Our impact
For five decades, community foundations have been working at the heart of UK communities, enabling investment in causes that transform people's lives.
In 2024-25
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£183m+
was awarded throughout the UK to support communities
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£5,500
was the average grant size, supporting grassroots activities
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38,000+
grants awarded to community-led groups and charities around the UK
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£874,000+
raised and distributed in local emergency response
Funding from 2024-25 broken down into themes*:
- 34% supported health and wellbeing
- 16% supported equality and inclusion
- 15% supported community development and safety
In addition to the above, community foundations fund a wide range of work on issues that matter, such as emergency response, climate justice, community cohesion, hardship support, and much more.
*2024-25 data above submitted by 21 UKCF members
Latest report: Connecting Care
The Care Leavers Programme is a multi-year, match-funded programme designed to support care leavers as they transition into independent adult life.
Generous seed funding from Local Authorities’ Mutual Investment Trust (LAMIT), a shareholder of CCLA, launched the programme in 2024. 17 community foundations around England began connecting with care leaver networks and local authorities to identify gaps and opportunities in their regions.
As the programme expands to 14 new areas - including in Wales and Northern Ireland - with a new donation from the Henry Smith Foundation, our new 'Connecting Care' report shares case studies and experiences so far.
Providing emergency response
Community foundations act quickly and efficiently during an emergency or crisis. This includes:
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as the main funding partner for the national Coronavirus Appeal
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responding quickly to financial crises and winter fuel poverty
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providing emergency relief for people escaping conflict
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raising crucial funds when traumatic events, such as the Southport attack, happen
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acting in areas to build resilience before and after local climate events, such as flooding, storms and heat waves
Investing now for the future
The strength of community foundations lies in balancing today's actions with tomorrow's ambitions. This is why each community foundation ensures its funds are managed responsibly and sustainably.
To date, our network has collectively distributed just over £2.1 billion throughout the UK. In the last five years, UKCF's partnerships have contributed over £114 million towards our network's grant making, and we are uniquely placed to build collaborative relationships that will ensure vital support for decades to come.
Our publications
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New Connecting Care reportOur Care Leavers Programme is providing multi-year support for care leavers around the UK to survive and thrive as adults. The new Connecting Care report shares case studies and experiences so far.
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All UKCF publicationsFrom our response to the Coronavirus pandemic to the role of philanthropy in the UK, you can find all our publications here.
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UKCF annual reportsAs a registered charity, we take transparency seriously. Take a look at our annual reports which show UKCF's adaption and evolution over the years.