Impact Report 2025

Berkshire Community Foundation (BCF) connects philanthropists with vital local causes across Berkshire, awarding grants and building local giving. In 2024/25, £1,061,931 was awarded to 249 projects supporting 169 organisations, benefiting 120,000 people — the fourth most successful granting year since 1985. Since 2019, the Together for Women and Children Fund has awarded £1.29m to 224 projects reaching 35,000+ vulnerable women and children. Hospital-based IDVAs (Independent Domestic Violence Advocates) are funded with DASH and PACT. BCF won the 2024 LGC Award for Diversity and Inclusion.

Report snapshot
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📋About

Grant-making (health/wellbeing, education, mental health, poverty, domestic violence); Together for Women and Children Fund (IDVA hospital-based advocates with DASH and PACT); Last Resort Fund (food, essential baby goods, emergency transport, hygiene products); Vital for Berkshire Fund; Surviving Winter Fund; Warm Welcome Hub grants (84 providers, £233k, 69,768 people); community events (Charity Symposium, Annual Awards, Meet the Funder); Derby Health Inequalities Partnership; Charitable Trusts and Funds management Custom geography from upload: Berkshire (Reading, Slough, Wokingham, Bracknell, Windsor and Maidenhead, West Berkshire)

📊Key Metrics

£1,061,931.34 awarded to 249 projects supporting 169 organisations in 2024/25; 120,000 people supported Key Metric 1
Four consecutive years of £1m+ granting — fourth most successful granting year ever; 120,894 total beneficiaries across Berkshire; top beneficiary groups: children and young people, victims of crime/violence/abuse, older people Key Metric 2
Last Resort Fund supported 27 charities and community groups; Together for Women and Children Fund awarded £1.29m to 224 projects reaching 35,000+ vulnerable women and children since 2019; IDVA hospital-based domestic abuse advocates funded Key Metric 3

Key Outcomes

  • Won 2024 LGC Award for Diversity and Inclusion for exemplary work reducing health inequalities; Former PM Baroness May of Maidenhead spoke at Together for Women and Children event; Amanda Stephens (Olly's Work) addressed supporters on children's online safety
  • IDVA case study: patient who was homeless and without a phone, previously unable to stay in touch with police — IDVA recognised her name at hospital, provided phone, helped move to refuge; 'she called to say thank you and that she was grateful for the opportunity of a fresh start'
  • Member of UK Community Foundations (UKCF) network of 47 accredited Community Foundations; established 1985; 50th anniversary approaching; 2026 pilot with DASH and Learning To Work — healthy relationships sessions for Year 7 students; Lord-Lieutenant of Berkshire is President

📍Geography

Other

2025

Annual Impact Report 2024/25

£1,731,376 distributed through 275 grants to 138 groups and organisations; 244 nominations, 18 awards, 150 guests at Derby Volunteer Awards Night
Key Metric 1
Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) Programme: 16,459 children in summer, 4,468 in Easter, 2,459 in winter — across 36 summer, 32 Easter and 22 winter providers; £1,031,657 in HAF grants allocated/facilitated
Key Metric 2
Derby Social Prescribing: average 175 referrals per month (2,100 per year); 10,901 attendances across 585 DE23 Active sessions (11 trained volunteers); Warm Welcome Hub grants: 84 providers, £233k, 69,768 people supported through cost of living
Key Metric 3
Won 2024 LGC Award for Diversity and Inclusion for exemplary work reducing health inequalities through DHIP; 130 families supported via Youth Alliance referrals from schools, further education, housing providers, youth offending service and Derbyshire Constabulary
2024

Impact Report 2022-2024

£81,592,894 disbursed between November 2022 and March 2024; Youth Investment Fund (YIF) — largest fund SIB has ever managed — expanding youth provision in England's most underserved communities
Key Metric 1
Reach Fund supported 170 organisations with £1,922,475 in readiness grants (Dec 2022 – Mar 2024); 33 social investors working with Reach Fund; Enterprise Development Programme (EDP) has supported 330+ organisations with £8m+ in grants since 2018
Key Metric 2
Diversity dashboard covers 11 funds; 46% of successful BAME-led and environmental EDP round organisations in most deprived 20% of areas; team doubled in size with YIF addition
Key Metric 3
YIF expanded youth service provision in communities with highest levels of disadvantage; EDP organisations in Round 4 include women's centre in West Midlands and community energy organisation in London; CEO changes and board renewal with thanks to Chair Hazel Blears (8-year term ending)
2026

Impact Report 2026

400+ freelance journalists supported across all programmes
Key Metric 1
112 journalists received assistance grants from Crisis Fund or Therapy Fund
Key Metric 2
223 journalists completed training workshops (hostile environment, first aid, digital security, psychological resilience)
Key Metric 3
81 journalists received specialist safety advice via Safety Clinics in Amman and Johannesburg and online Risk & Safety Helpdesk