David Gibbons Foundation

The David Gibbons Foundation is an independent grant-making charity established by David and Vera Gibbons to support vulnerable individuals and organisations in Devon, with a strong preference for East Devon. Its core mission is to alleviate urgent financial hardship, disadvantage, and suffering among local residents, particularly the elderly, those with physical or mental illnesses, disabilities, or learning difficulties. Guided by values of compassion, local responsiveness, and pragmatic flexibility, the Foundation emphasises trustee discretion, personal oversight, and targeted interventions that fill gaps in statutory support, prioritising immediate, person-centred impact over rigid strategies.

It funds a broad range of needs-led activities, including project costs, capital items like specialist disability equipment and home adaptations, and one-off emergency aid to address serious illness, old age, poverty, or vulnerability. Grants support both individuals (via organisational referrals) and not-for-profits delivering direct relief, such as charities aiding older people or those in material crisis.

Eligible applicants include UK-registered charities, CICs, community groups, schools, councils, and other Devon-based not-for-profits, with priority for small, grassroots organisations over national ones; individuals require referral. There are no strict income limits, though smaller entities are favoured, and no religious restrictions apply. Applications are unsolicited via online form, with supporting evidence of need and spending plans; trustee meetings occur six times yearly (next deadline: 31 October 2025 for 25 November meeting), plus ad hoc urgent cases.

Typical grants range from £300–£2,000 for individuals and £1,000–£5,000 for organisations (up to £20,000 occasionally), excluding general core funding. Distinctively needs-led and place-based, it stands out for its local knowledge, rejection of scale-driven priorities, and focus on the most acute Devon hardships.