Community Foundation for Surrey - Help us bring people together to support Surrey.
Role: Professional Advisor Working Group member – 2 voluntary roles available
About the opportunity
The Community Foundation for Surrey is an independent charitable foundation that turns private money into community money by matching local donors with local charities and community groups doing excellent work.
We believe in a stronger, fairer Surrey, enabling everyone to support organisations who are making a positive difference to our communities so that no one is left behind.
We are building a strong movement of local philanthropists, with a unique place-based giving approach to support local people. We engage the generosity of a broad Donor base within Surrey, connecting them with those providing positive solutions within our local communities. Using our unique knowledge of the community and voluntary sector in our area, we come together to ensure a fairer county for all.
We work with individuals, families, businesses, and charitable trusts who want to make a real and lasting difference within Surrey, by connecting them with charitable projects that are providing vital support and reaching those most in need. Local Donors can establish a bespoke Fund with the Foundation, or contribute to one of our Collective Funds, supporting a growing programme of grant-making. We are proud to manage more than £17M in invested endowments and provide meaningful support to over 400 community projects each year.
Last year we awarded around £2m in grants, but our work has only just begun. In recent years, applications for grants related to poverty and disadvantage have increased by over 600% and applications for projects to support those suffering from mental ill-health have risen by 260%.
2025 will be our 20th anniversary year and our ambition is to grow our annual grant giving as we are currently over ten times over-subscribed. Significant growth is essential if we are to fulfil our role in ensuring that no one in Surrey is left behind.
As a member of our Professional Advisor Working Group (PAWG) you will help us to support this very specific are of potential income. You will join us at a time when our communities are experiencing more disparity of advantage than ever before in our county.
The primary purpose of a PAWG member is to work with the rest of the working group and our Fund Development Manager and CEO to ensure that the Community Foundation reaches as many PA as possible.
What are we looking for?
We believe that it is vitally important to work in partnership with PAs in our county to inform them of the benefits of working alongside us and to support them to support/advise their clients on charitable giving. We work with a number of high-net-worth individuals across 80+ funds.
We work alongside some fantastic PAs, but we want every PA in Surrey to know about us, can you help?
Clients can give to CFSurrey in a variety of ways;
setting up a Donor Advised Fund with CFSurrey
transferring a trust/foundation to CFSurrey
contributing to a pooled fund at CFSurrey
leaving a legacy to CFSurrey
direct donation to our core costs
making a one off or regular donation to a specific charity through CFSurrey
Specifications of the role:
The PAWG role is a voluntary position, open to all applicants, prior charity experience is not required.
Minimum engagement is one in person meeting every 2/3 months (in our Woking office for 1 hour)
Approx 1-2 hours over the course of a month to commit to following up on actions following meetings, actively engaging with prospects, researching/following up on leads/ideas, supporting/attending presentations/events.
We ask for a commitment of at least 1 year but preferably 2 years.
Volunteers are voluntary positions, but expenses incurred in their duties may be reclaimed from the Foundation with the approval of the Chair and Chief Executive.
Ideal Qualities
Currently working as PA or experience of working as a PA
Passionate about supporting Surrey as a county
Confident presenting/talking to groups of PAs
Willingness to find out more about the need in Surrey and the impact CFSurrey has
To apply: Please send a brief CV and covering letter indicating why you are interested in this opportunity, and what you would bring to the role to zoe@cfsurrey.org.uk.
For an informal discussion about the role contact the CEO of the Community Foundation for Surrey (Rebecca.Bowden@cfsurrey.org.uk).
Our Grant Making
Community Foundation for Surrey awards grants to groups and individuals across the county. We manage a wide range of different funds, which aim to tackle all aspects of deprivation and improve social welfare in Surrey, and most of which are tailored specifically to the interests of our donors. It’s our job to match the funds available with the needs in the county. The majority of our grant-making is to community groups working for the benefit of people in Surrey, with an average grant size of around £6k. In 2023-24 we awarded just over £2M in grants to 296 organisations and 104 individuals.
What’s next for the Community Foundation for Surrey?
There are three key overarching themes for our strategy for the next 5 years:
Growing giving – at grassroots level to support local communities and at ‘strategic impact’ level to target funds where they can make a real difference to inequity. This reflects the unprecedented level of need we are facing, and therefore the imperative to focus our funds on where we can make most impact, whilst at the same time continuing to fund in a responsive and reactive way to ensure the long-term health of the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise sector.
Growing reach – ensure we reach the parts that others are not reaching – to support all in the community and provide additional help and support to organisations who need it most. We need to ensure that we represent, reflect and reach all our Surrey communities
Growing impact – identify key needs in our county on which we can make a real difference and encourage others to bring resources and ideas on board to support. Using our convening power to catalyse real change and prevent issues from becoming crises for our communities.
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