Strategic Partners
The Trustees support Strategic Partners over an extended period by giving core funding. Each new partnership is decided after considerable discussion and is based on the Foundation’s experience and observation of the prospective partner at work.
Strategic Partners work on policy and campaigning as an essential rather than an additional part of their core purpose. They tend to work across issues rather than being concentrated on one issue or group of people, though the Trustees do consider varying this criterion. As with all the Foundation’s grants, the work is undertaken in and on behalf of the North East of England.
The Trustees and Trust Manager will seek out new partners when funds permit and may choose to test a relationship by funding for a limited period until it is clear whether or not there is potential for a longer-term partnership.
Citizens Advice Newcastle (CAN) helps people resolve their legal, money and other problems by providing free, independent and confidential advice, and by influencing policymakers. CAN makes a record of every enquiry brought to them, which adds up to a huge wealth of timely information about the problems people face. CAN works proactively with partners across the region, campaigning and advocating for change that improves the lives of the people it works with.
For information about the impact of CAN’s work click here:
Citizens Advice Newcastle Case Study.pdf
www.citizensadvice-newcastle.org.uk
IPPR North is the leading think tank based in the north of England. It develops bold, progressive ideas to empower England’s regions so that everyone has the opportunity to live a good life and to thrive and is deeply connected to the issues communities face.
For 20 years IPPR North has been conducting independent research and influencing powerholders which has resulted in tangible, positive policy change. Its expertise in a wide range of public policy areas, from skills to regional economies, is highly regarded, and its networks across England’s regions are industry leading. IPPR North leads the policy sector in the regions on high quality research, and impact.
The North East Child Poverty Commission (NECPC) is a regional cross-sector stakeholder network which believes child poverty in the North East is not inevitable and ending it is worth working for, together.
Led by an independent Chair, NECPC is made up of representatives from different sectors in the region, who are collectively ambitious for every baby, child and young person in the North East – with a shared vision of all growing up in our region not just healthy and secure, but having the best start in life: able to fully participate and thrive in education and extra-curricular activity; to pursue the things they love, with exciting futures ahead of them; and able to benefit from everything our beautiful region has to offer.
Tyne and Wear Citizens is a local chapter of Citizen’s UK and uses community organising as a tool for bringing about tangible social change. It operates across Newcastle, Sunderland, Gateshead, North Tyneside and Durham and has 30 member organisations (including faith groups, schools, charities, community groups and unions) who all pay their dues and are actively involved in setting the organisation’s campaigning priorities.
Members are currently working on: climate justice; poverty; racial justice in education. It is active in promoting the Living Wage to employers across the region and describes itself as ‘like a trade union for the community’.
www.citizensuk.org/chapters/tyne-and-wear
Voluntary Organisations Network North East (VONNE) is the regional support body for the North East Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) sector, representing our 1,400+ member organisations through its involvement in many regional and national networks.
Regional Refugee Forum North East and Youth Homeless North East are former Strategic Partners - for more details on their work, see our Previous grants page.
