What a year! We awarded a record £743,000 to 485 community groups in 2018

In the past 12 months, the Foundation has awarded £743,000 in grants, an increase of 30% on the previous year.  485 groups and individuals in communities received grants, made possible by funding from 63 funds and grant programmes managed by the CCF on behalf of donors. This comes at a time when Community Foundations collectively across the UK have passed the milestone of awarding more than a £1billion to support local communities.

Chief Executive Tamas Haydu comments, “I am delighted that the Foundation has had its most successful year yet in awarding grants to local community groups and charities on behalf of our 63 generous fundholders. From youth projects and sports clubs to food banks and village halls, we have supported communities where they need it the most.”

Projects supported have included:

Transformation CPR, who provide a Foodbank and related services in Camborne, were awarded £2,000 from the community fund to help set up Cornwall’s first Fuel Bank.  Partnering with Npower and Crowdfunder, the Foundation provided £2,000 pump priming from CCF’s Community Fund. In addition, Transformation distributed £1,500 of crisis funding distributed from the CCF as small grants to individuals with emergency needs.

Bright Sparks Music and Drama Club are an open access childrens’ group located in Week St Mary, a very rural area of North Cornwall, teaching children important life skills. With a thriving membership, the group were in urgent need of a portable stage for their twice yearly productions. CCF awarded £2,000 towards the £5,000 project. Hilary Daniel, volunteer Director of Bright Sparks, said, “This grant was so important to us. Not only has it enabled to improve both the acting and audience experience, it has encouraged us to want to develop further in the future.”

Livewire Youth Project, an established small charity that uses contemporary music to unlock creativity and support young people aged between 10 and 21.  Livewire were awarded £5,000 from the #iwill Fund to embed youth development across their activities.

Gweek Village Hall supports provides essential facilities for local people and organisations, operating a full timetable of regular and one-off activities. The University of the Third Age, Inspire Health Cornwall, the Visually Impaired Club, various dance groups, a theatre club, a bowls club and an archery club all rely on the Hall as a base.  The Goonhilly Windfarm Community Fund awarded £4,000 towards a project to update kitchen facilities.

Grants Manager, Kirsty Philpott says, “The impact that small groups like these have on our communities is vital in tackling a range of issues and improving the lives of local people. We’d like to say a huge thank you to our generous donors for their kind support. It simply would not be possible without them.”