Building stronger communities

For many, Suffolk is a beautiful county in which to live, work and play. Although for thousands of Suffolk people, life is far from comfortable, their needs are often hidden from view. From rural isolation to urban deprivation, many Suffolk communities are facing many challenges every day and yet there are also some inspirational groups trying to support them. The Suffolk Foundation is a community foundation that awards grants to local charities and community groups that are tackling social disadvantage across the county, supporting some of the most vulnerable communities in Suffolk.

Hidden Needs

Recent research by the University of Cambridge confirmed that Suffolk is a county of two halves: it is a beautiful county with a lot of wealth but there are also a lot of hidden needs that are camouflaged from view. Over 78,000 people in Suffolk are living in income poverty, including over 19,000 children aged 16 or under. Some parts of the county are experiencing some of the worst deprivation in the UK – not an image that is often associated with Suffolk.

Inspiring local giving

The Suffolk Foundation connects people who care with causes that matter. We work with donors who wish to direct their local giving into the heart of grassroots communities, encouraging local giving and community philanthropy.

Meeting local needs

There are over 5,500 local charities and community groups in Suffolk. Over the past six years, The Suffolk Foundation has awarded £4.4m of grants to over 1,500 groups many of whom are volunteer-led and operating at a very grassroots level.

Building Foundations

The Suffolk Foundation welcomes donations of all sizes – many of the grants awarded are small but have a big impact at a local level. As well as the Suffolk Fund, the Foundation manages over 50 named funds on behalf of private individuals, families, companies, statutory bodies and other funding organisations such as Comic Relief and the Henry Smith Charity who wish to support Suffolk community life.