£1.5m funding gap between applications and grants still exists in
The gap between applications for funding from local charities and the grants that Leeds Community Foundation can provide has grown to £1.5m in the last year.
The news comes despite a record year for giving for the Community Foundation, which saw a total of £4.8m distributed with over £3.3m awarded in grants to 615 charities that helped over 100,000 people across Leeds and Bradford.
Leeds Community Foundation, TheBusinessDesk.com’s charity of the year, supports thousands of charities and voluntary groups across the city addressing inequalities and working together to help create opportunities for those that need help the most.
As part of a national network, UK Community Foundations, Leeds Community Foundation invests in these groups by distributing grants and sharing advice, acting as a catalyst for positive change across Leeds and Bradford.
Kate Hainsworth and Rachel Hannan
Rachael Hannan, Chair of Leeds Community Foundation said: “We are proud to be able to say that we distributed over 600 grants in 2017/2018 – an increase of 17% on last year and this takes the total amount we have distributed to date to over £38 million, the real impact of this being that it has enabled positive change in the lives of hundreds of thousands of people in our communities”
Leeds Community Foundation raises funds from companies and private individuals to help smaller charities that make a difference in their communities. It also launched The Leeds Fund in 2016 with support from Asda, John Lewis and Haribo. The fund makes a wide range of grants and is able to respond quickly to support the issues and local areas that need it most.
Kate Hainsworth, Chief Executive of Leeds Community Foundation said “We had a stellar year with many highlights. The increase in grants distributed by the Foundation helps make a big difference to local people’s lives, every day. However the inequality gap is increasing and we are continuously working with partners across Leeds and Bradford to create opportunities for all. This year we are seeking to secure increased levels of support across our giving channels including The Leeds Fund, The 100 Club and Named Funds to enable us to support a record number of projects in 2018/2019.”
