I’m delighted to share the Community Foundation’s new strategy which we’ve published today.
The strategy was originally agreed in early March 2020, but we put it on hold as we switched focus to responding to the Coronavirus crisis. Nearly a year on, we’ve revisited our goals, knowing the virus and its social and economic impacts will be with us for a long time to come. But, while some details and areas of focus have changed, fundamentally this is the same strategy we agreed before the pandemic. We were already thinking about a possible economic downturn and the effects of Brexit on the poorest parts of our region. We had also started a conversation about philanthropy’s role in addressing diversity, equity and inclusion and had committed to learning and doing more to address racism, sexism, homophobia and other forms of prejudice and discrimination. With the virus having a disproportionate impact on Black and Asian communities, and on people living in poverty, disabled people and those with mental health problems, these concerns are more acute than ever. And the need for an effective philanthropic response is more vital.
So, we’ve refreshed our mission, clarified our intended impact and set ourselves with five big goals.
- To enable more and better philanthropy
- To be great at supporting our region’s small, local charities and community organisations
- To understand and act on vital issues affecting our communities
- To build and sustain our endowment to £100m and beyond
- To be a shining example of an effective charitable foundation that’s accountable to the people it serves
I hope you enjoy reading our strategy and we look forward to engaging with you as it develops over the coming months and years.
Rob Williamson
Chief Executive