Tackling poverty and inequality is at the heart of everything we do at HIWCF. Grant funding under this theme supports grassroots organisations across Hampshire, Portsmouth, Southampton and the Isle of Wight, funding frontline responses to rising hardship, such as food banks, fuel poverty support and debt advice. But we also invest in long term solutions, from digital inclusion to work tackling systemic disadvantage. As more people experience complex and overlapping needs, demand for community services is rising sharply. We believe that everyone deserves a fair chance, and we will continue working with local groups to deliver funding where it’s needed most.

We see poverty and inequality not as a standalone issue, but as a thread that connects every barrier to wellbeing, opportunity and inclusion. That’s why it’s at the heart of everything we do.

Every single grant we make addresses poverty and inequality in some way: in 2024 £255,649 was invested directly in poverty alleviation services.