ActionFunder

ONE THOUSAND community projects funded on ActionFunder 🙌🙌 🙌 🙌. One thousand… and already almost 85% of them have completed their work, benefiting 500,000+ people. Like, I guess, many co-founders, I write this post and I have a mixture of feelings. A huge, huge sense of pride at what the brilliant ActionFunder team has achieved so far. Massive respect for the incredible non-profits, literally changing people’s lives & neighbourhoods across the UK. And … a determination to make sure AF stands by our pledge; to make community funding quicker, easier and more action-led than ever before. Laying it bare, I also have a real sense of relief that all the collective effort, worry, drive and lack of sleep has led to something so impactful and valuable. I started ActionFunder because I totally believe in the power of people to change their neighbourhoods for the better - and also, the active role companies should play in this. We made it our mission to get the right money, at the right time, to the right people. We dared to do something new. Boy oh boy, has it been infinitely harder than I ever imagined. But, we feel incredibly lucky and blessed to have clients that believe in us, in our mission … and those who dared to try something new. A huge thanks to Lynda Thwaite, Simon Richards, Emma Hibbert, Anthony Harte, Lesley Horn, Olly Willmore, Charles Eales, James Anderson MCIPR, Ailish Christian-West, Carolina Correia, Sarah Mitton, Léyoh Goodall, Guy Battle, Ruth Duston OBE, OC and many more... The journey has started and the results speak for themselves. Join us to now fund 10,000 projects...

Five years ago the polytunnel was going up in Surrey Square School. We have come a long way since then. With help and support from other groups and funders 100's of pupils have gained new skills, increasing their confidence and wellbeing in our free weekly afterschool food growing and nature based art clubs. Learning how to grow your own food and then share it with family and friends is a great sense of pride and achievement. #foodeducation #enjoyment #community #growyourown #outdoorlearning #OldKentRoadFamilyZone Team London Bridge ActionFunder HandsOn London The Food Foundation Southwark Council Elkins Construction And many more

Why I set Up ActionFunder Fundamentally, above anything else, I believe in the power of people to change their neighbourhoods for the better. We just need to get the right money, at the right time, to the right people. I also absolutely believe the world's businesses are best placed to create more impact than anyone else. Not because they have a moral duty to (that's unrealistic and naive - sorry). But because, in today’s world, businesses will perform better if they do. They will win more contracts, win the war on talent and ... win the fight to be heard in the battle for people’s attention.  As a result, they will win when it comes to attracting investors and creating sustainable growth. Who cares wins. This may sound distorted, but our job at ActionFunder is to make #communityfunding both profitable and practical. Because if we do this, more non-profits will get funded and more and more people will have better lives. Our vision is to see thousands of companies backing millions of community projects to create value for all parties.    I’m humbled by our start. Over 1,100 projects have been funded by 65 companies,  including some of the biggest brands on the planet. But, this is just the beginning. I pledge that we’ll do everything we can to achieve our vision. We will always shape #ActionFunder around the needs of its users - both the non-profits and the companies. We will listen to what people need. We will be inclusive in our approach and pragmatic in our decisions and delivery. Tomorrow can be, and will be better - if companies meet and support their communities. That’s our belief - and that’s why we do what we do at ActionFunder.  #SROI #socialvalue #socialimpact   #CrossSectorCollaboration

So that's a wrap on the Paris Olympics! 🇫🇷 🏅 But fear not, we've still got the Paralypics to come 🙌 One of the highlights for me was the incredible variety of sports in the spotlight. I always find myself drawn to the more niche events I'd never seen before - speed climbing, artistic swimming, and yes, even breaking! 🕺 These lesser-known sports getting Olympic exposure can have a massive impact. It raises awareness, inspires new athletes, and broadens the audience for these disciplines. This democratisation of sports access and awareness is crucial - evolving over time keeps the Olympics interesting and relevant (like any good product!). Interestingly, this theme of increasing sports awareness and access is shared by Greene King Brewery through their "Proud to Pitch In" campaign - a community fund created with our team at ActionFunder to support grassroots sport clubs in the wake of the pandemic when the sector was on its knees financially. Greene King understood how important sport is to their customers and how broadly it can be defined, so built a campaign that championed this - asking them to nominate clubs they knew that needed funding. Here are just a few highlights of their achievements (so far): - £1,000,000 committed for distribution - Over 11,000 nominations from their customers - 293 project applications funded - Over 66,500 direct beneficiaries - Nearly 50 (!) different types of sport supported Greene King has truly walked the talk in supporting grassroots sports. A key element of their approach is the diversity of clubs they've assisted - from pickleball and roller derby to tug of war and zumba! It's not just traditional sports or professional athletes benefiting, but a rich diversity that more accurately reflects the communities they serve - different ages, abilities, genders and more.  Some argue that sports funding is 'less impactful' than other focus areas. However, from personally reviewing applications, being involved in judging panels and from seeing project updates & impact survey data - I've seen the effects on individuals involved - increased confidence and connection, reduced stress and isolation, and so much more - it's hard to dispute the value. This recent update from the The Meath Epilepsy Charity sums it up neatly > https://lnkd.in/eWA_CTW4 Who knows, maybe we'll see one of those beneficiaries competing in LA along with Snoop and Cruise in 2028! 🇺🇸 🏅 #Olympics #GrassrootsSports #CommunityInvestment #GreeneKing

Not 1 new hotel, but 2! 🤩 This week we’ve opened our newest hotel in Paddington, London and it combines two of our hotel brands, Premier Inn and hub by Premier Inn, offering our guests 369 new bedrooms. 🏨 The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) in Westminster supported us with the hiring of our new team from the local area and we are proud to welcome 80 new team members to #Whitbread. The team dedicated time to supporting the local community as part of our new hotel opening journey and our Force for Good strategy. Using ActionFunder they picked charities that were important to them: ☀️Clarion Futures Summer Activities 💙Maiden’s Lane Food Bank 🪴Seedling’s Community Garden 😁Happy Hub Summer Club Alongside this, the team spent 79 hours in Happy Hub Summer Club helping prep for their holiday activities and carried out fundraising for our charity partner Great Ormond Street Hospital Charity. This dual-branded hotel is the first of its kind at Whitbread and the team has already made sure they are making their mark. We want to wish all the team good luck in their new hotels and say a huge thank you to everyone who supported the opening. 🍀 Interested in hearing more about our latest hotel? Check out Whitbread Property for the latest updates. 📲

If there was ever a time to support the grassroots, it's now. Over the last few days we have seen the power of community at large.  I’ve been inspired by my good city Bristol, and humbled by action across the country to support and protect others against division ❤️ As a result of the election, a spotlight on 'Community' to maintain a fair society is right up the agenda.  But let us not forget the small financial hole in public finances. Government income for small charities fell by 38% under the previous government.  Any new Government cannot fill that gap alone. We are increasingly hearing from organisations responding to the new political landscape - businesses, local authorities, foundations - who want a new way of giving.  Something with efficiency, less time-draining spreadsheets and renewed connection to those they support and the stories they tell.    In tandem, we are seeing community demand increase. We are getting wonderful feedback on the simplicity we provide by opening up funding opportunities for small charities.  One application on ActionFunder means reaching multiple funders, significantly cutting admin & fundraising time for groups. #Grantgiving absolutely has to be robust and tightly risk managed to the benefit of all.  But this means it can also be slow and frustrating for grantors and grantees alike. By utilising the best bits of technology we can remove the latter but not lose the former.  So, I’m here to campaign on the platform of No More Spreadsheets in grant giving! More power instead to mutually beneficial connection and the stories that unfold. #community #CommunityInvestment #TechForGoodUK #businessforgood #socialhousing #responsiblebusiness #Innovation #SocialImpact #ESG