Local donors help Sussex Community Foundation support 3,500 organisations over 20 years

Sussex Community Foundation is celebrating the donors and partners whose generosity has helped it support more than 3,500 charities and community organisations across Sussex over the past 20 years.

The Foundation provides grant funding to small, grassroots charities and voluntary groups which deliver essential local services.

As part of its 20 Voices anniversary campaign, Sussex Community Foundation is sharing the stories of the people, businesses and charities behind two decades of local giving.

Vicky Booth, chief executive of Sussex Community Foundation, said: "This is a really special moment for the Foundation. We're proud to have supported more than 3,500 organisations across Sussex over the past 20 years, helping to strengthen local communities and their ability to respond to the challenges and opportunities we face.

"Our donors, fundholders and partners have been central to this work. Their support has helped local charities and voluntary groups make a lasting difference, and we look forward to continuing to connect local giving with local need in the years ahead."

David Dimbleby, long-standing Sussex Community Foundation supporter and broadcaster, said: "For some years my family and I have supported Sussex Community Foundation because it understands something that is easy to overlook. Lasting change often begins on a very local scale. It starts with people who know their neighbourhoods, recognise the problems their neighbours face and are prepared to do something practical about them.

"These organisations rarely make headlines. Many are run almost entirely by volunteers. Their budgets are modest and their aspirations are realistic rather than grand. Yet they provide services that can make an extraordinary difference to people's lives."

Event management company IMEX Group is one of the local organisations collaborating with the Foundation to raise funds for the Brighton & Hove Homelessness Fund.

Carina Bauer, CEO of IMEX Group, said: "Businesses have a fundamental responsibility to invest in the communities where they're based. Supporting local charities isn't just about giving money, it's about helping build stronger, more connected communities.

"Local philanthropy has its greatest impact when people work together. Bringing businesses, charities and partners together create opportunities that none of us could achieve alone. Local giving is accessible and every contribution can help change lives."

The Foundation also partners with RWE on Rampion Wind Farm's Community Benefit Fund, which gives £150,000 in grants each year to support environmentally friendly projects in Sussex.

Katy Woodington MBE, UK Community Investment Lead at RWE, said: "Community benefit is becoming a critical part of developing projects.

"The greatest impact comes when local people are trusted to shape solutions for the places they know best. By investing in communities over the long term, we can help create lasting benefits that continue well beyond a single grant.

"Working with Sussex Community Foundation means we know our funding is reaching the organisations that understand local challenges best. Together, we can support projects that strengthen communities today whilst building resilience for the future."

Sussex Community Foundation recently celebrated its 20th anniversary with the 11th Duke of Richmond and supporters at Goodwood Art Foundation in Chichester, where it announced it had distributed nearly £40m in grants to grassroots charities over the past two decades. The Foundation also produced a video to showcase its achievements.

The organisation was founded by the late 10th Duke of Richmond and Gordon, who felt that Sussex needed a community foundation to support smaller charities who are often overlooked.

For more information, please visit: https://sussexcommunityfoundation.org/

Ends

Editors notes

Sussex Community Foundation is the leading community foundation for Sussex, supporting local charities and grassroots groups across East Sussex, West Sussex and Brighton & Hove. Founded in 2006, it brings together philanthropy, expertise and local knowledge to tackle inequality and strengthen communities. A member of UK Community Foundations, it provides long-term, place-based funding to create lasting social impact. For more information, visit https://sussexcommunityfoundation.org/