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Leathersellers’ Strategy Update
The Foundation Objectives
Objective 1: TO BE A BEST PRACTICE FUNDER, DEMONSTRATING TRUST, TRANSPARENCY AND FLEXIBILITY, TO CREATE THE MOST ADDED VALUE FOR OUR GRANTEES
Progress
Challenges and Opportunities • The Foundation’s grantees are experiencing not just a challenging funding landscape but also the effects of other national trends which impact on their ability to deliver services. It is right to consider how the Foundation is able to effectively support changing and evolving circumstances, which includes an appreciation and acceptance of increased risk. • Providing balance across multiple areas of operation, including governance and the speed of grant allocation is also a challenge, as well the balance between the quality of ongoing programme delivery and the time spent investing in sharing learning, new opportunities and partnerships. • Reviewing the Foundation’s approaches and practices presents an opportunity
• Adopted conversational reporting; implemented expressions of interest and invite only rounds as appropriate; extended geographical reach; and improved clarity of programme objectives. • Sought and acted upon feedback e.g. annual charity grantee survey to inform Link & Learn topics; Adverse Childhood Experiences criteria published following applicant feedback; launched new annual perception survey (summer 2024) for both successful and unsuccessful applicants. • Facilitated transparency and accessibility through web design (e.g. success rates);
format including criteria, timelines, expectations and definitions as needed). • Applied evidence to inform and drive decisions by committee members and trustees - e.g. Responsive Grants and Education Single Year Grant programme consultations. • Utilised social media to inform and amplify the work of grantees. • Awarded inflation derived increases to charity grantees for multi-year grants made in 2022/23 and 2023/24, responding to economic dynamics. • Published the Preventing and Tackling Adverse Childhood Experiences Initial Summary Report.
for continual improvement. The Foundation took part in the Foundation Practice Review assessment (a project initiated to enhance the approach of all UK charitable foundations) and will look to opt-in in future years. Internal funding approaches are also consistently reviewed to ensure fairness and inclusivity across the grant making programmes.
and helped to increase grantee understanding through enhanced
application processes (e.g. uniform details given for each programme in recognisable
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