Why unseen support matters in Yorkshire’s grass roots

When people think of community organisations, we tend to picture the frontline.  The food banks, the youth clubs, the mental health drop-ins, the advice sessions.

Community organisations are often the first to spot emerging needs and the last to give up on the people they serve.  They’re deeply embedded in their areas, trusted by local residents and led mostly by volunteers or very small staff teams.  They connect with people facing the greatest barriers, and they do so with limited reserves, limited time and limited access to professional support.

So what holds all of this up?  The governance, the planning, the bookkeeping, the leadership, the systems that turn a group of dedicated people into an organisation that can keep going year after year.  Without that unseen support behind them, even the most committed community groups can find themselves one resignation, one IT failure, one bad month away from closure.

Investing in the foundations

Two Ridings Community Foundation’s Organisational Development Fund exists to invest in the unseen support.  Its multi-year funding designed to help organisations grow stronger over time, rather than simply deliver the next project.  In 2025-26, the fund awarded £76,586 to 27 community organisations across North and East Yorkshire.

Grants pay for the things that project funding rarely covers, like business planning, stronger financial systems, staff training and governance support.  The unglamorous, essential work that allows organisations to plan ahead rather than just keep going.

What stronger foundations look like

The Land, based in Haxby, (pictured) supports highly anxious children and families through nature-based sessions that build confidence and connection.  They are using their grant to develop business planning, better bookkeeping and essential training, helping them deliver safely and reach more isolated neurodiverse young people.

Whitby, Scarborough and Ryedale Disability Action Group helps disabled and older people stay independent and connected.  They are putting their grant into governance, systems, IT and partnerships, helping to diversify income and strengthen support across the region.

Richmond Dales Swimming Club provides inclusive pathways for swimmers of all abilities, including specialist disability provision.  Their grant has helped the club build financial resilience, strengthen governance and train mentors to grow an inclusive workforce.

Celia McKeon, Chief Executive of Two Ridings says, "Our organisational development fund is absolutely vital for community groups.  It gives them the resources to strengthen their foundations and build resilience.  All the data shows that small charities, often the beating heart of their community, face the greatest struggles to cover costs in the current climate.  Without this kind of funding, many organisations simply wouldn’t have the capacity to keep going."

Across the country, community foundations are working with local organisations to build the kind of capacity that doesn’t make headlines but does make the difference between a group that survives and one that thrives.  This is long-term work, and the communities it serves are stronger for it.  Strong roots, in the end, are what allow everything else to grow.