Discworld Foundation

The Discworld Foundation channels Sir Terry Pratchett's philanthropic ethos into general charitable purposes advancing public benefit, wellbeing, and social betterment for mankind. Core values emphasize compassion, vulnerability support, research advancement, and flexible grantmaking that empowers diverse organizations to create meaningful impact. They prioritize trustee-discretion decisions fostering equity, community empowerment, and holistic approaches, believing sustainable change emerges from broad backing of charities addressing root societal challenges through innovation, partnership, and authentic public good.

As a generalist funder, they support expansive cause areas including mental health counselling and therapeutic activities for anxiety, depression, and trauma recovery; disability services like respite care, day services, and inclusive activities for children and adults with autism spectrum disorder, learning disabilities, ADHD, physical disabilities, and complex health needs; youth work encompassing after-school clubs, mentoring, employment training, and early intervention for young people aged 16-25 facing barriers, care leavers, or SEND exclusion; elderly care through befriending, social isolation prevention, and holistic support; family and carer respite, peer support groups, and advocacy for families caring for disabled children or experiencing domestic abuse, poverty, or food insecurity; education and literacy programs promoting skills and inclusion; addiction recovery helplines and drop-in centres; refugee support and community development initiatives; conservation efforts enhancing environmental resilience; and health research driving preventative solutions. They back person-centred, trauma-informed, community-led interventions like creative arts, sports, outdoor activities, and capacity building for grassroots charities delivering outreach, peer support, and evidence-based services to isolated individuals, ethnic minorities, rural communities, veterans, and LGBTQ+ groups.

They exclude funding for individuals, focusing solely on organizations, and avoid narrowly thematic or duplicative efforts lacking broad public impact. Distinctive for Pratchett-inspired openness to literacy, scientific research, conservation, and fandom-linked causes, they prioritize flexible support for nationwide England and Wales communities, valuing lived experience leadership, innovation in vulnerability alleviation, and charities embodying compassionate, unrestricted public benefit without religious or equity mandates.