Investing, Inspiring and Including: How Community Foundations Are Helping the Recovery From the Pandemic

The effects of the pandemic have been felt differently depending on where you are in the UK. However, whether you live in an urban, rural or coastal area, one thing that has been present in communities across the country is the impact of local charities and community organisations. Over the past twelve months millions of people have been supported thanks to their efforts.During February and March 2021, we asked our network of community foundations to complete a survey to help us understand the challenges that local Voluntary and Community Sector Organisations (VCSOs) faced and the changing areas of need. Alongside building a clearer picture of the emerging and ongoing issues, we also wanted to get a firm grasp of the steps that funders can take to support local VCSOs. This report encapsulates the findings of the survey, our experience of emergency grant-making during the pandemic, initial conversations with the BAME Infrastructure organisations we have worked alongside, and decades of place-based investment in communities. It aims to make a series of solutionfocused recommendations on how we can best support local VCSOs now, and in the years to come

Thinking globally, acting locally: How community foundations are contributing to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals

This report looks at how the place-based community foundation model aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Using examples from across the community foundation network, it demonstrates how the work of local organisations, the long-term support of donors, and a focus on place are key to driving sustainable change in communities. It shows how community foundations use their place-based knowledge and relationships to convene different local actors around the Goals.As well as providing examples of how our place-based work fits within a global context, the report also calls for more sustainable funding practices such as multi-year funding and increased flexibility from donors and grant-makers. In addition to this, the report shows how the SDGs can be used by civil society to help communicate its huge impact and to leverage further support from the private sector as it increasingly turns to the SDGs to measure social impact.The report is relevant to funders, philanthropists, corporates, local charities, and other institutions that are invested in seeing sustainable social change in communities across the UK