Leeds Community Foundation celebrates 20 years of supporting community groups

The foundation aims to aid groups in need of funding by partnering with businesses, private philanthropists and other funders, who are looking to make donations to public causes.

Leeds Community Foundation chief executive, Steph Taylor, described the anniversary as both a moment of reflection and a call to action.

She said: “We’re incredibly proud to have reached this milestone and to have supported so many organisations over the past 20 years. But our focus is firmly on the future. The need is greater than ever, and we’re committed to ensuring the foundation remains responsive, innovative and impactful.

“We work closely with individuals and businesses to help them think strategically about their giving. Whether that’s supporting work on loneliness, developing sustainable social enterprises or strengthening local infrastructure, we help ensure funding delivers long-term results.”

In the last 20 years, Leeds Community Foundation has distributed more than 8,000 grants, with an average grant size of £8,400.

In the foundation’s first year, just over £210,000 was awarded through 31 grants.

In 2025 alone, the foundation expects to distribute £2.8m across around 330 grants, in a move it said underlines both the growing need and the “foundation’s commitment to meeting it.”

The charity works with small community groups, developing a relationship with the groups in order to offer advice, as well as distributing funds.

When deciding which community groups to support, the foundation holds panels which work through applications to make decisions on a case by case basis.

Each panel will feature a person with lived experience of the problems the community groups are aiming to solve.

A portion of the foundation’s work is undertaken across its three “flagship” initiatives.

Jimbo’s Fund, established in 2008 by the late Leeds businessman Jimi Heselden, aims to support people facing hardship.

Since its creation, the fund has distributed nearly £18.5m, reaching more than 43,000 people.

The Leeds Fund, which was first launched in 2016, aims to deliver flexible support to groups tackling urgent and long-term challenges such as mental health, loneliness, employability and organisational resilience.

The fund has provided more than £2.8m in funding through over 350 grants, benefitting more than 23,000 people.

The foundation also recently launched the Leeds Digital Inclusion Fund, set up in 2022 in partnership with 100% Digital Leeds and Leeds Digital Ball.

The initiative aims to tackle digital inequality by helping people access the skills, support and equipment needed to be active online.

Over three years, 24 grants have been awarded to 20 organisations supporting those most at risk of digital exclusion, including older adults and individuals in recovery.

While the foundation was originally funded through a roughly equal split of public and private support, it has in recent years adapted its approach to reflect a shifting economic landscape, and now mainly aims to attract private donors and business partners to support its core work.

Some of the businesses which work with Leeds Community Foundation include Hill Dickinson, Balfour Beatty, Bartlett Group and Vickers Oils.

The foundation also believes that the need for its work is currently increasing, with rising financial pressures across different sectors leaving many community organisations under “more strain than ever before”.

Ms Taylor added: “Strategic, long-term funding will be crucial to the sector’s survival.

“Growth in the social sector isn’t just about money or scale. It’s about the social impact we can achieve together and the legacy we leave behind.

“Our role is to ensure community organisations don’t just survive, but thrive.”