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Vital Skills Fund

Helping communities thrive where you do business

Corporate Giving

Many of the North East’s most respected businesses have worked with the Community Foundation to manage their community support. Working with us, local businesses benefit from:

  • A more strategic approach corporate giving/philanthropy backed by the Foundation’s unrivalled knowledge and expertise
  • Access to leading research on the region’s community needs (Vital Signs) and the charity sector
  • The Foundation’s robust, tried-and-tested processes for making grants to community organisations, reducing the risk and increasing likelihood of desired impact
  • A broad range of giving options and flexibility in the level of involvement in funding decisions
  • Reports on the impact of a company’s giving to help with ESG reporting and PR opportunities
  • Being in “good company” alongside numerous prominent North East businesses and families already giving through the Foundation, providing opportunities to collaborate
  • Visits to community projects facilitated by the Foundation and support to engage employees
  • Networking opportunities for your company’s leaders at unique and inspiring Foundation events

The Vital Skills Fund – helping communities thrive where you do business

This fund is designed to offer a simple way for businesses to give back to local communities and collectively make a difference. The Fund is dedicated to local programmes that build new pathways to skilled jobs, higher and further education, entrepreneurship and innovation. Such support can help address the lack of access to opportunity, which holds too many young people back in the region.

 

How the Fund works:

  • Businesses or business owners can donate at any level and contributions are pooled to provide grants focused on employability and workforce development
  • We’re seeking Founding Partners who can contribute £5,000 to the Fund, which will be matched by a generous Community Foundation donor
  • Grants will be made as and when funds become available – participating businesses will have the opportunity to visit projects that have been supported
  • Supporting businesses will have the opportunity to join a network of like-minded businesses, join PR initiatives, and benefit from valuable professional connections

Get involved: if you would like to support the Vital Skills Fund, please contact John Hollingsworth, Chief Philanthropy Officer, using the contact form at the bottom of the page.

Backed by the latest research

The Vital Skills Fund is designed around our Vital Signs 2024 research, which outlines the role of philanthropy if supporting the following in our region:

 

Economy:

  • Nurturing greater interest in entrepreneurialism
  • Empower people from all backgrounds to become innovators
  • Support people facing disadvantages to access more vocational education and training
  • Support social entrepreneurs from marginalised backgrounds to provide wider economic inclusion

Education:

  • Alternative pathways and vocational training are needed for those at most risk of becoming NEET
  • Additional support is needed for high-attaining students from disadvantaged situations to ensure they continue on a pathway to success

Read more about Vital Signs

Our business partners

  • Akzo Nobel International Paint
  • Bellway
  • Bonas Machine Company
  • Canford Audio
  • Fergusons of Blyth
  • John Laing
  • JPMorgan
  • Muckle
  • Naylors Gavin Black
  • Newcastle Building Society
  • North East Brewers
  • Northern Gas Networks
  • Northern Powergrid
  • Northumberland Group
  • Northumbrian Water
  • Opencast
  • P&G
  • Pattinson Estate Agents
  • Port of Tyne
  • PricewaterhouseCoopers
  • Ringtons
  • Rolls-Royce
  • Tyne Tees Television
  • Virgin Money
  • Ward Hadaway