Cambridgeshire Community Foundation

Charity Number: 1103314

Annual Expenditure: £5.2M
Cambridgeshire, Peterborough City

Contact Info

Website:www.cambscf.org.uk

Phone:01223 410535

Email:info@cambscf.org.uk

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £5,010,000 (charitable activities expenditure 2023-24)
  • Success Rate: Approximately 50%
  • Decision Time: 3-4 months from application deadline
  • Grant Range: £400 - £100,000 (varies by fund; typical range £1,500 - £20,000)
  • Geographic Focus: Cambridgeshire (some funds target specific wards/towns)

Contact Details

Address: Hangar One, The Airport, Newmarket Road, Cambridge CB5 8TG

Website: www.cambscf.org.uk

Email: info@cambscf.org.uk (general inquiries); finance@cambscf.org.uk (finance)

Phone: 01223 410535

Funding Information Sessions: Advertised on their events page and social media to support organizations in developing successful applications

Overview

Cambridgeshire Community Foundation was established in 2004 as a registered charity (1103314) to support local charitable causes across Cambridgeshire. Over the past 20 years, the Foundation has awarded over £32 million through more than 10,000 grants to thousands of local charities, community groups, schools, and sports clubs. In the 2023-24 financial year, the Foundation distributed approximately £5 million in grants, supported by donations of £5.59 million from individuals, families, local companies, and public bodies. The Foundation manages over 70 different funds, each with its own criteria, addressing a range of local community needs relating to mental health, homelessness, employability, social isolation, and disadvantage. Recently, the Foundation received £4.6 million—the largest donation in its history—from the Harry Cureton Charitable Trust, significantly expanding its capacity to support local communities.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Foundation manages over 70 specialized funds with varying grant amounts and priorities. Key programs include:

Small Grants:

  • Stay Well Fund: Up to £400 for vulnerable individuals and families facing fuel poverty
  • Lovewell Blake Fund: Up to £2,000 for projects addressing social need in Ely and East Cambridgeshire
  • Burwell and Reach Community Fund: Up to £2,000 for projects benefitting residents of these villages (Deadline: February 1)

Medium Grants:

  • Warwick and Dominey Fund: Average £4,000 for projects advancing education or tackling social disadvantages (Deadlines: February 1, August 1)
  • Dementia Carers Fund: Up to £3,000 to support full-time unpaid carers (Deadlines: February 1, May 1, August 1)
  • Co-op Community Cares Fund: Up to £5,000 to help people play an active part in communities
  • Olive and Jesse Palmer Fund: Up to £5,000 to help local young people with learning disabilities (Quarterly deadlines)
  • John Stewart Memorial Fund: Up to £6,000 for disadvantaged/disabled people to benefit from sports (Quarterly deadlines)

Larger Grants:

  • Illumina Community Fund: Up to £10,000 for projects benefitting individuals diagnosed with cancer and their loved ones
  • Diddington Community First Fund: Around £10,000 for projects benefitting Diddington residents
  • Cambridge In Need: £5,000 - £20,000 (up to £30,000 over 3 years) to reduce financial need, hardship, or distress in Cambridge (Deadline: May 1)
  • Amey Community Fund: Up to £100,000 for capital projects (minimum grant £10,000)

Application Method: Most funds operate on a quarterly funding round basis with deadlines at 11:59am on February 1, May 1, August 1, and November 1. Individual funds may have specific deadlines. Applications are submitted online through the Foundation's portal.

Priority Areas

The Foundation funds projects addressing:

  • Mental health and wellbeing
  • Homelessness and housing insecurity
  • Employability and skills development
  • Social isolation and community connection
  • Educational disadvantage
  • Health inequalities and cancer support
  • Support for disabled people and carers
  • Fuel poverty and cost-of-living challenges
  • Youth services, particularly for vulnerable young people
  • Sports participation for disadvantaged groups

What They Don't Fund

  • Private limited companies
  • Direct funding to individuals (most funds support organizations; a few offer funding to individuals through referrers)
  • Projects that have already taken place (retrospective funding is not permitted)
  • Organizations with insufficient governance structures (must have minimum of three unrelated trustees/committee members)
  • Unregistered organizations with income over £5,000 (must be registered with Charity Commission or as CASC if a sports club)
  • Organizations not established for at least one year (CICs, Social Enterprises, and Companies Limited by Guarantee)
  • Late applications (to maintain fairness, late applications are not accepted)

Governance and Leadership

President: Julie Spence OBE QPM CStJ, BEd, LLB, MA, MBA (Former Chief Constable and current Lord-Lieutenant of Cambridgeshire)

Chair of Trustees: Stephen Catling (Former CEO of Associated British Foods Ingredients, with advisory roles in food and nutrition sectors)

Chief Executive: Michael O'Toole (Joined 2018; formerly CEO of Mentor UK and first Crown Representative for Voluntary & Community Sector)

Senior Leadership Team:

  • Michelle Longman, Head of Philanthropy (Background in pharmaceutical sales and nonprofit fundraising)
  • Vivienne Atkinson, Head of Development & Operations (Background in digital agency and BBC broadcasting; joined 2016)

Notable Trustees:

  • Alison Griffiths (Chartered Accountant)
  • Jonathan Jelley MBE (Former investment banking executive)
  • Sara Garnham (Experienced in executive roles across various sectors)

Key Statement: CEO Michael O'Toole has noted: “We are still forced to turn away a staggering number of eligible applicants due to insufficient funding to meet the demand we are experiencing.” This highlights the competitive nature of the funding landscape.

Ambassador: Philip Woolner (Joint managing partner at Cheffins and recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2025 Cambridge Independent Business Awards)

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

  1. Receive outcome: Applicants are notified 3-4 months after the application deadline

Important Note: Applicants may use AI tools to assist with drafting applications, but must “review and personalise” content to accurately reflect their project.

Decision Timeline

  • Application Deadlines: Quarterly at 11:59am on February 1, May 1, August 1, and November 1 (some funds have different schedules)
  • Decision Period: 3-4 months from application deadline
  • Notification Method: Direct notification to applicants; outcomes communicated via email

Success Rates

  • Current Success Rate: Approximately 50% (1 in 2 applications receive funding)
  • Important Caveat: Many successful projects do not receive the full amount requested, as demand exceeds available funding

Reapplication Policy

The Foundation takes a supportive approach to unsuccessful applicants:

  • Unsuccessful applicants may be encouraged to apply to the next funding round, depending on the reason for rejection
  • No strict waiting period: Decisions are made case-by-case
  • Support provided: Unsuccessful applicants are signposted to:
  • Alternative sources of funding
  • Partner organizations that can help them become “grant ready”
  • Resources on application guidance and improvement

The Foundation offers funding information sessions advertised on their events page and social media to help organizations strengthen their applications.

Application Success Factors

Direct Advice from the Funder

The Foundation emphasizes six key reasons applications fail, which reveal what they value:

  1. Alignment with fund criteria: “Applications which fail to address one or more of the fund criteria [cause, beneficiaries, geography, grant size] could be rejected due to being ineligible.” Carefully match your application to the specific fund's requirements.
  1. Completeness: “If you fail to provide required documents or you do not answer questions relating to any aspect of your application, your application would be considered incomplete.” Ensure all sections are thoroughly completed.
  1. Organizational readiness: “If the evidence provided is insufficient or missing, your organisation would not be considered ready for funding.” Demonstrate strong governance structures with clear documentation.
  1. Forward-looking projects: The Foundation “cannot fund projects that have already taken place.” Ensure funds are approved before work begins.
  1. Meeting deadlines: “To maintain fairness and to ensure that applicants receive outcomes by the published dates, they are unable to accept late applications.”
  1. Competitive context: “Whilst we are committed to raising as many funds as possible... the need for funding exceeds the total funding available... even if you have submitted a very good application, it may not receive funding.”

Examples of Recently Funded Projects

  • The Angels Foundation UK: Support for families across Huntingdonshire with furniture, flooring, home comforts, and social introductions through 'Back to Life' project; grant supported transition from CIC to registered charity
  • Baca Charity: £9,500 to extend support to young refugees without families, offering safe homes and therapeutic support
  • Cambridge Community Arts: Grant to expand Creative Fenland project engaging socially isolated people through arts and crafts for mental wellbeing
  • CamCare UK: Grant for 10 minibus trips and healthy eating cookery workshops for older people
  • Hunts Community Cancer Network Charity: £20,000 from Health Inequalities Challenge Prize
  • High Heritage: £10,000 from Health Inequalities Challenge Prize
  • Steel Bones UK: £6,000 from Health Inequalities Challenge Prize

Language and Terminology

The Foundation uses language focused on:

  • Community benefit and local impact
  • Reducing disadvantage, hardship, and social need
  • Supporting vulnerable people and groups
  • Building resilience and fostering unity
  • Addressing health and social inequalities

Use specific, measurable outcomes when describing your project's impact on Cambridgeshire communities.

Tips for Standing Out

  • Be specific about local impact: Demonstrate clear benefit to Cambridgeshire residents and communities
  • Show how you address strategic priorities: Mental health, homelessness, employability, social isolation
  • Provide strong governance evidence: Clear documentation of organizational structure and financial management
  • Demonstrate sustainability: Show how the project will create lasting change
  • Align with fund-specific criteria: Each fund has unique priorities—tailor your application accordingly
  • Be realistic about costs: Many successful applications don't receive full amounts requested; prioritize essential elements
  • Engage with assessment calls: For larger grants or new applicants, use the informal assessment call to clarify and strengthen your proposal

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Competitive funding landscape: With a 50% success rate and high demand, applications must be exceptionally well-aligned with fund criteria and demonstrate clear local impact in Cambridgeshire.
  • Multiple funding opportunities: With over 70 different funds, there are diverse opportunities—invest time in finding the best match for your project rather than applying to the wrong fund.
  • Organizational readiness is critical: One-third of the main rejection reasons relate to organizational structure and documentation. Ensure governance, registration, and financial records are in order before applying.
  • Timeliness matters: Applications must be submitted before project start and by the deadline. Plan ahead—with 3-4 month decision periods, factor this into project timelines.
  • Relationship building pays off: The Foundation offers assessment calls for larger grants and new applicants, and provides funding information sessions. Engage with these opportunities to strengthen your application and demonstrate organizational capacity.
  • Strategic vs. tactical applications: CEO Michael O'Toole notes they must turn away many eligible applicants due to demand exceeding supply. Focus on quality over quantity—one well-targeted application is better than multiple generic ones.
  • Flexibility on grant amounts: Be realistic that many successful applicants receive partial funding. Structure budgets to show priority activities that could be delivered at different funding levels.

Similar Funders

These funders frequently fund the same charities:

References

  1. Cambridgeshire Community Foundation official website - Homepage. Available at: https://www.cambscf.org.uk/ (Accessed: January 2025)
  1. Cambridgeshire Community Foundation - Application Guidance. Available at: https://www.cambscf.org.uk/applying/ (Accessed: January 2025)
  1. Cambridgeshire Community Foundation - Common Reasons for Rejection. Available at: https://www.cambscf.org.uk/rejectionreasons/ (Accessed: January 2025)
  1. Cambridgeshire Community Foundation - Ineligibility Guidance. Available at: https://www.cambscf.org.uk/ineligibility/ (Accessed: January 2025)
  1. Cambridgeshire Community Foundation - Search for Suitable Funds. Available at: https://www.cambscf.org.uk/funds/ (Accessed: January 2025)
  1. Cambridgeshire Community Foundation - How We Make an Impact. Available at: https://www.cambscf.org.uk/how-we-make-an-impact/ (Accessed: January 2025)
  1. Cambridgeshire Community Foundation - Leadership Team. Available at: https://www.cambscf.org.uk/team/ (Accessed: January 2025)
  1. Charity Commission Register - Cambridgeshire Community Foundation (Charity No. 1103314). Available at: https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/en/charity-search/-/charity-details/4007369 (Accessed: January 2025)
  1. 360Giving GrantNav - Cambridgeshire Community Foundation Grant Data. Available at: https://grantnav.threesixtygiving.org/org/GB-CHC-1103314 (Accessed: January 2025)
  1. Peterborough Matters - “Cambridgeshire Community Foundation launches new fund.” Quote from CEO Michael O'Toole. Available at: https://www.peterboroughmatters.co.uk/news/24785402.cambridgeshire-community-foundation-launches-new-fund/ (Accessed: January 2025)