This event brought together local funders to share best practice, explore challenges and showcase some of the solutions that could make them more effective. This included best-practice grant-making, succession planning and investment management.
The gathering was curated by Oxfordshire Community Foundation and generously sponsored by investment managers CCLA. It was held at The Gradel Institute of Charity, a brand-new research centre based at New College, Oxford led by Sir Stephen Bubb, which is focused on using its research and collaboration to educate and inspire charities and other third-sector organisations to embrace purposeful change.
The event opened with a series of talks in the Recital Hall at the institute:
- Opening the event, Zoe Sprigings, CEO at Oxfordshire Community Foundation (OCF), explained that this was the sixth Funders’ Forum that OCF had organised, the last being in 2020, just before the pandemic. There have been significant changes to the charity sector and the funding landscape since then, and this was the opportunity to discuss some of those challenges and opportunities.
- This was followed by an address from Professor Peter Frumkin, Academic Director at The Gradel Institute, who shared a model for thinking about philanthropic strategy. Funders were invited to consider four theories of change in directing their philanthropy – impact on individuals; organisational development; the building of networks; and influencing policy. He argued that a ‘mixed portfolio’ of different philanthropic strategies was most likely to create positive change.
- A keynote talk was delivered by Dame Helen Stephenson CBE, former CEO of the Charity Commission. Helen shared an insider’s view into the work of the regulator, and her reflections on lessons for grant-making charities since stepping down in July 2024. She proposed that in some ways these are “the best of times” for charities, with widespread acceptance of non-profits as a fundamental part of our society; but that these are also “the worst of times”, with charities facing a “triple whammy” of increased operating costs, combined with a drop in income and an increase in demand for their services.
We then held a panel session where Zoe and Helen were joined in a discussion about the top challenges facing charities and grant-making foundations by Julian Smith, Charity Law Partner at Farrer’s, and Ruo Wu, Senior Associate at Winckworth Sherwood and a Director at the Charity Law Association. Hot topics were the crisis of confidence in grant-making foundations, leading to many closing their doors for applications; the advance of technology and Artificial Intelligence and its impact on funders; and the relative effectiveness of large versus small charities.
A full video recording of the talks outlined above is available on request – please contact our Head of Development Kate Parrinder.
After a tea break, OCF organised three breakout workshop sessions on best-practice grant-making, succession planning, and purpose-led investment management, where participants had the chance to chat more informally together. We closed with a buffet lunch and further opportunities for networking.
OCF plans to run further Funders’ Forum events in the future, to which charitable trusts, foundations and other grant-makers will be invited. If you would like to be included, please contact Kate.
OCF can help trust and foundations and statutory grant-makers by offering chances to outsource their grant-making, or revitalise dormant trusts. Find out more about our grant-making services