40 years ago, we were founded by Lloyds Banking Group and its predecessors to benefit communities. Over our lifetime we’ve invested over £635 million in more than 45,000 community organisations right across England and Wales. In today’s money that is nearly £1 billion in helping charities make a life changing impact.
Our investment in grassroots organisations has helped charities transform people’s lives. Some of these charities started with the seed of an idea and have today become household names like Childline and Changing Faces. And many thousands more that most won’t have heard of, that also continue to show up for their communities when they’re needed most.
We’ve inspired more people to volunteer and raise money for charity by boosting Lloyds Banking Group colleagues’ fundraising and volunteering efforts by nearly £50 million. And we’ve brought charities and Group colleagues together to solve challenges in partnership. These 40 years, we have seen the strength of small charities who have adapted, shown compassion, and built supportive communities.
Archive photo of Kathleen Duncan with HM The Queen Mother discussing the Foundation's work
The foundations do not usually fund big projects or those that already enjoy influential sponsors. Our policy is to back underfunded voluntary organisations, with an emphasis on helping disadvantaged people play their part in the community.
The sheer scale of our funding means that we can afford to support many unproven, innovative charities which would otherwise find it difficult to get off the ground. In 1987, for example, we helped Childline start up with a £65,000 donation
Kathleen Duncan, Director General of the Foundation between 1990-2005
With support from Lloyds Banking Group colleagues, we have done more than give money. We have invested in the changes charities need to help more people more effectively. Since 1992 our organisational development support has enabled charities to save money on professional development, built stronger relationships and larger support networks, secure additional income through trading, fundraising and partnerships.
As we’ve seen its success, we’ve grown this award-winning offer significantly over the years, investing more than £20 million to help charities thrive beyond the lifetime of their grant while influencing other funders to also prioritise this kind of support.
The benefits have proved to be mutual, with both [Group] staff and charity managers welcoming the exchange of views on a wide variety of management issues.
Archive photo of a Group colleague raising money for charity and doubling that through matched giving.
Archive photo of a Group colleague raised a total of £360 for the 29 Brighton Scout Group and doubled that who with the help of matched giving.
Throughout our history, we have pushed for changes in our sector and our society. In just the last decade charities we support have made a huge difference to people’s lives:
- shaped the Domestic Abuse Act and improved support for survivors of abuse regardless of their immigration status,
- reduced physical and sexual abuse by more than 80% by targeting perpetrator behaviour,
- added more money in the pockets of people who are already living in poverty by reducing the amount of deductions that are taken away from Universal Credit payments,
- improved the financial circumstances of as many as 60,000 carers.
Since we were founded 40 years ago the world around us has changed. We’ve seen the world open with the rise of the internet, ecommerce and a continuing digital revolution.
And yet, for some, these same advances have introduced additional barriers. We’ve been inspired by justice movements that have improved disability rights, women’s empowerment and racial equity whilst continuing to spotlight how much further we must go.
During this time, we have also changed and improved. We’ve listened to and learned from those we partner with so that we can truly create a just and compassionate society. As the challenges we face have become more complex, we’ve directed our funding to facilitate new ways of working in the sector, and promote the exchange of ideas between grantmakers, charities and public agencies.
Recognising that too many people continue to face barriers we have built equity and inclusion into our work. We’ve supported organisations challenging decision makers and pushing for equity early in our history and continue to this day by funding organisations led by and for the communities they serve.
An image taken from our archives of the Childline helpline.
An image taken from our archives of a magazine article with our Director General (1995-2005) Katherine Duncan showing Afan Community; a charity in Wales providing machine skills in a bus.
Archive photo of regional celebrations of our 10th anniversary.
The impact of continuing crises made worse by austerity changed the relationship between the state and communities. That’s why we’ve pushed for policy change to prevent societal issues like homelessness, domestic abuse and criminal justice. Alongside our own policy work we fund charities to influence policy locally, regionally and nationally so that those that work directly with communities are shaping the change we need.
Follow us throughout the year to learn more about our past, how it’s grown into our ways of working today, and what it means for our future. As we look to our next chapter we will build on our history, learn from our peers and continue to push for a better future for everyone.
#SupportingCommunitiesTogether
