Mission Statement:

The Clan Donald Foundation furthers education and preservation. The Foundation empowers individuals to study Scottish heritage by awarding scholarships. The Foundation supports museums, libraries, charitable and educational organizations to preserve Scottish history, heritage. culture and customs by awarding grants.

Tax Deductible Donations:

The Clan Donald Foundation, Inc. is a charitable, not-for-profit corporation. The Foundation has IRS 501(c)(3) status, which means that contributions to the Foundation are tax deductible for any American citizen desiring to contribute.

Clan Donald is one of the oldest, largest and most famous of all the Highland clans.

Celts: Its Celtic roots goes back into antiquity, beyond the 6th Century AD, to the great clans in what today is Ireland: Conn of the 100 Battles; Cairfre Riada, founder of Dal Riada in Antrim, Eire, and Colla Uathais.

Vikings: Our Viking foundation goes back to Ingiald "Ill-Ruler" and Olaf "Tree-Hewer" in 7th Century Sweden and Norway.

Best of Two Worlds: All of these traditional blood lines came together in the 12th century in Somerled MacGillebride MacGilladamnan, the historic founder of Clann Domhnaill. Our ancestors were regarded as the heads of the ancient race of Conn, and the lineal heirs of the kings of the Dalriadic Scots.

Norse–Gaels of mixed Gaelic and Norse ancestry and culture dominated much of the Scottish and Irish Sea regions from the 9th to 12th centuries.

Greatest and largest of the Highland Clans, Clan Donald itself begins its recorded history with Somerled, a descendant of Conn of the Hundred Battles and Clan Colla. Somerled's defeat of the Norse King of Man in 1156 gained independence for southwestern Scotland that survived for over four centuries.

What’s in a Name: The clan takes its name from Donald, the 3rd Lord of the Isles and grandson of Somerled who lived until 1269. Donald's son was the original "Mac" (meaning “son of” in Scottish Gaelic). It was Donald's great-grandson, Angus Og, the 6th Lord of the Isles who sheltered Robert the Bruce at the lowest ebb of his career. Later, leading a small band of Islemen, Angus Og was instrumental in Bruce's victory over the English at Bannockburn. This battle won independence for Scotland. In recognition of Clan Donald's part in the victory, Robert the Bruce proclaimed that Clan Donald would forever occupy the honored position on the right wing of the Scottish Army.