Capricorn Foundation

The Capricorn Foundation is a UK-registered charity (No. 1135174) dedicated to facilitating charitable giving for public benefit, with its principal purpose centered on supporting The Ramsbury Manor Foundation through substantial grants. Established to pursue broad charitable aims under trustee guidance—who also oversee its main beneficiary—its mission emphasizes stewardship of heritage assets, conservation, education, and public access to cultural resources. Guided by values of long-term sustainability, intergenerational impact, and strategic investment management, it generates income via investments to fund preservation efforts while enhancing educational outreach and community engagement.

It prioritizes funding heritage conservation, preservation of historic sites, buildings, and collections, alongside public education campaigns and access initiatives, primarily channeling resources to The Ramsbury Manor Foundation's major projects in Wiltshire. Beneficiaries include UK charities and voluntary organizations advancing these themes, with grants supporting project work, core costs, capital needs, and recurrent expenditures for cultural heritage activities across England and Wales, extending UK-wide for aligned missions.

Eligible applicants are strictly UK-registered charities of any size, though it favors medium-to-large entities with robust governance; no income thresholds or geographic restrictions apply beyond charitable alignment. Funding is invitation-only, with no unsolicited applications, public deadlines, or open calls—decisions occur at ad hoc trustee meetings. Typical grants are substantial, often in the millions annually (e.g., £4.8 million to Ramsbury Manor), focusing on high-impact conservation.

Distinctively, Capricorn stands out as an anchor donor for one of the UK's premier private heritage initiatives, eschewing broad causes for targeted legacy-building in cultural preservation; it does not fund non-charitable or misaligned activities, prioritizing collaborative partnerships for maximum public benefit.