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Record year for CFN despite recession

An extra £33.5 million was made available by private philanthropists to support local communities in the teeth of last year’s recession, according to record-breaking figures released today by the Community Foundation Network (CFN). Monies from central and local government, business and others meant that in total £56 million was made available to support grassroots organisations.

The number of individual donors setting up charitable funds to support local groups rose by a record breaking 60% over the course of the year, with 1,765 major charitable funds now managed by Community Foundations, with an average value of just under £80,000.

While, unsurprisingly, the overall value of grant-making fell by 15% during the course of the year, CFN leaders believe the huge increase in the number of new philanthropists shows the resilience of community-based philanthropy and its ability to contribute strongly in the year ahead. Chief Executive, Stephen Hammersley, believes that “the figures show that the ‘spirit of the blitz’ in hard times is alive and well in Britain today.”

Ten of the fifty-seven community foundations now work with individual clients who have committed at least one million pounds in the past few years to strengthen their communities. One new fund in Leeds was worth £10 million alone in 2008/9.

In 2008/9, grants made by local community foundations were used to support 16,922 local grassroots organisations tackling issues from unemployment and poverty to anti-social behaviour and drugs rehabilitation. Community Foundations use their local knowledge to connect those with money with dynamic local organisations with the ability to use that money to make a lasting impact.

CFN Chief Executive, Stephen Hammersley, comments:

“Increasing the number of donors contributing to strengthen communities in the current economic circumstances has been a tremendous achievement. It shows that in times of trouble, the British people are ready to put their hands in their pockets to put something back into their local communities. It means that, as we come out of recession local community giving has the potential to underpin recovery and to make a real difference across the country.”

21 January 2010

£33 million in Government grants provides much needed help in communities

Over £33 million in grants has been given to over 13,000 charities and voluntary organisations in the first full year of the Government’s Grassroots Grants scheme, statistics reveal.

The £130 million scheme, launched in September 2008, is aimed at helping small voluntary and community organisations provide much needed help in their communities and reach out to the most vulnerable people.

Grants have been spent on a range of community activity from healthy food parcels for deprived communities to social activity for carers – helping communtities to thrive and deal with the individual challenges that face each local community. Small and local community groups with annual incomes below £30,000 can apply for the grants of between £250 and £5,000.

Angela Smith, Minister for the Third Sector, said:

“Grassroots Grants give the groups which are tackling local issues the support they need to make a difference. I am delighted that through this ground-breaking programme the Government has in the first year alone given charities and voluntary organisations over £33 million in grants. Enabling them to reach out to the most vulnerable people in our communities.

“The programme is still open for applications and I encourage small local voluntary and community groups across the country to come forward and apply for this essential funding.”

Trevor Sleath, the Andover Food Bank Project Coordinator, said:

“We’ve seen a significant increase in people struggling with debt, both the unemployed and those in low-income employment. These are difficult times, and Andover being a rural community, many people living in villages and the surrounding areas are struggling to make ends meet. We are offering a vital service to people in need, and the Grassroots Grants funding will really help us continue to support them”.

Community foundations are managing Grassroots Grants locally.
Grassroots Grants includes a match fund where donations by business and individuals are matched by Government. The money, which is then invested as an endowment, aims to provide financial support over the longterm to charities and voluntary organisations; enabling even more grants to local good causes, for generations to come.

A total of 8,515 businesses and individuals up and down the country have made donations, totalling over £13 million so far, which the Government then matched funded. This has already built endowments in every local area, worth £25m in total.

The innovative endowment match challenge is the first of its kind in the world, and offers businesses and individuals the chance to contribute directly to supporting and sustaining the communities in which they operate and upon which they rely.
Ashley Taylor, from Friends Provident, a Grassroots Grants donor, said:

"Friends Provident has a history of 'putting something back' into the local community. The Grassroots Grants match funding has enabled us to achieve more with our investment than would otherwise be possible."

See how to make your donation can go further with the Grassroots Grants Endowment Match challenge

17 December 2009

Cumbria Flood Recovery Fund tops £1.7 million. To make a donation,

People can send a cheque made payable to the Cumbria Community Foundation to CCF, Dovenby Hall, Cockermouth, Cumbria, CA13 0PN.

Anyone wanting information about the appeal and who and what will be eligible for funding should log on to Cumbria Community Foundation’s website: wwwcumbriafoundation.org

Or call the dedicated phone line: Tel: 01900 820827.

If people want to donate cash they can pop along to any branch of the Cumberland Building Society and the Furness Building Society or any UK branch of the HSBC bank.

Cumbria Community Foundation is delighted to announce that the Cumbria Flood Recovery Fund has just topped £1 million.

The announcement comes following confirmation from the Francis C Scott Charitable Trust, a Cumbrian based charity, that they will be making a donation of £100,000 to the fund which is already making grants to help flood victims in the county, many of whom are living in temporary accommodation and with few possessions.

Foundation Acting Director Deb Muscat said of the milestone “Thanks to the
generosity of local businesses and members of the public, we’ve managed to raise £1 million in ten days which is absolutely incredible and more than we managed to achieve for the entire campaign after the Carlisle floods.

The staff team are delighted by this news which means we’ll be able to help more people recover from the floods and put their lives back together.”

The Cumbria Flood Recovery Fund was launched with local MP Tony Cunningham the day after the floods hit the county with a founding donation of £50,000 from Nuclear Management Partners. Since then, many local businesses, trusts and the general public have come forward with donations including £100,000 from James Walker & Co Ltd, £100,000 from the Northern Rock Foundation and £50,000 each from the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority and Igguesund Paperboard. Substantial donations have also been made by New Balance, Booths Supermarkets, Tesco, Marks & Spencer, Cumberland Building Society, Capita and the National Nuclear Laboratory.

Acting Director Deb Muscat added “We are greatly encouraged by the response so far but we still need to raise more. We know from our experience in Carlisle in 2005 that we will receive requests for help for many months to come. We are therefore appealing to other businesses, individuals and families to consider making a donation
to the fund if they haven’t already done so.”

Bob Mather, Chair of the Community Foundation took the first cheque in person to a Cockermouth resident and received a very warm welcome and a cup of tea. “I am so pleased to see for myself that we are getting the money quickly to where it is needed.”

The Cumbria Flood Recovery Fund will provide financial help for people who have been affected. The first phase of grant making will concentrate on the elderly, disabled and families with under 5s.

9 December 2009

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