Community Foundation For Surrey

Charity Number: 1111600

Annual Expenditure: £2.6M
Surrey

Contact Info

Website: www.cfsurrey.org.uk

Phone: 01483 478092

Email: info@cfsurrey.org.uk

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £1.4 million+ (highest single-year distribution)
  • Total Awarded: £20.9 million+ (since 2005)
  • Grant Range: £15 - £10,000 (most grants £100 - £10,000)
  • Decision Time: 3-4 months from full application
  • Number of Funds: 85+ donor funds
  • Geographic Focus: Surrey (11 Boroughs/Districts under Surrey County Council)

Contact Details

Website: www.cfsurrey.org.uk

Email: info@cfsurrey.org.uk | grants@cfsurrey.org.uk

Phone: 01483 478092

Address: Millmead House, Millmead, Guildford, Surrey GU2 4BB

Grant Application Hub: apply.cfsurrey.org.uk

Pre-application Support: Contact the Grants Team at 01483 478092 for an informal chat before applying

Overview

Community Foundation for Surrey was established in 2005 by a group who believed that Surrey has needs and issues requiring support. Since founding, the charity has awarded over £20.9 million across 3,980 grants (including 3,628 organizational grants and 352 individual grants). In its highest-performing year, the Foundation distributed £1.4 million across 436 grants. As part of a national network of 47 UK community foundations, it operates as an independent charitable trust (Charity No. 1111600) dedicated to inspiring local giving, providing philanthropy advice, and building permanent community funds. The Foundation manages 85+ donor funds with varying priorities and in 2022 committed to IVAR's Open and Trusting Funding principles, joining over 140 foundations focused on reducing barriers and improving grant-making processes. CEO Dr. Beccy Bowden emphasizes their mission: “The Community Foundation for Surrey has a key role to play not just in re-building our community, but in helping to build better, stronger and above all more equitably.”

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Foundation operates 85+ individual funds with varying criteria, including:

  • Heritage For All Fund: £100 - £10,000 for projects increasing opportunities for diverse communities to engage with Surrey's rich heritage and natural environment
  • Surrey Young People's Fund: £100 - £500 for people aged 16-25, particularly for railway engineering pathways
  • Young Carers Fund (Guildford): Up to £400 for young carers residing in the Borough of Guildford
  • Surrey Supported Employment Fund: Typically a few hundred pounds for supported employment initiatives
  • Area Funds: Small grants up to £2,500 for local community projects
  • Strategic Transformation Programme: Crisis funding to bridge gaps and enable organizational sustainability
  • Emergency Funding: Available for organizations previously funded by the Foundation

Application Method: Rolling basis with regular funding rounds throughout the year. Two-stage process (Expression of Interest, then Full Application by invitation).

Priority Areas

  • Organizations whose primary function is helping people and communities facing the greatest disadvantages and exclusion
  • Young people and children
  • Older people
  • People with disabilities
  • Building stronger communities
  • Grassroots organizations with income under £100,000
  • Medium-sized local Surrey-based organizations (turnover to £1 million) that lack capacity to attract national funders
  • Core/running costs and unrestricted funding
  • New and pilot projects
  • Staff costs
  • Small capital costs (under £10,000)

What They Don't Fund

  • Projects without Surrey resident benefit (excludes London Boroughs like Croydon, Sutton, Kingston)
  • Retrospective expenses (grants not awarded retrospectively)
  • Exclusively faith-based projects (faith groups must demonstrate broader community benefit)
  • Fundraising events
  • Building projects (except small capital costs under £10,000)
  • Political activities
  • Statutory service delivery
  • For-profit businesses
  • County/borough councils
  • Statutory organizations
  • Housing associations (non-charitable)
  • NHS entities
  • Animal welfare charities
  • Individuals (except through specific individual grant programs)
  • Organizations holding high levels of free reserves (typically more than one year running costs, though reviewed case-by-case)

Governance and Leadership

Chief Executive

Dr. Beccy Bowden - CEO since 2021. Previously Chief Executive of youth charity SATRO (2008-2017) and CEO of Heathrow Community Trust (2015-2021). Background as research scientist specializing in antibiotic resistant bacteria and former senior civil servant.

On the Foundation's mission: “The Community Foundation for Surrey has a key role to play not just in re-building our community, but in helping to build better, stronger and above all more equitably.”

On pandemic recovery: “Many of the inequalities that already existed are now more prevalent, and new challenges have arisen that we could have never predicted. Now is the time to help us support Surrey to build back stronger.”

Board of Trustees

Trustees receive no remuneration, payments or benefits from the charity.

  • Tamalie Newbery - Trustee with extensive leadership experience; previously Director and CEO of Brooklands Museum
  • Dr. Ruchika Gupta - Trustee (joined 2024); experienced NHS GP, clinical director and deputy Chief Medical Officer for Surrey Heartlands Integrated Care Service
  • Roshan Bailey - Trustee (joined 2024); leads Funder Plus work
  • Nick - Chairs the Surrey Young People's Fund and the UK Born in Africa charity
  • David - Chair of the Creative Commerce Board for CATS Global Schools
  • Susan - Experience in Financial Services and Corporate Social Responsibility

Grants Team

Kate - Oversees the Foundation's Grant Programme, maintains relationships with voluntary and community groups, and works closely with Corporate Donors and Area Funds

David - Point of contact for grant enquiries, supports groups throughout the application process, and assesses grant applications

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

Two-Stage Process:

  1. Expression of Interest (EOI) - Submit a short form describing what you want to do and how much you're requesting. You don't need to research or specify which fund to apply to.
  1. Full Application - If the Grants Team determines your EOI matches fund criteria, they will invite a full application. Applications sent at least one month before deadline.

Application Hub: apply.cfsurrey.org.uk

Pre-Application Advice: Contact grants@cfsurrey.org.uk or call 01483 478092 for informal chat with Grants Team. The Foundation also offers funding surgeries and Q&A sessions.

Application Accessibility:

  • Simplified application forms following Open and Trusting principles
  • How-to videos available
  • Verbal application options
  • Single initial form regardless of funding source

Decision Timeline

  • Organizations: Allow minimum of 3 months from EOI submission
  • Individuals: Can be turned around quicker but can take up to 2 months
  • Funding Decisions: Provided within 4 months as part of commitment to acting with urgency
  • Notification: Funding outcomes typically provided within 3 months of full application submission

Process: Grants Team completes due diligence checks, reviews application content, then shares with Fund-holders who make final decision. Applications may be considered by one or several funds.

Success Rates

The Foundation publishes success rates as part of their commitment to transparency and Open & Trusting Funding principles. Based on 360Giving data:

  • 3,980 total grants awarded since 2016
  • 3,628 grants to organizations
  • Recent years show 436 grants awarded in their highest-performing single year

Reapplication Policy

  • Unsuccessful applicants can reapply
  • Reporting on grant outcomes supports future applications
  • Emergency funding available for organizations previously funded by the Foundation
  • Good reporting relationships benefit reapplications
  • The Foundation provides feedback to unsuccessful applicants

Application Success Factors

Specific Advice from the Funder

On Demonstrating Need: “Understanding and explaining the need is essential - applicants should demonstrate there is a real need for their work.”

On Application Style: “Speak from the heart and connect with donors by putting a unique, human voice into applications.”

IVAR Open & Trusting Commitments: The Foundation has committed to eight principles designed to reduce barriers:

  1. Don't Waste Time - Clear eligibility guidelines, simplified processes, rapid turnaround for small grants
  2. Ask Relevant Questions - Streamlined forms, removed unnecessary questions about future sustainability
  3. Accept Risk - Open to funding newer organizations, groups with lower reserves, and innovative projects
  4. Act with Urgency - Clear deadlines, decisions within 4 months, rapid response funding available
  5. Be Open - Publish success rates, provide feedback to unsuccessful applicants, share grant awards on 360Giving
  6. Be Transparent - Regular email updates, Q&A sessions, accessible communication
  7. Enable Flexibility - Allow organizations to adjust fund usage, fund core costs, offer unrestricted grants
  8. Be Proportionate - Light-touch reporting requirements

What They Look For

  • Organizations with lived experience representation - Applications particularly welcome from under-represented groups
  • Local Surrey-based operations - Must benefit residents within the 11 Boroughs/Districts covered by Surrey County Council
  • Sound governance - Minimum 3-person management committee, signed constitution, dual-signature bank account
  • Appropriate policies - Financial policy required; safeguarding policy required for work with children/vulnerable adults
  • Financial need - Organizations holding more than one year's running costs in reserves generally not funded (case-by-case review)
  • Right organizational size - Particular focus on grassroots (income under £100k) and medium-sized organizations (turnover to £1M)

Types of Projects Recently Funded

  • Surrey coronavirus response: Over £2.7 million distributed to 225 organizations working on the frontline
  • Heritage engagement projects (up to £10,000)
  • Youth employment and training programs (£100-£500)
  • Young carer support (up to £400)
  • Supported employment initiatives
  • Multi-year salary support for stability (three-year grants awarded)

Language and Terminology

  • Emphasis on “building back stronger,” “more equitably,” and addressing “inequalities”
  • “Transforming local communities with the power of philanthropy”
  • “Stronger fairer Surrey enabling everyone to support organisations making a positive difference”
  • Focus on “lived experience,” “grassroots,” “local action,” and “community benefit”

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Don't guess which fund to apply to - Submit an EOI describing your project and amount needed; the Grants Team will match you with appropriate funds from their 85+ options
  • Allow adequate time - Start at least 3 months before you need funding; retrospective grants are never awarded
  • Emphasize local Surrey impact - Clearly demonstrate how your project benefits residents within Surrey County Council's 11 Boroughs/Districts
  • Be authentic and human - “Speak from the heart” and show the real need; avoid overly formal or generic language
  • Leverage their Open & Trusting approach - The Foundation actively welcomes applications from newer organizations, groups with lower reserves, and innovative projects; don't self-select out
  • Build relationships - Call 01483 478092 for informal pre-application chat; attend funding surgeries and Q&A sessions
  • Consider core costs - Unlike many funders, they explicitly welcome core/running costs and unrestricted funding applications
  • Report well to reapply successfully - Good grant reporting supports future applications and helps inspire other donors

Similar Funders

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References