OCF’s trustees took part in a workshop to strengthen our philanthropy development and donor care, run by OCF staff and kindly hosted by the University of Oxford’s Sociology Department.
With the hosting of the strategic initiatives Growing Minds, Age Friendly Banbury and Getting Oxfordshire Online now handed over to delivery partners, OCF is now focusing on our core purpose of building thriving communities via effective philanthropy and grant funding. Via this workshop and other activities, we hope to build a stronger community of engaged donors, enabling us to direct more funds to our county’s vital charitable sector for years to come.
The workshop started with an introduction from Fabian French, former CEO of UK Community Foundations and former Director of Fundraising at Marie Curie. Fabian shared his experience of successful philanthropy development within the community foundation network and beyond. This focused on trustees becoming advocates and ambassadors, inspiring their own networks to become involved with local community philanthropy.
Trustees explored their own motivations for supporting OCF, as well as our refreshed mission and credentials, the need in Oxfordshire, and inspiring stories of impact.
In parallel, trustees are now in the process of recruiting for a new Chief Executive for OCF. This post is expected to be filled by autumn 2022, and the job advertisement will be posted to our website as soon as it is ready. In the meantime, trustees have asked three of the team to form an Interim Management Group, which is supporting the team with operational matters.
We would like to thank recently departed trustees Wanja Knighton, Wendy Vrij and Sara Fernandez for their time as volunteers for the organisation during the past year. Their perspective and expertise helped OCF transition into the post-pandemic world, and set strong priorities for the future.
Thanks also to Tim Davies, Head of Finance and Administration at the Sociology Department, for allowing us to use the space for our workshop, and to local social enterprise Damascus Rose Kitchen for providing a really delicious supper!