HIWCF has been featured on BBC Politics South and BBC South Today, following growing concern over the funding gap faced by charities and community groups across the region.
The BBC spent a day with HIWCF in the New Forest, where the Foundation hosted an event bringing together more than 20 local community organisations in receipt of their funding through a programme which supports groups working to alleviate poverty and inequality, tackle isolation, and improve wellbeing in the area.
During the visit, the BBC team interviewed representatives from several organisations that have received HIWCF funding, including Youth and Families Matter and the Fortune Centre for Riding Therapy. They also spoke to people whose lives have been directly improved through local projects supported by the Foundation.
The day culminated in an interview with HIWCF CEO, Jacqui Scott, who discussed the ongoing challenge of funding shortfalls and the urgent need for more donors and partners to come forward to help meet demand.
Funding demand outstrips supply by 88%
The BBC feature follows the application deadline of HIWCF’s Including Communities Fund, which received 141 applications from not-for-profit organisations across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. The total value of requests exceeded £1.2 million, while only £135,000 was available to distribute. This means that just 15-18 projects are likely to be supported – a success rate of around 12%.
To put this into perspective, HIWCF distributed just over £1.15 million in grants to 167 community groups throughout the entire previous year.
“We have effectively been asked for more than our full year of grant funds available – across all funding programmes – on this one grant programme alone,” said Jacqui. “The sea of demand out there in our communities is overwhelming, and as an organisation and a staff team, we find it heart-breaking to have to reject so many applications for vital community work due to a lack of funds to distribute.”
A call for local giving
HIWCF is the largest independent charitable grant maker in the region, working with donors, philanthropists, and partners to ensure funding reaches where it is most needed.
“Donating to HIWCF means you can directly strengthen communities,” Jacqui added. “The Including Communities Fund shows both the scale of need and the transformative power of small grants. We’re urging people and companies across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight to work with us so we can fund more of the groups doing extraordinary work in our communities.”
The BBC’s coverage has helped shine a light on the incredible work being done by local charities and community groups, and the growing need for support to sustain it.