A conference to remember  

'Foundations for the future: Investing in communities' explored the longer-term role of philanthropy in building resilient, inclusive and sustainable communities. 

Over three days, engaging sessions covered topics like national philanthropy, social justice, climate action, digital transformation and inclusive grant making. 

Delegates engaged with leaders in civil society and across the corporate and financial sectors.  Together, they shared innovative strategies and insights that are helping to empower communities around the UK and the globe.

  

To truly transform people's lives, we need to invest in them, not just address their immediate needs.

- Ben Robinson, interim Co-CEO at UK Community Foundations

  

  

The content

Our bi-annual in-person conference took place in the town of Harrogate, England. 

The focus of Foundations for the Future 2024 was investing in a more resilient and thriving future for communities, with an emphasis on the role of community foundations as a collaborative driving force for transformative resourcing through transformative philanthropy.

We explored how building resilient communities means moving away from short-term ‘band-aid’ funding and investing in sustainable, long-term resources that can help communities be prepared, strong and self-sufficient in the face of future challenges.

  

  

‘Changes we set in motion by 2030 will determine the future of society – you are the most powerful philanthropists that have ever existed.’

- Adam Cooper, Director at Threads in the Ground

  

  

The sessions

Our new strategy is strongly focused on environmental justice, equity, diversity and inclusion.  These themes were threaded throughout the framework of Foundations for the Future 2024.  Speakers included Indy Johar, Co-founder of Dark Matters Lab, as well as experts from community foundations, other leading civil society organisations, digital thinktanks, the corporate sector and financial services.

Find the full breakdown of sessions and speakers here.

Topics included:

• Developing a national philanthropy strategy
• Designing inclusive and progressive grant making
• Funding social justice and climate action
• Elevating young voices and empowering young leadership
• The art of storytelling and protecting local journalism
• Integrating climate action into everything we do
• Engaging philanthropy advisers
• Transforming practices with AI
• The power of hope, trust and community

  

  

I'm advocating for society. Community foundations are the means to deliver the Treasury's mission. That mission has a shared outcome. The Treasury can't do what you do.

- Indy Johar, Co-founder of Dark Matter Labs

  

  

Reflections

The UKCF team was joined by over 300 delegates and speakers from around the UK, Europe, South and Central America, and South Africa.  We partnered with Alliance Magazine to capture some of the personal, curious and very human learnings from Foundations for the Future 2024 in a collection of blogs from different delegates:

The environment takes centre stage at UKCF 2024 - Jane Cabutti from Environmental Funders Network (EFN)

Thinking about inclusion at the UKCF conference - Milly Gurton from UK Community Foundations (UKCF)

Shawarmas, luggage compartments, and reparative grant making - Ugo Ikokwu from Trust for London

An opportunity for community foundations to step up to their full potential - Francesca Mereta from European Community Foundations Initiative (ECFI)

Stephan Cibian at Făgăraș Research Institute has also written an interesting field report following the UKCF conference, and hosted visits to Two Ridings Community Foundation (Yorkshire) and Leeds Community Foundation, providing key takeaways and further engagement in specific areas:

Field report and reflection - Stephan Cibian from Făgăraș Research Institute

  

  

The national philanthropy strategy looks at the culture of giving and fostering those relationships in the sector. It's about shared priorities and working together to voice our shared values.

- Anna Mowbray at Charities Aid Foundation (CAF)

  

  

Thank you to our headline sponsors:

    

    

  

As a peer and partner of UKCF, CCLA provides core funding and has done so for many years.  More recently, CCLA worked with UKCF and LAMIT to launch our Care Leavers Programme, supporting care leavers throughout England over the next three years.

''As one of the UK's leading investment manager of charity funds and the manager of many UKCF member endowment funds, CCLA believes healthy investment markets depend upon health communities; and communities need both love and money to thrive.  For CCLA, supporting the only vibrant network of organisations with a deep understanding of community need, the ability to stimulate local philanthropy and provide intelligent, sustainable charitable funding in support of community action really is a 'no-brainer'.'

Learn more about CCLA

    

Learn more about our other conference sponsors:

    

   

Visit the Evouchers website

  

Visit the Evelyn Partners website

  

Visit the Cazenove website

  

Visit the Rathbones website

Visit the Unity Trust Bank website

Learn about our media partner, Alliance