Dr Radcliffe's Trust

Dr Radcliffe's Trust, one of Britain’s oldest independent grant-makers established in 1714 by Oxford physician Dr John Radcliffe, advances learning, health, and public welfare through a legacy focused on classical music and heritage crafts. Its mission emphasizes fostering excellence, sustainability, and access in these under-resourced fields, evolving from capital projects like the Radcliffe Camera to responsive grants that nurture future generations via music education, performance, composition, outreach for young and underserved musicians, and preservation of endangered craft skills through bursaries, apprenticeships, and practitioner development. Values of high artistic standards, innovation, sector leadership, and public benefit guide its support for specialist teaching, collaborative projects, equipment, and capacity-building for youth ensembles, community organizations, and heritage bodies.

Eligible applicants are UK-registered charities, CICs, CIOs, and not-for-profits delivering UK-wide public benefit, prioritizing small to medium-sized entities in music or crafts with established programs; no strict income limits apply, though national significance is favored. International collaborations may qualify if aligned.

Grants typically range from £2,500 to £7,500 as one-off revenue funding for projects, submitted via online form in biannual rounds: 1 November–31 January (July trustees' meeting) or 1 May–31 July (December meeting), with decisions in up to six months and projects ineligible if starting before the meeting. Core costs are limited to project overheads; capital and multi-year grants are excluded.

Distinctive for its expert trustees from music and heritage sectors, the Trust differentiates by targeting culturally vital but overlooked areas, favoring deep expertise, educational ethos, and long-term impact over short-term or unrelated initiatives like general therapy or non-UK benefits.