• Examples from North East England– Community Ventures– Guy Readman

• Wider lessons and applications within community foundations – Philanthropy Fellowship

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.

Building Futures East, Newcastle upon Tyne

• 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

Guy Readman

OBE

“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been thinking how it is likely that some very good voluntary sector charities will have substantial funding withdrawn such as to threaten their useful existence.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

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

Foundations Furniture Project