D’Oyly Carte Charitable Trust Grant Programme

The D’Oyly Carte Charitable Trust Grant Programme, established in 1972, focuses on enhancing lives through arts, medical welfare, and environmental initiatives. Priorities include promoting access to the arts for marginalized groups, supporting music and art therapy, and engaging youth in conservation efforts. Charities applying must be UK registered and demonstrate alignment with the Trust's mission. The Trust remains committed to making impactful donations that significantly benefit communities and individuals in need.

Origin of the Trust
The D’Oyly Carte Charitable Trust was established in 1972 by Dame Bridget D’Oyly Carte to support her personal interests (other than The D’Oyly Carte Opera Company). Since Dame Bridget’s death in 1985, the Trustees have continued to uphold the aims, interests, and values of Dame Bridget whilst adapting to the changing needs of the modern charitable world.
Dame Bridget was the granddaughter of Richard D'Oyly Carte who founded the Savoy Theatre in 1881 and then the Savoy Hotel in 1889 and the last member of the D’Oyly Carte family.
Objects of the Trust
The objects of the charity are the advancement of the arts, health and medical welfare, and environmental protection or improvement. The Trust supports a diverse range of charities seeking in some way to enhance and improve people’s lives.
Future Funding Priorities for 3 years
Access and participation in the arts for those who have the least access to them with emphasis on choirs and singing to build community and bring people together Support for charities seeking to engage with, and inspire, young people on the fringes of society through music and drama projects to improve their employability and diminish the risk of social exclusionPerformance development opportunities in the performing arts for those in the early stages of their careers
MEDICAL WELFARE
Music and art therapy and non-clinical interventions that use singing, drama, and musical techniques to aid recovery from illness and improve quality of life and mental wellbeing Support for charities concerned with alleviating the suffering of adults and children with medical conditions who have difficulty finding support through traditional sourcesThe welfare of those who care for others through the provision of breaks for carers, with an emphasis on projects and schemes assisting young careers
THE ENVIRONMENT
Social and therapeutic horticulture projects that embrace nature as a tool for mental well-being by using gardening or other environmental activities to bring about positive changes in the lives of those who are living with disabilities or ill healthActive involvement in hands-on conservation activities, particularly those that bring about positive changes in the lives of young people living at the margins of society to improve their skills, build their confidence and break down barriers to their employmentRural crafts and skills in heritage conservation, with emphasis on increasingly rare skills that would otherwise be lost

Eligibility

Applicants must be UK Registered Charities operating in the UK for the benefit of UK residents, and the organization's annual returns to the Charity Commission, the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator, or the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland must be up-to-date.The majority of the Trust’s grants are single grants over a one-year period. The Trustees will consider applications for core costs or projects.Charities in receipt of single grants in three consecutive years, or three grants in five years, may reapply to the Trust after three years have passed since the date of their last grant.We will be continuing to support the work of Hospice UK and welcome applications from charities delivering music and art therapy services directly to hospices.

Ineligibility

The Trust is unlikely to fund:Capital projects and routine maintenance
Community transport organizations or services, air ambulances, requests for vehicles
General and round-robin appeals
Hospitals and individual hospicesThis Trust has been a supporter of the hospice sector for very many years but is not at present accepting applications from individual hospices.We will however be continuing to support the work of Hospice UK and to welcome applications from charities delivering music and art therapy services directly to hospices.Individuals
Large well-funded national charities
Mainstream schools (and projects linked to the national curriculum)
Medical Research
Nurseries and Playgroups (other than those for special needs children)
Organisations that are not Registered Charities (or accepted as Exempt Charities)
Sport
UniversitiesDue to the volume of appeals received, the Trustees do not consider requests from charities that have had an application turned down until two years have elapsed after the date of rejection.Hospices: This Trust has been a supporter of the hospice sector for very many years but is not at present accepting applications from individual hospices.