Don Hanson Charitable Foundation

The Don Hanson Charitable Foundation, established in 2007 by British philanthropist James Donald Hanson, drives transformative philanthropy blending business acumen with generosity to deliver social, economic, and educational benefits for vulnerable communities, especially children and young people, in the UK and select international locations. Guided by the founder's legacy, its core values emphasize direct intervention, innovative partnerships, scalable impact, and evidence-led decisions honoring interests in social justice, education, conservation, healthcare, and support for the disadvantaged. Distinctively, it combines grantmaking with substantial direct activities, prioritizing strategic multipliers like flagship programs to catalyze broader charitable investment.

It funds educational inspiration (e.g., DHCF Schools Program's Hanson Box delivering STEM resources to over 13,000 UK primary schools via DARWIN200 voyages), social mobility projects, healthcare, mental health, homelessness relief, disability support, international development, and environmental conservation. Beneficiaries include children facing barriers, youth, schools, and charities like Cancer Research UK, WaterAid, and Chess in Schools, with grants supporting vegetable gardens, science experiments, wild spaces, pilots, and seeds for new initiatives.

Eligible entities span small grassroots groups to large charities with no specified income/size limits or religious restrictions; geography is unrestricted but UK-centric (nationwide reach, plus occasional Australia/USA ties), favoring scalable impact for vulnerable UK groups. Unsolicited applications are not accepted—contact via email or website form for targeted partnerships, with ad hoc trustee decisions aligning to priorities; no deadlines or formal processes.

Grants range £1,500–£75,000 (annual total >£1m), focusing project/strategic/program funding over core costs. Uniquely entrepreneurial, it avoids routine rounds, seeding innovation while leveraging large-scale direct programs for enduring change.