FAQS: £1 Million Pound Donation

What is the donation for?  

Dementia is currently diagnosed too late, up to 20 years after the disease has begun. Quicker, more accurate ways to diagnose dementia are greatly needed so patients can access treatments earlier and plan for their future.  

With this donation, our aim is to improve early diagnosis through a coordinated programme of clinical research activities. Further details about the projects we will be supporting will be announced in due course.  

Who is the donation from?  

The donation has been made by a Jersey regulated Foundation that wishes to remain anonymous. We are hugely grateful to the Foundation for their generous support of BRACE and dementia research. They have demonstrated outstanding support for dementia research, and their contribution will make a significant impact on our ongoing efforts to achieve an earlier diagnosis of dementia. 

How did the donation come about?

The charity was approached with the offer of financial support from the Foundation. The BRACE team, including CEO Chris Williams and Head of Fundraising, Liberty Pring, and Trustee members, John Pounsford and Professor Bridget Lumb worked together to assess the offer over a number of weeks. Once due diligence was under taken, BRACE was able to graciously accept the donation.

Did BRACE do adequate due diligence?  

The BRACE Board of Trustees made an informed decision on whether BRACE should accept or reject the £1M donation.  

The Board made this decision based on the charity's best interests. This included weighing up any issues around how the funds were raised, what it could be used for and its impact.

For the decision to be valid, the Trustees carried out the following. 

• Acted within their powers, as set out in the governing document. 
• Acted in good faith and only in the charity's interests, taking note of any conflicts of interests and managing these. 
• Made sure they had enough information before making the decision. 
• Considered all relevant factors by considering the decision from several perspectives. 
• Ignored any irrelevant factors. 
• Only make the decision if it falls within the range of decisions that a reasonable trustee body can make. 

BRACE sought external, impartial legal advice, sought and verified information from the Foundation on other charitable donations the Foundation have provided and gained ID checks on relevant contacts at the foundation. 

All the guidance emphasizes that this was a “risk-based” decision. The Board gave unanimous approval to accept the £1M donation. 

Are there any contractual protections? 

The donation is recorded in a written ‘Grant Agreement’ which gives BRACE assurance that all stakeholders will comply with all applicable laws and restrictions around the donation. This agreement was drafted by VWV (Veale Wasbrough Vizards) and signed by both BRACE and the donor. 

Are there any conflicts of interest linked to this donation? 

The donation is not linked to any dealings with either BRACE or with any of its related parties. The donation is not linked to any close relations of trustees or senior management, nor businesses that any of these individuals have a controlling interest in. This was part of the due diligence. 

Where can I see BRACE’s annual accounts? 

BRACE's annual accounts can be found on the Charity Commission BRACE page.

What does this mean for my support and donations? 

While we are incredibly grateful for the donation, in 2023 BRACE received almost £3 million pounds of research requests for funding, of which the charity could only fund £700,000. Until a cure is found for dementia, we need to invest as much money as possible into research. Learn more about this donation and your support.

Still have a question?

If you have a question about this donation that has not been answered on this page, please email [email protected] and we will get back to you as soon as possible.