Claire Mackintosh MBE is the CEO of Norfolk Community Foundation, which has been transforming lives for 20 years. Ahead of a special anniversary event at the Showground, Claire explains how the Foundation has invested more than £50 million in projects since 2005
This year, I’ll be celebrating a big birthday – not my own, I hasten to add – but that of an organisation that has been transforming lives in Norfolk for the past 20 years. Norfolk Community Foundation was first envisioned in 2004 by the then-Bishop of Norwich, Rt Revd Graham James, and the then-Lord Lieutenant, Sir Richard Jewson. They recognised that while many people in Norfolk wanted to give back to their communities, most were only familiar with large, national charities – not the incredible grassroots organisations on their doorstep. Even today, 85% of charitable donations nationwide still go to these big names.
Acting swiftly, these two founding patrons gathered support to register the charity and began fundraising. By the end of 2005, Norfolk Community Foundation had awarded its first grants, funding items like toys for a playgroup, sheet music for a wind band, and a carpentry course for children outside mainstream education.
The world has changed significantly since those first grants were awarded 20 years ago. Back in 2005, who could have imagined that working families would need to rely on food banks, that so many young people would require mental health support, or that war would come to mainland Europe, forcing thousands to flee?
By the time I became Chief Executive in late 2017, the growing strain on public finances meant the gap between what the state could provide and what community groups could deliver was widening. Recognising this, we realised a different approach was needed. The Foundation had to evolve from being simply a grant funder to becoming a partner – building relationships and taking innovative steps to ensure charities received the vital support they needed to strengthen communities from the ground up.
While addressing short-term challenges was essential, creating long-term solutions became equally critical. The Foundation began working more closely with communities to better understand and tackle the root causes of problems in Norfolk. Today, we’ve defined six key ‘Missions’ to address long-term challenges such as hunger, childhood inequality, and environmental issues. Alongside these, we continue to fund initiatives that bring people together and foster meaningful connections as we always have done.
Although the Foundation has evolved to meet the demands of a changing world, one principle remains as central today as it was 20 years ago: none of this would be possible without collaboration. Our guiding mantra has been, and always will be, “Together, Norfolk shines brighter.” This idea drives everything we do, as we bring together local businesses, innovative charities, statutory partners, national funders, and passionate individuals to achieve a shared vision for Norfolk.
This year, we’re also celebrating another significant milestone: we’ve now invested over £50 million in projects that have made Norfolk a vibrant and thriving place to live. To mark this achievement and celebrate how Norfolk has come together to achieve so much, we’re inviting everyone to join us at the Norfolk Showground on 12th March for a special event.
The event, Illuminate, will feature an interactive showcase of the many inspiring projects that have shaped, and will continue to shape, Norfolk’s story. From street dance to barista training, green cars to community supermarkets, visitors will get to experience some of the innovative and impactful social initiatives made possible through the remarkable collaboration of voluntary organisations, businesses, and communities.
Norfolk Community Foundation proves that when people come together, transformative change happens. This celebration isn’t just about looking back at what we’ve accomplished – it’s a call to action for the next 20 years. Together, we can continue building a Norfolk where everyone has the opportunity to thrive, where challenges are met with compassion and creativity, and where collaboration lights the path forward.
Norfolk Community Foundation invites everyone who has been part of this journey over the past 20 years to join it at Illuminate at 6pm on 12th March at the Norfolk Showground. Registration is open at Illuminate. Event Sponsors: Barratt & Cooke, Huxley Events, Jamieson Property Search, Jarrolds, Mills & Reeve Solicitors, Osiris IT, Rebecca Osborne Studios Ltd, Richard Jarmy Photography, Royal Norfolk Agricultural Association and Stephenson Smart Accountants. Visit Web: norfolkfoundation.com and follow on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.
Featured image of Claire Mackintosh MBE supplied by Norfolk Community Foundation
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