This document discusses community foundations in North East England that provide mentoring, business advice, and funding to local organizations. It specifically highlights Community Ventures, which partners business and community leaders with small groups, and Building Futures East, which facilitates learning between partners. It also profiles Guy Readman, who pledged funds to create a stabilization fund in response to looming government funding cuts for small nonprofits. The fund was matched by community foundation funds and donors to create a £700,000 fund to support vulnerable organizations.

1. • Examples from North East England
– Community Ventures
– Guy Readman
• Wider lessons and applications
within community foundations
– Philanthropy Fellowship

2. Community Ventures
• Originally conceived as venture
philanthropy
• Evolved into mentoring/business
troubleshooting
• 10 „partners‟ – leaders from
business, public and voluntary
sectors
• Giving time and expertise as well as
or instead of money.

3. Building Futures East,
Newcastle upon Tyne

4. • Learning and sharing between
those involved is key – partners
and groups
• Rare that problem first presented
is the one partners address
• Sustainable?
– CF subsidy from unrestricted funds
– Partner contributions
• Impact – but further work on
evaluation

5. Guy
Readman
OBE

6. “We are all aware that when government bodies cut
spending they tend to be a bit of blunt instrument and
often at short notice. They are likely to hit the good as
well as the indifferent and the poor.
I have increasingly been thinking how it is likely that
some very good voluntary sector charities will have
substantial funding withdrawn such as to threaten their
useful existence. I am particularly concerned with those
smaller organisations employing maybe one or two staff
who are unlikely to have had the time or the experience
to foresee and act in advance.”
Guy Readman OBE 2010

7. Developing the fund
• £175,000 a year for two years pledged
• Condition that CF brought in others
• The initial total offer, with £1:1 matching
would realise a fund of £700,000
• CF allocated £50,000 unrestricted funds
• Major donor funds contributed £60,000
• New anonymous donor gave £25,000
plus Gift Aid
• Some smaller gifts also matched

8. Foundations Furniture Project