Join in with the SYCF celebrations!

3rd August 2016

2016 is a big year for us at South Yorkshire's Community Foundation it's our 30th anniversary and we have lots to celebrate.

Since 1986 we have awarded over £26,000,000 to 8253 amazing charities in South Yorkshire. Our grants helped to support over 1.6 million people since 2008, and in the last 12 months alone 1 in 10 people in South Yorkshire have benefited from our funding. However, if you're reading this thinking -that's amazing, how come I've never heard of them chances are you're not the only one. Community Foundations across the country have been described as the voluntary sector's -best-kept secret by Baroness Prashar at the House of Lords debate in June 2015. She continued the debate by stressing the vital importance of the community foundation model she said: -What I like about community foundations is the thinking that underpins them. -It is about local engagement, local giving and bringing together donors and doers to support local communities to meet local needs. -It is about building local social capital, inclusiveness, investing in local communities, empowering local communities and valuing community-led solutions to local issues. However, being named the -best-kept secret is not necessarily a compliment. In a recent piece for Third Sector Magazine, the Chief Executive of UK Community Foundations, Fabian French, comments on the importance of raising the network's profile. With continuing funding cuts from the government, he concedes that the sums that Foundations currently raise are not enough to meet the sheer extent of the local need. It is therefore more vital than ever that the network raises awareness of its work and builds further connections with potential donors, including individuals, businesses and trusts, up and down the country. During our 30th Anniversary this is exactly what we are trying to achieve. We are committing ourselves to continue raising the profile of our work, to engage with more local individuals, businesses and philanthropists and ultimately support more South Yorkshire based charities. As a part of this commitment we have recently launched three new initiatives: SY100, 30th Anniversary Fund and a fantastic Philanthropy Catalyst Match Funding Challenge. SY100 brings together like minded businesses and industry leaders by giving them the opportunity to collectively support their local Community Foundation. Over the next three years we are hoping to bring together 100 South Yorkshire based businesses and individuals to help us continue supporting some of the most vulnerable members of our community. We have already reached a third of our target with businesses such as: Henry Boot PLC, Halton International, Wilfreda Beehive, Brewster Pratap, Carlton Brick, Evenort Ltd, Hart Shaw Chartered Accountants, Gripple, BHP, Bhayani HR & Employment Law and many more coming on board. In celebration of our landmark year we launched a new fund to mark this special anniversary but also to add to our grant making legacy. This fund is now open to any kind of donations, big or small, from local people who want to help their community thrive. The fund will directly support the local community organisations and initiatives which are tackling the biggest and most common issues currently being faced by local people. The 30th Anniversary Community Fund will support: Children and young people facing disadvantage Creating healthy, active and safe communities People in crisis Whether you are thinking of donating £3, £30 or £300 rest assured that your donation will go to supporting someone on your doorstep. To donate now go to www.justgiving.com/sycf or by texting SYCF30 £3 to 70070 For more details on how to get involved please visit www.sycf.org.uk or contact us on SoniaB@sycf.org or telephone 0114 242 4857 With special thanks to our existing corporate SY100 members: As well as valued individual supporters of the initiative: Julie Kenny Peter Lee Frank Carter Stephen Watson Giles Bloomer Jonathan Hunt James & Lesley Newman Ruth & David Willis Jane Kemp Anne Dean Jackie Drayton