About

The Harry Crossley Foundation was established in 1968, shortly before Harry’s death, to provide bursaries and grants that would in time benefit thousands of of post-graduate students at The University of Cape Town (UCT) and Stellenbosch University (SU), working in many fields of study, notably medicine. Harry had strong views on politics and religion – he was both a capitalist and an atheist – and expressly excluded these fields from his philanthropy. The first grants at both universities were made in 1971.

The size of these grants has grown significantly over the years, with both universities receiving an equal annual amount for fellowships and research. The support of students and researchers remains the Foundation’s core focus, but in order to respond to the changing landscape in South Africa and build capacity in critical areas, the trustees have widened the scope to include grants to organisations working to improve literacy and numeracy.

In addition, the Foundation provides generous funding to multiple projects routed in education, research and animal welfare.

When Doris Crossley died, in 1986, the Doris Crossley Foundation was established to support undergraduate students in their first or second year of study at UCT, SU and the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT). The students receiving funding from this smaller Foundation come largely from disadvantaged backgrounds and are first generation tertiary students in their families. To assist with the hurdles they face, students are offered a support programme to help them assimilate into university life and perform adequately.

Administered by four trustees, the Harry Crossley and Doris Crossley Foundations continue to evolve and adapt, making a difference in the country of their adoption by giving many thousands of people access to the resources and opportunities that Harry Crossley lacked as a young man.

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