Worcestershire Community Foundation Limited

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £808,091 (2022-23)
• Success Rate: Data not publicly available
• Decision Time: 8 weeks from deadline
• Grant Range: £1,000 - £10,000
• Geographic Focus: Worcestershire (all six districts)
• Average Grant: £6,640

Contact Details

Website: www.worcscf.org.uk

Email: lucy.wells@worcscf.org.uk

Phone: 07909 111812

Grants & Funding Officer: Karen McVeigh

Email: [email protected] or [email protected]

Overview

Worcestershire Community Foundation is an independent, locally managed charitable trust established in 2003. The Foundation raises funds and distributes grants to local voluntary and community groups across the County of Worcestershire, focusing on addressing disadvantage and responding to community needs. During the 2022-23 financial year, the Foundation distributed £808,091 to support 164+ community projects. The Foundation operates as part of UK Community Foundations (UKCF), a network of 47 place-based foundations that have collectively distributed over £2.1 billion over 50 years. Between April 2023 and January 2025, WCF awarded 93+ grants totaling £617,539. The Foundation is led by a dedicated board of nine trustees who are passionate about alleviating hardship in Worcestershire, supported by a small team of three part-time staff members.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Strengthening Worcestershire Fund (partnership with Worcestershire County Council)

• Amount: £2,000 - £5,000 (up to £7,500 for larger groups with innovative projects)
• Total Fund: £200,000 with 1:1 match funding from County Council
• Application Method: Online portal, fixed deadline (Round 2 opens 15 July 2025, closes 26 August 2025)
• Funding Period: Projects funded starting 1 December 2025 through 30 November 2026
• Decision: Funding allocated in November

Inclusive Communities Fund (partnership with West Mercia Police & Crime Commissioner)

• Amount: £1,000 - £10,000
• Total Fund: £90,000
• Focus: Community cohesion and early-stage crime prevention
• Application Method: Open grant rounds with fixed deadlines

Donor-Led Named Funds

• Arts & Mental Health Fund
• The High Sheriff Fund (supports organizations like Wyre Forest Nightstop, Megan Baker House, ASPIE)
• The Tom Jones in Memorium Fund
• Application Method: Annual distribution from endowment investment dividends

Flow-Through Immediate Impact Grants

• Often national programs administered locally
• Applied through open grant rounds
• Specific guidelines and deadlines vary

Priority Areas

• Cost-of-living support: Community fridges, food banks, energy advice projects, school uniform banks
• Reducing loneliness and isolation: Setting up/expanding local social groups
• Helping people stay safe and well: Training staff/volunteers to deliver advice and support
• Community cohesion: Bringing diverse communities together, supporting 'by and for' organizations
• Crime prevention: Multi-agency collaborative projects, supporting vulnerable groups
• Supporting unpaid carers
• Mental health and wellbeing
• LGBTQ+ support
• Youth services and mentoring
• Refugee and migrant support

The Foundation particularly welcomes applications from projects delivered where deprivation is greatest and from minority groups and diverse communities.

What They Don't Fund

(Based on Inclusive Communities Fund criteria - varies by program)

• Statutory services
• Religious or political activities
• Capital funding (e.g., vehicle purchases)
• Individual sponsorships
• Profit-generating activities

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Governance and Leadership

Trustees

Jonathan Chenevix-Trench - Chair

Background: Financial services industry, co-founded African Century Limited

Tamar Thompson OBE - Vice-Chair

Background: Healthcare management

“I believe strongly that we can make a real contribution to our communities locally, now and in the future.”

Mark Jackson OBE - Chair of Grants Committee

Background: Military service, former CEO of St Richard's Hospice

“The Worcestershire Community Foundation serves them all and I am honoured to be part of the team...”

David Shaw - Chair of Fundraising & Development Committee

Background: Retired West Mercia Chief Constable

“I want to use the abilities I have developed in my life to improve the lives and opportunities of those across Worcestershire who are most in need.”

Nick Wentworth-Stanley DL - Chair of Finance & Governance Committee

Background: City of London career, insurance industry

“Helping each other, particularly those less fortunate, is a natural desire...”

Additional Trustees: Kathy Leather-Lloyd (commercial radio/sports management), Oliver Carpenter (professional musician), Timothy Venner (financial services), Melissa Blewitt (fundraising/communications), Nick Fairlie (commercial real estate), Caryn Cox (public health consultant - emphasis on investing in “underserved communities”)

Senior Staff

Lucy Wells - Director

Contact: lucy.wells@worcscf.org.uk / 07909 111812

Karen McVeigh - Grants & Funding Officer

Contact: [email protected]

How to Apply to Worcestershire Community Foundation Limited

How to Apply

1. Check eligibility and current programs: Visit worcscf.org.uk to review basic eligibility requirements and browse current funding opportunities. Each program has different guidelines, criteria, and deadlines.

1. Review program-specific criteria: Download guidance notes for making grant applications to WCF from their website. Each grant program has an individual page with specific requirements.

1. Complete online application: Each grant program has a different online application form accessible through their website portal. The portal typically opens on specified dates (e.g., 15 July for Strengthening Worcestershire Fund Round 2).

1. Application support available: The Foundation describes their application and reporting process as “very user friendly” with support offered throughout. If you are inexperienced in making grant applications and need support, contact Karen McVeigh for guidance at any stage of the application.

Decision Timeline

• Grants Panel review: Within 8 weeks of application deadline
• Panel composition: Board members, staff, and independent experts
• Notification: Email sent shortly after panel meeting (approximately 8 weeks from deadline)
• Payment: Requires signed funding agreement and recent bank statement

Success Rates

Specific success rate data is not publicly available. The Foundation distributed 93+ grants from April 2023-January 2025, and supported 164+ projects in 2022-23 alone, indicating active grant-making.

Reapplication Policy

Information about reapplication policies for unsuccessful applicants is not specified on the website. Contact Karen McVeigh for guidance on reapplication procedures.

Application Success Factors

Foundation's Documented Priorities:

• Focus on deprivation: The Foundation “particularly welcomes applications for projects delivered where deprivation is greatest”
• Diversity and inclusion: Applications from 'by and for' organizations, minority groups, and diverse communities are encouraged
• Innovation with impact: Larger grants available for “particularly strong or innovative projects with wider impacts”
• Multi-agency collaboration: Particularly valued in crime prevention/community cohesion work

Examples of Recently Funded Projects:

• The Hub Bromsgrove: Received funding for LGBTQ+ Youth Project; used funding to include older members as mentors to younger members, which helped solidify trust
• Midlands Migrant Support Centre: Funding enabled positive impact on Ukrainian refugee community through services, support, and initiatives that empowered individuals and enhanced local integration
• Mentor Link: Recruited 38 new volunteer mentors, particularly from marginalized communities
• NewStarts: Food bank in Bromsgrove supporting communities in crisis
• Worcester Community Trust: The Dawn Project providing continuity and structure for international communities
• Our Way Self Advocacy: “Our Stories about Keeping Safe” project
• Stepway: Community Garden Pilot Project
• Action for Children: LGBTQ+ Groups at Worcester Paint Festival

Applicant Feedback on Process:

Organizations have noted the Foundation's staff are “very accessible,” give applicants time to feel heard and encouraged, and provide “supportive and helpful” advice and guidance. The application and reporting process is described as “very user friendly.”

Application Tips:

• Always read the guidelines thoroughly and use them when completing the application
• Fully complete all sections of the application form
• Ask someone else to review your form and provide feedback
• Include all required supporting documents before the deadline
• Contact Karen McVeigh if you need guidance - support is available at every stage

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Local focus is essential: The Foundation serves only Worcestershire - ensure your project clearly demonstrates local impact across the county's six districts
• Deprivation and need are key: Applications addressing the greatest areas of deprivation and supporting vulnerable communities are prioritized
• 8-week decision window: Plan your project timeline knowing decisions typically come within 8 weeks of the deadline
• Support is available: Don't hesitate to contact Karen McVeigh for pre-application guidance - the Foundation prides itself on accessibility and support
• Innovation can secure larger grants: Standard grants range £2,000-£5,000, but innovative projects with wider impacts can secure up to £10,000
• Collaboration strengthens applications: Multi-agency and collaborative projects are valued, particularly for community cohesion and crime prevention initiatives
• Diverse communities prioritized: Applications from 'by and for' organizations and those serving minority groups are particularly welcome

Similar Funders

These funders have a similar focus and geographic reach:

• The Eveson Trust
• The Elmley Foundation
• The Elmley Foundation (the Rt Hon Else Countess Beauchamp Deceased Charitable Trust)
• The Saintbury Trust
• Worcester Municipal Charities (cio)
• Worcestershire Masonic Charity Organisation
• Dumbreck Charity
• William Adlington Cadbury Charitable Trust
• The Roger & Douglas Turner Charitable Trust
• The Rowlands Trust

References

• Worcestershire Community Foundation official website: https://www.worcscf.org.uk/
• WCF Our Grants page: https://www.worcscf.org.uk/our-grants/
• WCF Our Team page: https://www.worcscf.org.uk/about-us/our-team/
• WCF Grantee Stories: https://www.worcscf.org.uk/about-us/our-grantee-stories/
• Charity Commission Register: https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-details/?regId=1102266
• Worcestershire County Council - Strengthening Worcestershire Fund: https://www.worcestershire.gov.uk/council-services/communities/strengthening-worcestershire-fund
• West Mercia Police Crime Commissioner news: https://www.westmercia-pcc.gov.uk/share-of-100000-fund-distributed-to-build-safer-communities-and-prevent-crime-in-worcestershire/
• Various local news sources including Bromsgrove Standard, Redditch Standard, and Droitwich Standard reporting on WCF grant programs