Leicestershire and Rutland Community Foundation

What Leicestershire and Rutland Community Foundation does

Leicestershire and Rutland Community Foundation is a UK-registered charity (Registered Charity No. 1135322, Company No. 04851054) founded in 2009 and headquartered at 3 Wycliffe Street, Leicester. It operates as a community foundation, setting up and administering grant-giving funds on behalf of local families, individuals, and companies; donors direct the giving while LRCF handles administration, due diligence, and distribution. It also administers funds for institutional partners including the NHS Clinical Commissioning Group, the National Emergencies Trust, and government agencies, and reinvigorates dormant charitable trusts. The foundation distributes grants to hundreds of charitable and voluntary groups working across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland, covering mental health, youth services, family support, poverty relief, arts, sports, environmental projects, and community wellbeing.

The foundation's product surface is organised around a portfolio of named funds rather than a single software platform. Flagship programmes include Making Local Life Better (priority grassroots grants), BBC Children in Need's Lead the Change three-year initiative, Anglian Water's Thriving Communities Fund (£10,000–£100,000 grants), the Richard Bonney Literary Fund, the John Salmon Fund, the Lucy Phillips Arts Fund, the William Colton Youth Sports Fund, the Bill & Jean Richmond Foundation, the Market Harborough Building Society Community Fund, and the Hinckley and Rugby Building Society Fund. The Women in Philanthropy (WiP) programme is a membership network for collective giving among local women philanthropists.

The business model is that of a non-profit intermediary: LRCF does not charge for its services and is funded by donations from individuals, families, companies, and institutional funders; revenue derives from donations and any administrative contribution on funds under management rather than commercial pricing. The go-to-market is community-led, with marketing via website, social media (Facebook, Twitter/X, LinkedIn), email newsletters, Women in Philanthropy events, and face-to-face community gatherings. Leadership comprises CEO Katy Green and Board Chair Stuart Dawkins (also 2023 President of East Midlands Chamber), supported by a small team of around 10 staff and a volunteer Grants Review Group. The foundation is a Living Wage Employer and in 2022 received the Queen's Platinum Jubilee Community and Business Award from the Lord Lieutenant.

Name

Leicestershire and Rutland Community Foundation

Legal name

Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland Community Foundation

Website

https://llrcommunityfoundation.org.uk

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Leicestershire and Rutland Community Foundation is a UK-registered charity that sets up and administers grant-giving funds for local families, individuals, and companies, distributing grants to hundreds of local charitable groups across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Foundation Services

NAICS

Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Other Grantmaking and Giving Services (813219)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Foundations (BPAGAKAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public Charities & Grantmaking Intermediaries (BPAGAKAE), Private Foundations (BPAGAKAA), Family Offices & Philanthropic Advisors (Grantmaking) (BPAGAKAD)

Keywords

• Community foundation services
• Grant administration services
• Charitable fund management
• Local philanthropy support
• Grant-making services

Headquarters

HQ city

Leicester

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Charitable donations and fund management: As a community foundation, LRCF does not charge for its services but operates through donations from individuals, families, companies, and institutional funders. They set up and run grant-giving funds where donors direct their giving and LRCF handles administration.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Leicestershire and Rutland Community Foundation sets up and runs grant-giving funds for local families, individuals, and companies, acting like a personal charitable foundation without the administrative burden. Donors direct their giving, while the Foundation handles administration, due diligence and grant disbursement, and also administers funds on behalf of agencies, the NHS, government, the National Emergencies Trust and dormant charitable trusts. Grants are distributed to local charitable and voluntary groups meeting community needs across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland.

Product overview

Leicestershire and Rutland Community Foundation operates as a unified grant-giving and fund management service rather than a modular platform. The core offering is grant-giving fund management services for families, individuals, and companies who want to establish their own charitable foundations without administrative burden. The foundation administers numerous named funds including the Making Local Life Better Fund (flagship programme), Richard Bonney Literary Fund (literary and research grants), Lead the Change (youth community initiatives), Anglian Water's Thriving Communities Fund (environmental projects), SWEF Enterprise Fund (business support), and Market Harborough Building Society Community Fund (poverty relief). Additional named funds support specific causes including arts (Lucy Phillips Arts Fund), youth sport (William Colton Youth Sports Fund), health (Bill & Jean Richmond Foundation), and general community welfare (John Salmon Fund, Leicestershire Fund). The Women in Philanthropy (WiP) programme enables collective giving among local women philanthropists. All funds are directed toward supporting charitable groups meeting local needs across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Grant-Giving Fund Management Services End-to-end administration of grant-giving funds for local families, individuals, and companies, handling back-office administration while donors direct their giving priorities. For grant recipients (local charitable and voluntary groups) and grant providers (individuals, families, companies, institutional funders).
• Making Local Life Better Fund Flagship grant programme made up of money from individual and corporate donors, prioritising smaller grassroots charitable groups in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland. For local small grassroots charities.
• Richard Bonney Literary Fund Provides small grants for individual researchers and community organisations working on tolerance and harmony in multi-faith and multicultural societies, including Richard Bonney Research Awards (up to £800) and Community Harmony Awards (up to £1,000). For individual researchers and community organisations.
• Lead the Change Three-year initiative supporting young people to build stronger local communities, in partnership with BBC Children in Need, Co-op Foundation, Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, Henry Smith Foundation, Paul Hamlyn Foundation, The National Lottery Community Fund and UK Community Foundations. For organisations supporting young people.
• Anglian Water's Thriving Communities Fund Environmental and social fund offering grants of between £10,000 and £100,000 to support projects across the Anglian Water region. For community and environmental projects in the Anglian Water region.
• SWEF Enterprise Fund Supports individuals who cannot afford to invest in their own businesses or face difficulties raising money externally. For aspiring entrepreneurs unable to access mainstream business funding.
• Market Harborough Building Society Community Fund £45,000 fund, committed to making a positive difference in communities served by Market Harborough Building Society, tackling poverty and disadvantage. For local community groups in the Market Harborough Building Society service area.
• Lucy Phillips Arts Fund Arts fund supporting individuals, charitable and community organisations working in the visual arts, championing and promoting arts activities. For individual artists and visual arts organisations.
• John Salmon Fund Supports various charitable causes including education, arts, family support and community wellbeing initiatives. For local charitable causes across education, arts, family support and community wellbeing.
• Leicestershire Fund General charitable fund supporting local community organisations across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland. For local community organisations.
• Bill & Jean Richmond Foundation Supports organisations providing wellbeing activities and health-related services to local communities. For local health and wellbeing organisations.
• William Colton Youth Sports Fund Supports youth sport projects enabling young people to participate in sporting activities. For youth sport organisations and projects.
• Women in Philanthropy (WiP) Brings together influential and talented women from across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland to improve local life through collective philanthropy. For influential women in the region interested in collective giving.
• Hinckley and Rugby Building Society Fund Third-year partnership fund supporting local community causes in the Hinckley and Rugby Building Society catchment area. For local community groups in the Hinckley and Rugby Building Society service area.
• Leicestershire Police Chief Constable's Fund Supports youth diversionary activities and crime prevention projects. For organisations running youth diversion or crime prevention projects.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over £1.544 million in grants distributed in 2020/21
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

22 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• BBC Children in NeedflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 March 2026Lead the Change initiative - a three-year programme supporting young people to build stronger local communities, in partnership with multiple foundations
• Co-op FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership in Lead the Change initiative supporting young people
• Esmée Fairbairn FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership in Lead the Change initiative supporting young people
• Henry Smith FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership in Lead the Change initiative supporting young people
• Paul Hamlyn FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership in Lead the Change initiative supporting young people
• UK Community FoundationscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational network of community foundations; LRCF is part of this network
• The National Lottery Community FundcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership in Lead the Change initiative supporting young people
• CASE (Co-operative Enterprise for Social Advancement)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides capacity building, advice, training and support to people wanting to set up co-operatives and social enterprises in Leicester, Leicestershire and the East Midlands
• Leicestershire and Rutland SportcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides a dedicated funding finder for local, regional and national sources of funding for clubs, groups, facilities, talented individuals and coaching
• Voluntary Action LeicesterShire (VAL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOffers support to individuals and organisations involved in local community action, with an invaluable funding toolkit
• Voluntary Action Rutland (VAR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupports and promotes local voluntary action by providing advice, information, support, training and consultation in Rutland
• De Montfort UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partnership for collaboration in the region
• Leicestershire County CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal government partnership for community support
• University of LeicesterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partnership for collaboration in the region
• Mars in the CommunitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partnership with Mars for community funding initiatives
• Reaching PeoplecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for reaching people across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland
• Rural Community CouncilminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for rural community support
• East Midlands Chamber of CommercecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLRCF manages the East Midlands Chamber Fund. The Chamber supports 4,000+ businesses. Chair of LRCF Board (Stuart Dawkins) was 2023 President of the Chamber
• Market Harborough Building SocietycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerManaging their Community Fund (£45,000) to tackle poverty and disadvantage in their service areas
• Hinckley and Rugby Building SocietycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerManaging their fund with the Community Foundation, now in its third year
• NHS CCG (Clinical Commissioning Group)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGetting Help in Neighbourhoods Adult Mental Health & Wellbeing Fund administered through LRCF
• Women in Philanthropy (WiP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMembership network bringing together influential women to improve local life through philanthropy

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/LLRFoundation
• Facebookfacebook.com/LLRCommunityFoundation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/leicestershire-and-rutland-community-foundation

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Leicestershire and Rutland Community Foundation