How can we support you in delivering your CSR ambitions and why would you want to work with the Heart of England Community Foundation?

That’s easy. Our knowledge of Coventry, Warwickshire and the rest of the West Midlands is second to none. So, wherever you want to see change, that’s where you’ll see it.

With over 23 years of grant giving experience the Foundation has distributed more than £16million to local community organisations. Many of these groups fall under the radar of national charities, however the organisations we work with have a huge impact on the lives within the communities that they operate.

The Foundation is constantly striving to improve in a bid to remain at the forefront of local giving. Our collaborative work with universities, public bodies, organisations and philanthropists, not to mention the thousands of community groups we have supported, ensure we know our region.

Unsure where you want to make a difference? We have the knowledge to aid your decision making, ensuring your generosity has maximum impact.

With us helping to implement your corporate giving strategy you know lives will be changed while your brand awareness will rise. Letting others know how you’re making a difference is a great tool for business yes, but for the greater good it encourages others to do the same. Give your business the recognition it deserves and be a trailblazer in community support.

We tailor our work to fit your capacity and need, we’re not all about the millions. Whether you want to start a fund, set up a legacy or just donate there is something for everybody and every organisation. A donation of £5,000 could support 5 local organisations, but we wouldn’t say no to a million!

Our grants make a difference at a local level, in the areas that your business and your employees are a part of. That being said, one of our main selling points is that our donors can see the tangible benefits of their social investment.

Our grants often produce almost instant results, supporting programmes, activities and initiatives that address all the issues you could think of, benefiting individuals that represent all the different demographics in our communities. This is brilliant to see and being involved with us will allow you, and your staff, to not only witness this but contribute where you see fit.

With opportunities to get your hands dirty through visiting and volunteering at the projects you’ve supported it offers the chance the raise morale and increase employee engagement. Our locality means you can really give back to the projects that tug on your heart strings.

The majority of organisations we support rely on the kindness, dedication and motivation of volunteers so helping to share the load by offering vital support in a non-financial way could make a real difference!

Whatever your social ambitious we can help you achieve them, but don’t take our word for it. Caroline Hill – Chief People and Strategy Officer at Wesleyan Assurance, our largest corporate donor said:

“We knew when we set up the Wesleyan Foundation that we would need help to run it. While we’re experts in financial services and have an experienced Corporate Responsibility Manager, we don’t have the capacity or expertise to manage the huge amount of administration and due diligence that comes with running a grant giving body of the size and scales of the Wesleyan Foundation.

 

“Heart of England Community Foundation have been on-hand since the beginning to advise and guide us through the whole process. We can fully rely on them to manage the distribution of funds the right way which means we know that our Foundation is being expertly managed, and the money is going to the people and causes that will benefit most from it.

 

“None of this would be possible without our wonderful partners. Tina Costello and her team have worked tirelessly to make every penny of Wesleyan’s investment into communities count.”

Still not convinced? We take the difficulties out of giving. As experts in our field we take care of the reporting, the administration and the due diligence that comes with having your own charity and believe me, there is a lot!

This way you can have confidence in the projects and people you’re supporting, you can relax and be involved in the exciting bit, the giving!

Another partnership that we’ve really enjoyed is our relationship with the Coventry City of Culture Trust. Michael Mogan MBE, Head of Fundraising at the trust, said:

“Having worked as a fundraiser in the City for more than 25 years I was well aware of the great work undertaken by the Foundation.

 

“Through the Coventry City of Culture Trust, I have come to know the work of the Foundation better: When we wanted to establish funds so that potential partners could trial ideas and build their skills set, I suggested we ask the Foundation to manage the pot. This has worked incredibly well.

 

“Giving grants in a fair, even handed and transparent way is essential, yet not a straightforward undertaking. The expertise of the Foundation has helped us to plan our giving; the application process and the reporting mechanisms.

 

“I would wholeheartedly recommend the Foundation and its team.”

We’d love to work with you. Whatever your ambitions are the Heart of England Community Foundation has the tools, knowledge and experience to match. Give us a call and we can discuss your ideas, advise and put into play an action plan to make a difference in the communities you care deeply about.

*This article features in the January/February 2019 edition of the Coventry & Warwickshire Chamber Magazine: https://bit.ly/2RHAYsv 

 

Tina Costello
Chief Executive