What we do
We connect generosity with need across Herefordshire
Local residents, families and businesses trust us to turn generosity into lasting support, funding vital work across the county, from Hereford city to the most isolated Welsh border villages. We also manage grant programmes on behalf of Herefordshire Council, the Government and other funders, applying the same care and local knowledge to every pound.
We understand Herefordshire & its challenges
We fund work that reaches the people who need it most, including those facing hardship, isolation, or crisis. Our knowledge of the county means we know where the gaps are before they make headlines, and we can move quickly to set up emergency appeals when a crisis demands it.
To further shine a light on areas that require our support, we have commissioned a new Vital Signs Report to benchmark Herefordshire against neighbouring counties and highlight needs within our county.
HCF is the philanthropic hub of the county and exists to connect the generosity of people who love Herefordshire with the communities most in need. We combine professional rigour with deep compassion and a real understanding of Herefordshire, built through relationships that run across the whole county, from Hereford city to its smallest villages. Donors trust us to manage the complexities of their fund management so they can focus on the joy of giving, certain in the knowledge that every pound intended for Herefordshire stays in Herefordshire now and for generations to come.
Robert Robinson, Chairman
We invest & distribute local funds
We enable local giving and inspire philanthropy by connecting people who care with causes that matter. The grants we give come from three principal sources:
Named
Funds
Similar to Charitable Trusts, we invest capital on behalf of local individuals or families and then distribute the dividend income as grants to the causes they care about. These funds provide lasting support as they build up over family generations. They can also be set up in memory of someone special.
Individual
Donations
We regularly run fundraising appeals which attract donations from Herefordshire’s residents and businesses who are keen to make a difference. Others offer support to the local community by leaving HCF a gift in their wills.
Partnership
Funds
We are also frequently appointed to administer funding programmes on behalf of other funders. They draw on our local knowledge to make sure their money reaches the people and places that need it most.
A globally tried & tested formula
There are community foundations all over the world. They work in defined geographical areas to connect philanthropic people with local causes that matter. They build endowments and generate funds to support community needs and local organisations making a difference. Community foundations offer grant-making programmes funded by donations and also distribute grants from other funding bodies.
Accredited UK network
We are a proud member of UK Community Foundations (UKCF), a movement of 47 accredited and independent community foundations. As individual community foundations we are locally rooted, and as UKCF members we are nationally connected.
Community foundations draw on local insight to shape philanthropy and strategic funding. Each year, we collectively mobilise over £180 million to grassroots charities and community groups throughout the UK.
UKCF works with national strategic partners to enable investment in communities at scale.
As part of the UKCF Quality Accreditation Programme, UK community foundations are regularly, rigorously and independently assessed.
Working in partnership with
