics are entirely philanthropic: there is no pricing model, no commercial sales motion, and no per-grant or transaction fees. The Foundation operates with a tiny team (1–10 employees) from its headquarters at Chelsea Manor Studios in London.

The Foundation's competitive positioning rests on six decades of brand equity, multi-stakeholder convening power (Arts in Schools Summit with Ministers Catherine McKinnell and Sir Chris Bryant; Arts Education Symposium with Art Fund), and a deep institutional network spanning Tate Britain, the Royal Opera House, Southbank Centre, Oxford University, the Royal College of Art, Historic Royal Palaces, the Royal Horticultural Society and others. Its go-to-market is direct, with the Foundation actively identifying and approaching organisations for its flagship programmes rather than running an open application pipeline. Distribution is domestic UK only; the Clore Israel Foundation operates as a separate sister entity. The Foundation has no technology platform, API, or app, and AI/ML plays no role in its operations.

Name

Clore Duffield Foundation

Legal name

The Clore Duffield Foundation

Website

https://cloreduffield.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1964

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Clore Duffield Foundation is a UK grant-making charity founded in 1964 that funds arts, education, Jewish life, social welfare and health projects across the United Kingdom, distributing over £110 million in grants to 750+ charities through flagship programmes including Clore Learning Spaces, Clore Leadership, and School Trips Grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Philanthropic Grant-Making Foundation

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (8132)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Arts, Culture & Humanities Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Education Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAK)

Keywords

• Philanthropic grant making
• Arts education funding
• Cultural philanthropy
• Charitable foundation grants
• Museum learning programmes

Headquarters

HQ city

City Of London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Revenue model

1. Philanthropic Grant-Making: The Foundation is funded by its endowment and the personal contributions of its Chair, Dame Vivien Duffield. It distributes grants to UK charities working in the arts, education, social welfare and health. Revenue is entirely philanthropic in nature — there is no commercial revenue generation.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Clore Duffield Foundation is a UK grant-making charitable foundation that distributes funding to registered charities working in arts, education, social welfare and health. Since 2000 it has awarded over £110 million in grants to more than 750 UK charities, and operates flagship programmes including Clore Learning Spaces, Clore Leadership, Clore Social Leadership, School Trips Grants, and the Clore Schools Partnership with Ark Schools.

Product overview

The Clore Duffield Foundation is a charitable foundation that has been distributing funds to UK charities since 1964. Rather than offering a unified technology product, the Foundation operates a portfolio of grant programmes and initiatives focused on arts, culture, heritage, and education. The core offerings include: the Clore Learning Spaces programme (funding dedicated learning spaces in cultural institutions), the Clore Leadership Programme (cultural sector leadership development), Clore Social Leadership (charity sector leadership training), School Trips Grants (funding educational trips for disadvantaged schools), and the Clore Schools Partnership (arts education partnerships with Ark Schools). The Foundation also supports established initiatives including JW3 (Jewish Community Centre) and Eureka! (children's museum), and funds capital projects such as the Clore Garden at Tate Britain.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Clore Leadership Programme: One of the world's best cultural leadership programmes, developing leadership potential across the cultural and creative sectors. Initiated by Dame Vivien Duffield in 2003.
• Clore Social Leadership
• Clore Learning Spaces
• Eureka!
• JW3

Products and services

• Clore Learning Spaces A flagship programme that funds the creation of dedicated, specially designed learning spaces within UK arts, heritage and cultural institutions, supporting hands-on learning for children, families and communities.
• Clore Leadership Programme A world-renowned cultural leadership development programme that develops exceptional leaders across the cultural and creative sectors, established in 2003.
• Clore Social Leadership A leadership development programme for the UK charity sector, founded in 2008 and now operating as an independent charity.
• School Trips Grant A funding programme providing 100% funding for schools in Blackpool, Cornwall and Portsmouth to deliver high-quality school trips for children who would otherwise not be able to access such experiences.
• Clore Schools Partnership A partnership programme with Ark Multi Academy Trust to develop and deliver excellent arts education programmes for schools, including arts education support for multi-academy trusts.
• Small Clore Fund A grant programme supporting small to mid-sized arts and heritage organisations with grants of up to £250,000 to develop Clore Learning Spaces.
• Fit for the Future Fund A grant programme for existing Clore Learning Spaces to refurbish or re-equip their spaces, with grants of up to 10% of original value.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 750 UK charities supported since 2000
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers20 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

23 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and pilot.

• Historic Royal PalacesflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 March 2026Historic Royal Palaces is the independent charity that looks after six palaces. The Foundation funded the new Clore Learning Centre at Kensington Palace, opened by HRH The Princess Royal on 17 March 2026. The space is attached to the historic Orangery and is fully accessible for schools and community groups, including those with special educational needs and disabilities.
• Art FundcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2026The Clore Duffield Foundation and Art Fund co-hosted an Arts Education Symposium at Tate Britain, bringing together leaders, teachers, policymakers and funders from across the arts, heritage and education sectors. The Foundation is also supporting Art Fund to develop a Teacher Fellowship programme.
• Royal Horticultural Society (RHS)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026The Clore Garden project at Tate Britain is realised in partnership with the Royal Horticultural Society. The RHS is co-creating the garden design and will manage its relocation to Tate Britain's Millbank site after the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2026 exhibition.
• Scottish Royal ConservatoirepilotStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026The Foundation is piloting an arts and school trips programme working with St Columbkille's Primary School in Glasgow, in partnership with the Scottish Royal Conservatoire. The pilot will be rolled out more widely after the initial phase.
• National Saturday ClubcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026The Foundation has supported the National Saturday Club to create 10 new Performance & Theatre Saturday Clubs across England, free for 13–16-year-olds with a focus on engaging young people from underrepresented communities.
• StonehengecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026A new Clore Learning Space has been announced at Stonehenge as part of ongoing expansion of the Clore Learning Spaces programme.
• Royal Observatory GreenwichcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026A new Clore Learning Space has been announced at the Royal Observatory Greenwich as part of the ongoing expansion of the Clore Learning Spaces programme.
• London MuseumcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026A new Clore Learning Space has been announced at the London Museum as part of the ongoing expansion of the Clore Learning Spaces programme.
• Turner Contemporary (Margate)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026The Clore Learning Studio at Turner Contemporary was recently refurbished as part of the Foundation's ongoing programme maintenance.
• National Galleries of ScotlandcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Clore Learning Spaces at the National Galleries of Scotland were recently refurbished as part of the Foundation's ongoing programme maintenance.
• National TheatrecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Clore Learning Spaces at the National Theatre were recently refurbished as part of the Foundation's ongoing programme maintenance.
• Glasshouse International Centre for MusiccoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Clore Learning Spaces at the Glasshouse International Centre for Music were recently refurbished as part of the Foundation's ongoing programme maintenance.
• Tate BritainflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025The Foundation has a decades-long relationship with Tate Britain, beginning with the Clore Gallery in 1987. Current projects include the Clore Garden at Tate Britain (designed by Tom Stuart-Smith Studio in partnership with RHS, opening 2027) and hosting the Arts in Schools Summit. The Foundation also funds the Clore Centre and Clore Studio at Tate Britain.
• Natural History MuseumflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024A new Clore Learning Space opened at the Natural History Museum as part of the Foundation's 60th anniversary celebrations and the £30m gift from Dame Vivien Duffield.
• V&A StorehouseflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024A new Clore Learning Space has been announced at the V&A Storehouse as part of the Foundation's 60th anniversary celebrations and the £30m gift.
• Old VicflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024A new Clore Learning Centre at the Old Vic (under construction) is part of the Foundation's 60th anniversary celebrations and the £30m gift from Dame Vivien Duffield.
• Theatr Clwyd (Wales)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024A new Clore Learning Space opened at Theatr Clwyd in Wales as part of the Foundation's 60th anniversary celebrations.
• Paisley MuseumcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024A new Clore Learning Room opened at Paisley Museum as part of the Foundation's 60th anniversary celebrations and the £30m gift.
• Garsington OperacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024A new Clore Learning Space opened at Garsington Opera as part of the Foundation's 60th anniversary celebrations.
• The CourtauldcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024A new Clore Learning Space has been announced at The Courtauld as part of the Foundation's 60th anniversary celebrations.
• Trent ParkcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024A new Clore Learning Space has been announced at Trent Park as part of the Foundation's 60th anniversary celebrations.
• Kettle's YardcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Clore Learning Spaces at Kettle's Yard were refurbished as part of the Foundation's 60th anniversary celebrations.
• Ark Schools (Ark Multi Academy Trust)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2023The Foundation is partnered with Ark Schools to develop a new programme of support for Multi Academy Trusts delivering arts education. The pilot focused on Ark schools in Hastings in the 2023/24 academic year, launched with a dedicated teacher training day in September 2023. The project aims to engage every school in the Ark network by July 2027.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights8 records

Direct peers

• The Garfield Weston Foundation: Major UK family-founded grantmaking foundation supporting arts, education, health, environment and heritage. Closely comparable to Clore Duffield in terms of family origins, multi-sector UK grantmaking, and culture/education focus.
• The Henry Smith Charity: UK grantmaking charity supporting education, arts, environment, health and social welfare. Highly comparable in mission, grantmaking scope and UK focus to Clore Duffield Foundation, with similar sized endowment.
• The Esmée Fairbairn Foundation: UK grantmaking foundation supporting arts, education, environment and social change. Comparable in mission and grantmaking model, with active arts education and cultural learning programmes similar to Clore Learning Spaces.
• Paul Hamlyn Foundation: Major UK foundation focused on arts, education and social justice. Strongly comparable given its focus on arts education access, young people's opportunities, and grantmaking to UK cultural organisations — overlapping directly with Clore Duffield's mission.
• The Wolfson Foundation: UK grantmaking foundation funding education, science, health, heritage and the arts. Comparable as a UK-based, family-endowed foundation with significant cultural capital funding (museums, galleries, heritage sites) similar to Clore Learning Spaces.
• The Leverhulme Trust: Large UK grantmaking trust funding research, education, arts and humanities. Similar UK-focused, multi-programme grantmaking model to Clore Duffield, with overlapping arts and education beneficiary base.
• The Tudor Trust: UK grantmaking trust supporting smaller charities and communities across the UK, with significant arts and education funding. Comparable as a smaller, UK-focused grantmaking foundation serving similar beneficiary populations.

Broad incumbents

• Wellcome Trust: One of the world's largest charitable foundations (over £30bn endowment), funding health, research and cultural engagement. Comparable as a UK grantmaking foundation with overlapping arts/culture and education portfolios, but at vastly greater scale and with a science/health focus.
• Arts Council England: The UK's national development agency for arts and culture, distributing public funds to cultural organisations. Comparable in arts/culture grantmaking focus, but is a state-funded body operating at much greater scale than Clore Duffield.
• National Lottery Heritage Fund: UK public heritage funder awarding grants to heritage projects across the country. Comparable in supporting UK heritage and cultural learning infrastructure (overlapping with Clore Learning Spaces in museums and heritage sites) but at much greater scale and with public funding.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/CloreDuffield
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/clore-learning

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Clore Duffield Foundation