Cripplegate Foundation

We asked our CEO Sarah Roth Benioff to share brief reflections on 2024 and hopes and plans for 2025. Here’s a summarised snapshot! Challenges: 🔹 Funding and resources for the voluntary sector remain hard to secure, with organisations struggling to recruit and retain staff and volunteers frontline charities. 🔹Local needs are growing in complexity, putting immense pressure on frontline charities. Wins: 🔹 Thanks to our generous donors, partners, businesses, and foundations, Islington Giving raised more funds than ever, channelling them quickly to where they’re needed most. 🔹Programmes like the Islington Giving Resident-Led Carers’ Panel, Golden Grant Makers, and our Community Panel have empowered residents to shape funding decisions, as well as the Islington Giving Alumni Network. 🔹There are so many great people who want to give their time as trustees – with fantastic skills and diverse perspectives! Though we had one fabulous trustee/governor retire from Cripplegate Foundation (we miss you Amir Rizwan) we were lucky enough to recruit and welcome three more (hello again, Fiona Au, CFA, ACA, Micky Khurana and Anna-Marie Tomm!) 🔹Impact investing: Making the very best use of all of our assets has always been top of our list and working with our board on expanding impact investing – making sure our largest asset is doing social good alongside financial returns – has been inspiring. 🔹From Islington Council to local businesses, funders and charities, partnerships remain at the heart of tackling poverty and inequality. Thank you Cripplegate Foundation, Macquarie Group, Cloudesley, Business Design Centre, Peabody, City Bridge Foundation, Paul Hamlyn Foundation, Morris Charitable Trust, The Mercers' Company, Google, THE ARSENAL FOUNDATION and many other valuable partners. Read more in Sarah’s blog via the link in our comments. ⬇️ #Islington #Impact #SocialImpact #ThoughtLeadership #SocialInvesting #CSR #Partnerships

Did you know that in 2021, UK charities received £4.1 billion in grants, but only 1.8% went to organisations supporting women and girls? The women and girls sector is critically underfunded, despite rising demand for specialist support. Research by The Centre for Regional, Economic and Social Research (CRESR) at Sheffield Hallam University (commissioned by Rosa, the UK Fund for Women and Girls, the The National Lottery Community Fund and Esmée Fairbairn Foundation) highlights the urgent need for investment. For 40 years, THE MAYA CENTRE has been vital for many women in Islington, providing holistic mental health support to help them recover from traumatic experiences including domestic abuse, sexual violence, trauma, and bereavement. At Cripplegate Foundation we’re proud to work closely with The Maya Centre on our Domestic Abuse Development Partners project (DADP) and support their work overall. 🎥 Hear from Gona, CEO of The Maya Centre, about the challenges women face and the holistic impact of their work. #IslingtonInsights #InternationalWomensDay #IWD2025 #AccelerateAction #NoMoreWeek #Islington #FundingEquity Islington Giving

“We take women through a journey of healing and recovery – and that’s where our impact comes in.” ~ Gona, Chief Executive, The Maya Centre 🙏🏼 This #NoMoreWeek and ahead of #InternationalWomensDay, we caught up with one of our Domestic Abuse Development project (DADP) partners, THE MAYA CENTRE. Gona, Chief Executive, reflected on the impact of holistic mental health support, how the Maya Centre takes women through a journey, and the importance of widening their networks and partnerships. Stay turned for the full story and more content this #InternationalWomensDay from Cripplegate Foundation and Islington Giving. #IWD2025 #AccelerateAction #NoMoreWeek #NoMoreSilence #IslingtonImpact

This #NOMOREWEEK 2025, we’re spotlighting our Domestic Abuse Development Partners (DADP) project, co-funded by Cripplegate Foundation and City Bridge Foundation. DADP explores how a relational approach can improve support for those impacted by domestic abuse. Last year, our Domestic Abuse Conversation Wall at Angel Central brought together hundreds of local voices to share their thoughts, insights, and experiences on tackling domestic abuse. “Domestic abuse does not occur in a vacuum but is interlinked with – and made possible by – wider ideas and perspectives perpetuated by society, including misogyny and sexism. Seeing what the public have to say on the matter felt important in developing our activities.” ~ Laura Guy, Programme Manager 🔸Read more about our event: https://lnkd.in/eZGDDUX7 
🔸Get involved this week: https://lnkd.in/e4VKFvc8 Hestia Charity Islington Council Solace Women's Aid #NOMOREWEEK #DomesticAbuse #IslingtonInsights #DomesticViolence Islington Giving THE MAYA CENTRE KMEWO

The way food aid is delivered is changing. The cost-of-living is still hitting hard, and many residents are struggling – not just with putting food on the table, but with financial hardship, stigma, and mental health challenges. Local food aid organisations are stepping up, moving beyond emergency relief to sustainable, long-term solutions like social supermarkets, pantries, and community-led food projects. But making real change takes resources, time, and funding. That’s where Islington Food Fund can help. In partnership with Islington Food Partnership, Islington Giving is offering grants to support food aid providers committed to creating a stronger, more dignified, and sustainable food system. Whether you are in the process of transitioning into a more sustainable model, require small grants to deliver food activity, or would like to offer a more holistic service, we encourage you to find out more and apply! ⬇️ #IslingtonFoodFund #FoodGrants #IslingtonFoodPartnership #FoodInsecurity #CostofLiving

At Cripplegate Foundation and Islington Giving, we’re committed to transparency in grant making. 🔍📊 That’s why we’ve published data on all grants since 2016 using the 360Giving standard – making it freely accessible to everyone. By opening up our grant data, we’re holding ourselves accountable, making more informed decisions, and supporting smarter giving. It also shows the vital projects and incredible organisations we’ve supported over the years. Visit our website or the GrantNav weblinks to find out more! #Grantmaking #360Giving #GrantsData #IslingtonGrants #Grants #Funding

📣 1 WEEK TO GO! Thanks to funding from Islington Council's Community Chest, administered by Cripplegate Foundation, the Friends of Pooles Park’s ‘Naturehood for our Neighbourhood’ Project has blossomed over the years, nurturing community connection, environmental stewardship and wellbeing. ☘️ Children and families actively connect with both plant and animal life through a range of accessible, inclusive and practical activities. “That’s the beauty of this project, there are no barriers.” ~ Sophia Ioannou, Environmental Lead 💜 “I wish every child could experience what my children have done. I hope the project has many, many years ahead, and the project could be run in every school.” ~ Former Parent at Pooles Park Are you part of a group or organisation making a positive impact in Islington? Could you benefit from further funding to expand your work and impact? ⏳ The closing date for Islington Council's Community Chest is 12pm midday, Monday 17 February 2025. 🔗 Find the relevant links in our comments! #Islington #Funding #IslingtonCouncil #CommunityChest #FundingOpportunity #IslingtonGrants #ApplyNow

We’re changing lives, not just offering a hand.” ~ Wezenet, Community Language Support Services (CLSS) ❤️ For some East African and Arabic-speaking refugees in Islington, language barriers, social isolation, and financial struggles can make everyday life feel challenging. That’s where CLSS steps in. Founded by local residents, this Islington Council's Community Chest-funded group provides lifeline support from advocacy and mental health guidance to practical help with housing, benefits, and employment. 🔸 A grieving young woman, locked in isolation for months, was supported to access mental health services - she’s now working and thriving.  🔸A survivor of domestic violence found stability, hope, and the support she needed to rebuild her life.  🔸A young man struggling with a benefits interview received urgent language support, ensuring he got the financial help he was entitled to.  🔸 and much more... Flexible funding from Islington Council’s Community Chest allows CLSS to adapt to the ever-changing needs of the community. Applications for the next round of funding are now OPEN! Does your group work with Islington residents facing hardship? Could funding help you reach more people and make a bigger impact? ⏳ Apply now! Deadline: 12pm (midday), Monday 17 February 2025 🔗 Find out more via the links in our comments, and please share with any group/ organisation who may be interested. #FundingOpportunity #Funding #SmallCharities #CommunitySupport #IslingtonCouncil #Islington #ApplyNow Islington Giving

Cook for Good Men’s Grub Club is exactly the kind of initiative that shows how connection and practical skills can go hand in hand, tackling social isolation while bringing people together over the joy of cooking (and maybe a bit of dancing too🕺🏽)! #IslingtonImpact #SocialIsolation #Islington Cripplegate Foundation Islington Giving Alumni

📣 Have your say on private renting in Islington📣 If you’ve rented in Islington, you know how important safe, well-managed homes are. But for too many, renting privately still means dealing with poor conditions, unfair treatment, or rogue landlords. Islington Council is proposing new private rental property licensing schemes to help improve housing standards and protect tenants, but they need to hear from you! Whether you're a former or current renter, a landlord, or a local resident, your views can help shape these changes. How to get involved: 🔖 Take the survey here: https://lnkd.in/gf_reYxH 🗓️ Attend a drop-in session: Every Thursday in February, 10am to 1pm at Islington Council, 222 Upper Street, N1 1XR #IslingtonGivingAlumni #BetterRenting #IslingtonHousing #YourVoiceMatters #Housing #Islington Islington Giving Cripplegate Foundation