Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Where did the Fund's money come from?
A. The Fund was established with donations given in memory of the Princess by people around the world in the days and months following her death on 31 August 1997. These totalled about £20 million. In addition, a further £80 million was generated through commercial activities - including a large donation from Sir Elton John and Polygram's Candle in the Wind '97, as well as the sale of products under the Fund's commercial licensing programme. There has also been investment income of approximately £8 million.
Q. How has the money been spent?
A. In the first nine years of its existence, the Fund spent some £76 million on grants and other direct charitable expenditures. More than 350 organisations around the world received grants. Charities with which the Princess had a close connection in her lifetime were invited to submit proposals for funding, and more than 90 such organisations received money from the Fund in the first year.
Q. How do you decide which charities to support?
A. The Fund continues in the spirit of the Princess's humanitarian work by focusing on disadvantaged and marginalised people, providing them with support, a voice and an opportunity to realise their full potential. Following the Princess's example, the Fund is not afraid to respond to emerging issues of the day and speak out on behalf of causes that are not widely recognised or popular. The Fund is proud to support groups and causes that would otherwise find it difficult to gain funding.
The Princess is particularly remembered for reaching out to people living with HIV/AIDS, exposing the harm done by landmines to innocent civilians, for her concern for vulnerable and marginalised young people, and for her natural empathy with the dying and the bereaved. Palliative care for those living with HIV/AIDS, cancer and other life-limiting illnesses and their families, work to protect civilians from landmines and other explosive remnants of war, and work with some of the most vulnerable young people in the UK - including refugees and asylum seekers as well as those in the criminal justice system - are the focus of our Strategic Plan 2007-2012.
Q. How can charitable organisations apply for grants from the Fund? What are the criteria?
A. The Fund engages primarily in pro-active grant-making. The Fund generally does not invite funding applications. Grants will be provided on an invitation-to-bid basis or through negotiated partnerships with selected organisations that have the capacity to deliver the desired outcomes of our three Initiatives.
The Fund has identified pro-active grant making as the optimal means of attaining our strategic objectives. Therefore, no demand-driven open grants rounds are envisaged at this stage. Please note that the Fund does not consider unsolicited applications for funding.
Q. My organisation is working in Palliative Care but not in sub-Saharan Africa. Can we apply for a grant?
A. No. The Fund only works in sub-Saharan Africa in the following countries; Malawi, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Ethiopia and South Africa.
The PCI's work is largely proactive. It identifies organisations in palliative care which it wishes to support. It will not consider unsolicited applications.
Q. Can individuals apply for grants from the Fund?
A. No. The Fund is engaged in pro-active grant-making and is unable to accept general requests for funding from individuals. The demand for funds is always greater than the money available, and the Fund is of the belief that we can help more people by distributing grants to organisations that have the capacity to deliver the desired outcomes of our three Initiatives.
Q. I have received an email from the Fund telling me that I have been awarded a grant. Is this genuine?
A. No. The Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund does not award grants by email lottery. We will never ask for banking details by internet or email. Neither are beneficiaries required to send money in order to receive their grants.
We have been made aware of a hoax email, claiming to be from the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund, that seeks to dupe recipients into sending money to the hoaxer. The hoax email begins with fake notification of winning a large "grant" from the Fund. The message may include the real names of past or present member of staff, or even purport to be sent in the name of the President of the Fund, Lady Sarah McCorquodale.
Some messages contain links to a website where recipients are asked to provide, among other information, extensive bank account details. They are then directed to wire approximately £4000 to various individuals via Western Union.
We are doing our very best to notify all the relevant organisations. We urge anyone with information about this hoax to email the Metropolitan Police Fraud Alert at fraud.alert@met.police.uk. Please include the full email and details of the bogus web site. They will require the email headers in order to take action against the email address. If you do not know how to do this they will reply to you with instructions how to do this.
For information on Fraud, Computer Crime and Internet-Related Crime from the Metropolitan Police, visit their website at http://www.met.police.uk/fraudalert.
Q. Can the Fund license commercial products related to the Princess, or endorse the use of her image?
A. One way in which the Fund has raised money has been through sales of a range of licensed gifts and other products. However, in 2005, the Fund's Trustee Board decided that, while the Fund will continue with its existing commercial licenses, no new commercial licensing agreements would be entered into. No new commercial licences will therefore be issued by the Fund. In addition, the Fund will not endorse any commercial products, or the use of images of the Princess on any occasion for any purpose.
Q. Can companies or individuals apply to use the name of Diana, Princess of Wales, or to use the Fund's logo?
A. No. the Fund is unable to grant permission to other organisations to use the name of the late Diana, Princess of Wales, nor to use or display the Fund's logo. Please note that the Fund does not own the intellectual property rights to the logo or the right to use the name of the Princess.
Charities currently in receipt of grants from the Fund may seek permission to use or display the Fund's logo in publicity material. Grantees should consult the Communications Guidance for Beneficiaries for more information.
Q. Is the Fund still involved in litigation with the Franklin Mint?
A. No. In November 2004, a $25 million joint grants scheme between the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund and the Franklin Mint was announced as part of their out-of-court settlement of a legal dispute. Under the joint grants scheme, some £13.5 million of grants have been made to a jointly agreed list of excellent charitable causes that resonate with the memory of the late Diana, Princess of Wales.
Q. What is the Fund's relationship with the Spencer family?
A. Lady Sarah McCorquodale, the Princess's elder sister, is the President of our Trustee Board. Earl Spencer, the Princess's brother, is a generous benefactor.
Q. What is the difference between the Fund and other Diana, Princess of Wales Memorials?
A. The Fund is an independent charity. The other memorials in Princess Diana's name, including the fountain, the playground, the Memorial Awards and the Nurses, are all government-sponsored tributes.
Q. How long will the Fund continue operating?
A. The Fund draws down its capital and does not limit spending to its income. It will spend out its existing capital over a period of five to nine years from early 2007. Its operational capacity will then be reduced and it will sometime thereafter cease operating.
Q. Can I make a donation to the Fund?
A. The Fund is no longer actively involved in fund-raising and aims to spend out its existing capital over five to nine years from early 2007. However, donations will continue to be accepted. Any donations go into the general funds, to be spread amongst the different initiatives supported by the Fund. If intending donors would like their money to go to a specific cause then we suggest they approach an appropriate charity directly.
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