Building a fairer, more equal Sussex: why local businesses should stand with Sussex Community Foundation

At Sussex Community Foundation, we exist to make Sussex a fairer and more equal place.

We do this by enabling local people to support local causes and by making grants to small charities and voluntary groups working in communities across the county. Every year, we see the extraordinary impact of local giving – and as we reflect on 2025, we are proud to share our achievements and invite the Sussex business community to join us in creating lasting local impact.

Since 2006, our generous community of donors, made up of individuals, families, companies and charitable trusts, have supported our work. What unites us is a shared belief: by investing in small charities embedded in local communities, we can respond to local issues and strengthen the places where we live and work.

Who we are and why place-based giving matters

As a registered charity, we focus on grassroots organisations often overlooked by larger funders, yet vital to the wellbeing of local people. Using national and local data, we target our support to four funding priorities where we believe we can make the greatest difference:

• Tackling poverty – Reducing poverty and disadvantage in our communities

• Improving health – Helping people live longer, better lives

• Reaching potential – Providing life-changing skills, education and training

• Acting on climate – Taking local action for the climate

We work across the whole of Sussex, understanding that each community has unique strengths and challenges. This insight helps us ensure our funding reaches the people and places that need it most. Through our philanthropy advice, we help supporters – including businesses – connect their aims with small, effective charities delivering real solutions to local issues.

Befriended received a grant from the William Reed Fund to provide support to isolated older residents in Mid Sussex:

“Loneliness can be something we are catapulted into because of circumstances out of our control. Because of your grant, many lives have been radically changed.”

2025 highlights

This year has been a milestone for the Foundation. In response to rising demand and pressure on charities, we redesigned our grant-making process to make it simpler for organisations to apply and easier for donors to align their giving with local needs.

The changes enable our donors to target their support more effectively: from youth organisations building confidence and skills, to foodbanks and small charities providing connection and hope.

In 2024/25, thanks to our donors, we distributed £2.8 million in grants to 420 community groups, supporting more than 400,000 local people. Many of these grants went to small charities with annual incomes under £100,000 – the backbone of community life in Sussex. Since 2006, we have awarded nearly £35 million to more than 3,000 organisations, transforming lives across the county.

Why Sussex businesses should get involved

Local businesses are essential partners in building a stronger, healthier, more resilient Sussex. When charities thrive, communities thrive – creating stronger local economies and a workforce that feels connected to the places where they live and work.

Working with Sussex Community Foundation offers businesses a way to:

• Make a visible, meaningful difference to local people

• Demonstrate commitment to ESG or CSR goals

• Support small charities delivering frontline impact

• Invest in long-term community resilience

• Align giving with company values and priorities

• Access expert philanthropy advice for strategic giving

Whether your business wants to create a Donor Advised Fund or support one of our funding priorities, we can help with your charitable giving in a way that works for your organisation while delivering lasting benefit for Sussex.

Partner with us

By partnering with the Foundation, your business can define its charitable goals, tap into our local knowledge, support causes that matter, whilst leaving the administration, legal and reporting responsibilities to us. This enables you to create meaningful impact without extra workload.

“Through the Community Benefit Fund, Rampion Offshore Wind ensures that the wind farm benefits the communities it impacts. Projects range from community improvements and energy conservation to tackling disadvantage and enhancing well-being.

It is very heartening to hear about the impact of this funding, and we are grateful for the excellent service provided by Sussex Community Foundation in administering the fund.” Kelvin Macleod, Stakeholder Manager, Rampion Offshore Wind

Join us in building a fairer, more equal Sussex

Our mission is clear: we want Sussex to be a place where people can thrive, where opportunities are shared, and where local action strengthens communities.

We cannot do it alone. We invite business leaders, employers, innovators and entrepreneurs to join us: align your values with our funding priorities, support local causes, champion local giving within your networks, and become part of a community creating lasting change.

Because when local people support local causes, we all benefit. Sussex Community Foundation is here to help your business make the difference you want to see – right on your doorstep.

Get in touch

Sussexcommunityfoundation.org

info@sussexcommunityfoundation.org

01273 409 440