Becoming an OCF Patron means giving wisely where you live, reinforcing your local connection. OCF’s Patrons give us long-term stability by committing to a substantial discretionary gift for three years or more.
OCF is working to improve the lives of Oxfordshire’s most disadvantaged people, combating unacceptable local issues such as homelessness, the educational attainment gap and loneliness and isolation. Our Patrons are vital to building a better Oxfordshire: just like you, we want Oxfordshire to be a place where everyone has a place to call home, the opportunity to thrive and a sense of belonging.
Most importantly, being a Patron means that you can feel confident you are making a genuine and lasting difference to your community in Oxfordshire. Our Patrons are at the heart of the OCF community, working alongside us to understand the issues that face their neighbours in Oxfordshire and striving to make a difference.
Our Patrons provide valuable long-term funding that enables us to focus on funding the most effective projects. OCF provides the local knowledge, charity networks and professional governance to invest between £1 and 2 million in Oxfordshire’s dynamic charitable sector each year. Our leading grant-making and financial management processes put us in a strong position to respond to the needs of the local community in an agile way, such as during the COVID-19 pandemic.
To do this well, we need investment in our staff, research tools and infrastructure.
Contact our Head of Philanthropy Sarah Giles
to set up a conversation or meeting.
“OCF’s knowledge and resources drive real change. They unlock the power of community, allowing people to feel more connected to those around them, and for all who live in Oxfordshire to have better lives.”
“I opened a fund with OCF because of their knowledge, expertise and extensive contacts. I wanted to be part of it, to make my dream come true in helping the very young – the fund encompasses everything I’ve done in the past and expands the impact I’ve achieved”.
“As a partner, OCF provide a mechanism which allows us to channel our philanthropic investment directly into the heart of the projects we care about.”
“‘Stuff’ really is not what brings happiness. Family, friends, good health and the satisfaction that comes from making a positive difference are what really matters.”
“When you become wealthy and you have a lot of money, you’re starting to think about giving it away on a slightly industrial scale! Even if you give away the same percentage as ordinary people, you’re giving away larger sums of money so the way you’re going to do it is different.”
“I’ve lived in Oxfordshire for many years, and feel I’ve benefited greatly from being in such a thriving and interesting place. Leaving a legacy to OCF in my will is my way of repaying this – and I also trust that they will understand exactly where funds are needed in years to come. Having seen small voluntary sector groups come and go, I find this longevity very reassuring.”
“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.”
“It’s really important to tell the world about what you’re doing. You’ll be naturally quiet and modest, and it’s not very British, but it is very important, so put your modesty aside, tell the world what you’re doing, because they’ll be interested!”
“Every act of philanthropy touches a life. Deprivation is not destiny. If you come from a disadvantaged background, you just need to be given an
opportunity.”
“I feel passionately that so many more people could be philanthropists and are a bit afraid of it. What we need to do as Beacon Fellows is go out there and talk about it. One of the things I want to do is to share the joy that I’ve had!”
“It is more difficult to give money away intelligently than to earn it in the first place.”
“Someone’s sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago.”
The Ark T Centre is an arts project in East Oxford, and is situated in a high-risk area for Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE). Ark T is an open and inclusive community, where people, art, and powerful ideas come together, using the transformative powers of creativity to change lives.
SOFEA’s mission is to enable the transformation of people’s lives, and their communities, with a major focus on young people. They enable people to fulfil their potential through work, wellbeing, study and purpose projects, providing the means of reducing the immediate effects of disadvantage by relieving food insecurity in the wider community.
Good Food Oxford supports the existing work of many organisations in and around the city working to make our food system more nourishing, less wasteful and more sustainable.
