Fortitude & the Northamptonshire Community Foundation 2019
If you’ve been to see us here at the Fortitude offices, you’ll already know that we’re based in a lovely part of south Northamptonshire called Duncote, just outside Towcester. If you haven’t been to see us yet, well why not? You should – you’re more than welcome and as noted above, it’s lovely.
We’re really fortunate to work here; it’s a great part of the country and we’re proud to be part of a vibrant community. Giving something back to that community and playing a key role in helping to improve everyday life for local people is something we’re passionate about too. That’s how we began working with The Northamptonshire Community Foundation some years ago. Our own Richard Peters, one of our financial planners at Fortitude sits on the grants panel, which means he gets to see the foundation in action as well as playing a part in selecting the initiatives that receive funding.
About the Northamptonshire Community Foundation
The Northamptonshire Community Foundation (known as NCF for short) is a unique Northampton-based charity that’s dedicated to championing community-based initiatives. It’s funded by local businesses and it aims to help as many disadvantaged people and communities as possible.
NCF describes itself as a ‘broker’ between the people who care about their local community and the wide range of voluntary organisations, community groups and local charities who do the hands-on work to make a real difference. The organisation has been around for more than 20 years now, and in that time has given out more than £25m in grant funding. That funding has helped local community groups in such diverse areas as improving the wellbeing of older and vulnerable people, promoting togetherness and belonging, understanding mental health, tackling homelessness and building better opportunities for young people.
How the selection panel works
The NCF grants panel, with Richard included, meets once a year. It brings together up to 10 representatives of local businesses to deliberate on which organisations will be awarded funding for the year ahead. The panel invites charities from the area to pitch their initiatives and to set out the work they’d do should they secure a grant. The process begins with a written submission to NCF, followed by a series of shortlisting steps designed to gradually whittle down the field to those submissions that the panel believes are the most worthy and ultimately, will do the most good.
The panel then collaboratively decides which shortlisted charities should be nominated for a category award. Panel members chose which category they would host and present on the big awards night (more about that later).
Where are we up to this year?
This year, Richard and the rest of the panel members met on 18 July to sift through the applications and decide which initiatives would go on to the next stages. Having settled on the entries that they collectively believe to be the best, they then divided them into five award categories – ‘The Lifetime Achievement Award’, ‘The Edge Award’, ‘The Best Newcomer Award’, ‘The Brilliant Group Award’ and, finally, ‘The Trailblazer Award’, which was Richard’s category to present this year. The Trailblazer Award recognises companies who are providing innovative solutions to old or emerging issues.
What happens next?
The awards ceremony, of course! The winners were revealed at the Royal & Derngate Theatre on Wednesday 6 November with the whole panel present, alongside VIP attendees such as the Mayor and the High Sheriff, representatives from local businesses, and the charities themselves. Richard presented the Trailblazer Award to Screen Northants Ltd, who describe themselves as “an inclusive film-making group that aims to positively impact local society and change the Film Industry for the better by helping new voices and under-represented groups be heard”.
The awards night was great fun and it’s always a pleasure to be involved, but creating a better and brighter community is an ongoing commitment – it’s something that happens all year round and it takes a lot of planning and hard work. Just like building and carrying out a financial plan for your own future, it’s something that takes dedication and effort, but without question it’s worth it for the results.
That’s why we’ll keep working with NCF, next year and for many years to come. Working to improve the local area for those who live here is an ongoing activity, and one that we take very seriously. We’ll no doubt have some great awards ceremonies ahead, but more importantly, we’ll be helping as many people as possible, clients and non-clients alike, to live the best life possible.