South West Water joins group bidding to boost small charities

South West Water has joined a cross-industry group of businesses that have teamed up to provide a platform that enables businesses to channel funds to community grassroots charities.

The recently launched platform, ActionFunder, taps into “a growing desire among businesses of all sizes to do more to support small charities as well as local community initiatives whose role in tackling the climate crisis and growing inequality has been spotlighted during the Covid pandemic.” It says it will channel more of the £2.7 bn a year donated by business to charities in England and Wales to small and micro charities that currently receive only 2% of that money.

ActionFunder’s technology, the group says, helps businesses “quickly find relevant projects that meet their giving preferences.” It is is a virtual funding agent for community groups and small charities enabling them to pitch, once, for consideration by many companies. It levies a 5% fee on funds.

The group behind ActionFunder has backed calls for hundreds of businesses to set up grant programmes for local causes during the next three months following its launch. The group has claimed that during the platform’s pilot phase some 650 projects came forward seeking support with “thousands more charitable and community projects now joining.” The group has committed £350,000 during ActionFunder’s four-month trial period.

South West Water is joining forces with ActionFunder to offer support to community and charitable initiatives in Devon and Cornwall through its Neighbourhood Fund. The platform is expecting “another major utility company” to come on board soon.

Founder funders using or committed to using the ActionFunder platform are:

Sir Robert McAlpine

South West Water

Argent Related

Central District Alliance (Part of the Primera Business Improvement District portfolio)

Get Living

RW Blears

M&C Freeman Charitable Trust

Berkeley Homes (Central London) and St Edward

Cheshire for Good together with Sykes Holiday Cottages

Groundwork

Several more will be announced "in coming days."