ANNUAL REVIEW 2019 Our local communities are facing major challenges and society’s response to these challenges is likely to shape the way we live for generations to come. Yet, wherever there are challenges, people come together to address them. At Sussex Community Foundation, we are witness to a great burst of energy and innovation in our communities to bring about positive change. We are privileged to support these inspiring people.
to major social issues. We aim to do more to help our donors get a feeling for the changes they are making and to learn about what else could be achieved. We are also ambitious to develop larger funds and larger grants which can address the underlying causes of social problems.
It has been another successful year for us. For the second year running, we have given out over £2 million in grants. In addition, we reached an important milestone in building our endowment fund to over £20 million.
In recent years, we have expanded the remit of our grantmaking to include environmental projects and, in future, we expect to include more arts and culture projects, as well as addressing disadvantage and deprivation. We will always retain our focus on helping local people to work together to address local needs and issues. Our goal is to continue to be a flexible, responsive and sustainable resource for local community action.
During the year, we worked hard on our new organisational strategy. As part of that review, we consulted our donors, grant applicants, local authorities and other local charities, as well as comparing ourselves to other community foundations. We heard some very clear messages. Local charities confirmed to us that a mixed economy of grantmaking is really valued. Small one-off grants play a crucial role but they also want larger and longer term grants. There is also a demand for smaller fast-track grants which enable new groups to get started or larger groups to respond to urgent and immediate need. Most of all, local charities wanted us to be a broad based local funder, who will help them achieve their short-term goals and continue to support them in the longer term. Philanthropy is changing, too. Our donors tell us that they give to us because they trust us to use their money well and to make a difference. Many wanted to get more engaged with their giving and to learn more about what is happening locally. There is a growing group of donors who are prepared to make large gifts, if they see that their donation can help bring about strategic change SUSSEX COMMUNITY FOUNDATION ANNUAL REVIEW 2019
As a society, we are facing great challenges. We believe though, that with the support of a generous culture of philanthropy, our vibrant and compassionate communities will face up to these challenges and we can all work to build a better future for Sussex. KEVIN RICHMOND CHIEF EXECUTIVE, SUSSEX COMMUNITY FOUNDATION