Investing in communities with The Leeds Fund

We’re so pleased to share a glimpse of the difference our supporters helped to make through The Leeds Fund in 2024.

This adds to the incredible legacy of the Fund – since 2016, we’ve invested £2.8m through more than 350 grants, and we’ve supported 23,300 people in our communities.

Our collective impact is so much greater than we could each achieve on our own, working together for a fairer Leeds for everyone.

 

The Leeds Fund Strategic Grants

The Leeds Fund Strategic Grants has continued to build more resilient and sustainable community organisations. 94% of the 18 organisations who reported on their strategic grants in 2024 said the funding helped to increase their sustainability. They’ve also secured a combined £850k in funding, on top of their £540k awards from The Leeds Fund. These incredible figures show the knock-on impact that this kind of funding can have.

When we invest in organisations themselves, the benefits stretch far beyond the immediate changes they make. Give a Gift support refugees, asylum seekers and other disadvantaged communities, acting as both a delivery agency and a link with other vital services. Director, Rifhat, said their grant from The Leeds Fund “has been instrumental to the organisation”, helping them to “build a solid foundation and operate with greater efficiency”.

The organisations are also better able to support people in their communities, like Wendy. Wendy’s a member of Burmantofts Community Friends, who run a range of activities that help older people in the community feel supported and connected. Speaking of the organisation, Wendy said “If this wasn’t here, well, life wouldn’t be worth living on my own. But you come here and it’s so joyous. It’s so loving.”. You can hear more from Wendy and other people from our communities in our GiveLoveLeeds film.

 

“In my experience of 24 years of grants and organisational management, I’ve never encountered a grant that has more of an impact. We can’t thank the donors to the Fund and the team at Leeds Community Foundation enough.”

The Leeds Fund Strategic Grant recipient

 

 

The Leeds Fund Microgrants

The Leeds Fund Microgrants supported a wide range of grassroots groups and creative ideas in 2024, from health and wellbeing activities and first aid training to a lantern parade and a campaign to encourage people to grow their own food.

Baby Week used their grant to run an opening event for the 2024 Baby Week, including an exhibition representing international perspectives of parenting and Global Parenting Q&A session, as well as a train trip for 14 mums. 500 people took part in their project, including one mother whose family had fled conflict in Afghanistan. Joining the train trip was a more positive experience than her previous local travels, and gave her a chance to socialise and connect with other mums.

While the grants may be small, the impact they have is big. In 2024, more than 2,000 people took part in activities funded by The Leeds Fund Microgrants and 70% of organisations said the grants helped them to increase their expertise. Additionally, £12,000 awarded to 5 organisations helped them to secure £48,000 in additional funding – that’s a staggering 300% return on investment!

 

“It’s a source of incredible pride that by supporting Leeds Community Foundation, we’re helping so many worthy causes right across the region, particularly those that often struggle otherwise to be seen. The more the business community supports Leeds Community Foundation the greater the impact they can achieve across the city.”

The Leeds Fund donor