FACT 5
We believe in the true potential of a Cornwall and Isles of Scilly comprised of strong, empowered, self sustaining and enduring local communities.
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Students studying an Fda in Business at Cornwall College are putting their entrepreneurial skills to the test to raise money for Cornwall Community Foundation. Previous collaborations between Cornwall College students and…
History
Cornwall Community Foundation (CCF) was established in 2003 to:• Benefit the community, in particular:
• The advancement of education
• Protection of good health (both physical and mental)
• Relief of poverty and sickness
So, what does that actually mean?
It means we give small grants (£50 - £12,000) to help front line, volunteer led organisations continue to do what they do best … helping those in need, who are isolated and excluded. We also support individuals with bursaries and emergency funding (e.g. food, travel and clothing), for those living in Cornwall & the Isles of Scilly.
This could be a grant to buy a fridge for a mother escaping domestic violence; equipment for a play group; coaching courses for youth football; upgrading the kitchen facilities in a village hall; circus skills for excluded children; weekly outings for people with a disability; respite activity for carers; encouraging people into work or further learning, lunch clubs for older people, or simply a grant to help keep a group going by helping towards their running costs such as rent.
We are here to help make a difference through these voluntary groups (est. to be about 4,500), and link donors to their personal causes, so encourage a diversity of applications. We fund well considered projects, provided they are not solely for religious or political purposes. Do click on the Case Studies section to see in depth examples of how we help and what impact it can have.
The organisation prior to CCF was Cornwall Independent Trust Fund (CITF) formed in 1998 for the relief of poverty. When the Local Network Fund (LNF) government programme was launched, and delivered via Community Foundations, it was an opportune moment to ‘convert’; hence we became a Community Foundation and delivered our first government programme for its duration (7 years).
Foundations exist worldwide, 59 of which exist in the UK alone. More than 95% of the population is covered by a CF and jointly we grant over £74m each year. Each are charities in their own right, with their own area of benefit (loosely one per county, with exceptions for those which are larger, and one each for Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales). That means we do not compete but regularly share best practice and ideas. For us in Cornwall this helped when we created the Cornwall Flood Fund within 48 hours of the localised floods in the St Austell area on 17th November 2010, with advice from both Cumbria and South Yorkshire CF’s who had experienced flooding on a huge scale and created funds to channel giving to those affected (and have since won awards for their efforts).
We all belong to the Community Foundation Network which is our umbrella organisation based in London, who are our national ‘voice’.
Importantly, we can create Funds on behalf of donors, without the need for creating Trust Funds or registering new charities, and help guide them through their giving journey.
We are a registered charity (1099977) and a company limited by guarantee (4816191).
It's all about local people making local decisions and delivering local support. Our communities know how to make their places better to live; we help empower them to make this happen.
Cornwall Community Foundation
