The Oxfordshire Collective Business Fund is a new way for local businesses to make our county a better place to live and work.
Oxfordshire businesses are already committed to corporate social responsibility (CSR). However, our research shows that:
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REPUTATION: 77% of consumers are more likely to use companies committed to making the world a better place |
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RETENTION: corporate social responsibility can reduce employee turnover by approximately 50% |
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PRODUCTIVITY: 90% of employees working at companies with a strong sense of purpose are more inspired and motivated |
Oxfordshire’s prosperous economy hides serious social problems. One in five children in Oxford lives in poverty, and 15 neighbourhoods across the county are in the 20% most deprived in England. Oxford’s Key Stage 2 (age 7–11) school results are in the bottom 25% nationally, affecting young people’s job prospects and creating local skills shortages.
Through a collective fund, local businesses significantly increase their positive impact by combining contributions in one fund from which grants are made annually to Oxfordshire charitable organisations.
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Local businesses contribute £2,000 or more per year to the fund, which is held by OCF |
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OCF runs a grants round from the fund, awarding at least £60k annually to local charitable organisations |
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Participating businesses are as involved as they wish in determining the theme for each grants round |
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OCF provides an annual summary to support businesses’ CSR reporting, which evidences the fund’s impact |
As with all funds held by community foundations, OCF takes an 8% contribution from each fund donation, to cover costs such as donor care, administering grants rounds, due diligence and impact reporting.
Please contact our Head of Development Kate Parrinder,
who will be happy to explain how you can join the collective fund.
“Prodrive’s commitment to the local community has always been a source of pride. Supporting the collective business fund means we are now also supporting unsung local charities that do essential work to alleviate disadvantage in our county.”
“This new initiative from Oxfordshire Community Foundation allows local businesses to work collectively to address some of the county’s most serious social problems. For RWK Goodman it enables us to be a responsible business and have a positive impact in the communities we operate in.”
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.
