Essex Community Foundation

1. Essex Community Foundation Jill Curd Grants Officer 6th October 2011 Meet the Funders Braintree

2. Essex Community Foundationan independent charitable trustRegistered Charity Number 1052061 VISION • A strong generous community – an Essex where people work together to enhance the quality of local life MISSION • To inspire philanthropy and charitable giving – matching people, ideas, resources and needs to make a lasting difference

3. Key roles of a community foundation • Build an Endowment Fund • Encourage new charitable giving • Offer a service to donors by managing funds on their behalf Endowment & Flow through • Effective grant maker to local charities • Conduit for government funding

4. Key Achievements • Established 1996 by local people • Built an endowment fund of over £18m • Distributed £17.5 million in grants • Awarded over 4,500 grants • Manage 72 Funds • One of 57 UK community foundations • Actively participate in Partnerships

5. Manage Funds on behalf of Donors Funding comes from various sources, either as one-off donations or through the management of funds on behalf of donors: • donations from people who want their charitable giving to help local organisations • individuals wanting to set up named or family funds • companies wanting a more strategic approach to their charitable giving • charitable trusts where the trustees no longer want the responsibility of managing the trust • local and central Government and public agencies who see Essex Community Foundation as a conduit to ensure that public funding reaches grass roots communities

6. What we support • In the main, voluntary and community groups with a charitable purpose • Social and community activities, encouraging community involvement and self-help; charitable activity within Essex, Southend-on-Sea and Thurrock • Core costs/ revenue costs, project costs, one-off initiatives, capital costs • Maximum Grant: £10,000* (average grant £3,500) to be spent in one year • Currently about 1 in 5 applications are successful • The majority of our funding is for one year* * Braintree District Community Investment Partnership Fund up to £25,000 and more than one year may be considered)

7. Fund examples: Braintree specific: • Braintree District Community Investment Partnership Fund (quarterly panels) • Greenfields Community Fund (mainly September round) • Marion Ruth Courtauld Educational Fund – groups and individuals • William Julien Courtauld Medical Fund – medical equipment Other fund examples: • ECC Millennium Fund (Jan round only) - To support young people, carers, the community and the local environment. Administrative Essex only • Essex County Council Chairman's Fund (Jan round only) to enrich the lives of young people by increasing their awareness and participation in activities exploring culture and heritage • High Sheriffs’ Award – small awards to support local initiatives devised to make communities safer places to work and live. Max £1,000 – deadline Dec 1st each year Some of our other funds are at the discretion of ECF trustees, donors or companies; some are geographically specific or cause specific

8. What we can’t support • Political activities or promotion of religious beliefs • Statutory bodies undertaking their statutory obligations, including schools • General appeals • Activities which support animal welfare • Projects that operate outside of Essex, or benefit non-Essex residents • Retrospective funding

9. Assessment Processto ensure the applicant organisation meets the eligibility and criteria of the Foundation and to establish and summarise the overall need for their services Each application is assessed using the following criteria: • Evidence of need • Community involvement • Management and governance • Value for money • Lasting benefit Assessments are presented to the many funding panels ECF work with

10. Decisions • Local people making decisions: Trustees; Advisory Groups; Partners’ Panels; Donors • Most fund holders are looking to support small local voluntary groups that really tackle evidenced need at grass roots • Award letter and terms and conditions • Monitoring and Evaluation

11. Funding Rounds Main Grants – general application form 9th January & 9th September * (results within 10 weeks of deadline) High Sheriff (own application form) December 1st each year* Braintree District Community Investment Partnership Fund – quarterly panels (next one is November) *Check website for updates / new funds etc. and the new ‘on-line’ form for the January 2012 round

12. an exciting new national initiative called Localgiving.com which allows people to search for, and give to, charities and community groups in their local area.  • Voluntary organisations, including those too small to be registered with the Charity Commission, can create an online presence through which members of the public can donate money to their chosen cause.  • Donations attract gift aid • Essex charities featured on Localgiving.com are those invited and vetted by ECF, in a process approved by the Charity Commission • Free for the first 3 months • Emma Rawlingson at ECF can give you support and help to create a full service fundraising website with the important ‘Donate Now’ button 01245 356018 emmar@essexcf.org.uk

13. Essex Community Foundation 121 New London Road Chelmsford Essex CM2 0QT Tel: 01245 356 018 Fax: 01245 346391 www.essexcommunityfoundation.org.uk grants@essexcf.org.uk

14. “ To give money away is an easy matter and in any man’s power: but to decide to whom to give it and how large and when, and for what purpose is neither in every man’s power - nor an easy matter” Aristotle