Buckinghamshire Community Foundation

Buckinghamshire Community Foundation, operating as Heart of Bucks, serves as a catalyst for social change by connecting philanthropy to local causes, fostering thriving communities through inclusive grantmaking. Core values of respectful listening, inclusive funding, professional advising, local support, and collaborative leadership drive decisions prioritizing equity, community empowerment, and measurable impact. Their philosophy emphasizes grassroots partnerships, capacity building for not-for-profits, and a theory of change rooted in local knowledge, donor alignment, and sustainable interventions that address root causes of disadvantage via community-led action and professional stewardship.

They fund broad community activities tackling social inclusion, health equity, and health inequalities among ethnic minority communities, healthy ageing initiatives combating loneliness and promoting purpose for older adults through befriending services and social connection programs, youth development via bursaries, mentoring, and skills training for children and young people facing barriers, mental health support including counselling and peer support groups for individuals in crisis, cancer support services providing emotional and practical aid, interventions for rough sleepers addressing homelessness prevention and housing insecurity, rehabilitation for ex-offenders through reintegration training and advocacy, and anti-isolation efforts for families, carers, and isolated elderly residents. Supported models encompass core running costs for day services, drop-in centres, therapeutic activities, outreach programs, community-led events, and capital projects enhancing local infrastructure for disadvantaged populations, with emphasis on preventative, person-centred, trauma-informed approaches that build resilience and foster holistic wellbeing.

Exclusions encompass religious or political promotion, animal welfare as principal focus, statutory organizations except select parish council projects, individuals, private education, overseas travel, and activities solely outside Buckinghamshire. Priorities target underserved local residents including ethnic minorities with health disparities, lonely older adults, at-risk youth and care leavers, rough sleepers, ex-offenders, cancer patients, and families experiencing social isolation or crisis in rural and urban Buckinghamshire communities. Distinctive for deep county embeddedness, local expert panels ensuring relevance, broad inclusivity across grassroots charities, CICs, social enterprises, faith-based non-proselytizing groups, and PTAs, with commitment to evidence-based, collaborative impact over top-down solutions.