THE
Pearce
"i'l"- Foundation
The Pearce Foundation
Annual Report
2023
## A Welcome from our Founder
Since establishing the Pearce Foundation in 2022, we have focused on building strong foundations for ourselves, whilst developing a model of support for our Charity Partners. As one of the few grant givers that focuses on offering ‘more than money’, our three-year strategy until 2025 aims to evidence the effectiveness of this approach.
In 2023, we continued to learn and evolve alongside our Partners, adapting our approach to better meet their needs. We recognise the challenges charity leaders face - juggling many roles, managing intricate details, all whilst maintaining a clear strategic vision. We all need support to navigate these early stages, and I am proud to champion our Partners, who work tirelessly to make a positive impact in their communities.
Though we may be small, our impact is significant. This report showcases how we support our Partners and the substantial difference we have made together.
Thank you to everyone who has supported us so far.
Jane E Robbie
Jane Robbie - Founder & Chair
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## Our Vision
At the Pearce Foundation, we envision a world where communities come together to support, share and thrive. We believe small charities can make a big difference by driving meaningful change where it is needed most.
## Our Mission
Our mission is to provide financial and bespoke wrap-around support to small, fledgling charities and not-for-profit organisations in Sussex. Our aim is to help them establish solid foundations for sustainable growth. By supporting these charities, we contribute to a happier, healthier, and more equitable world.
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## How we achieve this
Capacity Building Grants Our grant-making process is designed to 1 promote responsible and sustainable growth by providing timely support to our Partners as they take constructive steps in their development.
## Stage 1: Best Practice (Year 1)
Grants of up to £2,000 are awarded to new Partner organisations of the Pearce Foundation.
Stage 2: Scaling Up (Year 3)
Existing Partners can apply for a further grant of up to £2,000, at least two years after their initial grant when they are ready to take that next step of growth or development
Stage 3: Consolidating (Year 5+)
On-going or additional financial support is considered on a case-by-case basis for Partners looking to further develop their capacity and impact.
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Bespoke Support 2
Although financial support is crucial for fledgling charities, this alone is sometimes not enough. This is why the Pearce Foundation provides a year’s wrap-around support, informed by a coaching approach, alongside our capacity-building grants.
_**We have not only been delighted by the quality and commitment Pearce Foundation has shown us, but your thought-provoking and individualised approach has really helped us grow into a far more sustainable charity and we are profoundly thankful to you!**_ Charity Partner, Flourish Mentors (November 2023 )
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Steps in ourwraparound support
STEP6
Feedback &
evaluation. Adapt
tailored support in
response
STEP3
Explore & agree
tailored support
activities
06
STEP4
03
Organiseskill-
sharing ortraining
sessions.
STEP I
Onboarding &
Diagnostic Tool
Evaluation
05
02
STEP 5
Ref lect. Check-in
orcoaching
session organised.
Plan next action
STEP 2
04
Identify needs,
Create plan, Set
Goals
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## Charity Partners 2023
We support charitable organisations in Sussex who have been operating for two years or less, with an income of less than £50,000 a year.
In 2023, we supported:
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## Activities, Achievements and Impact
Our unique support focuses on offering ‘more than money,’ and our three-year strategy until 2025 aims to demonstrate the effectiveness of this approach.
We developed our coaching approach and used partner feedback alongside our theory of changeto test assumptions and evaluate its impact.
By testing and refining our assumptions, we aim to devise a model that brings added value to our charity partners. If successful, the potential exists to share our "more than money" model with other grant-giving organisations, creating a unique, self-sustaining, and impactful support system for charitable organisations.
In 2023, we continued to provide support for two charities from the previous year (2022) and welcomed three additional charities on board.
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## ‘More Than Money’ Approach
## Charity Spotlight
Pilot Charity Partner: Flourish Mentors
Flourish Mentors, an LGBTQIA+ inclusive mentoring charity in Brighton and Hove, supports young women aged 16-25. They joined us as our first charity partner in 2022, providing an excellent opportunity to pilot our support model.
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## The Pearce Foundation Charity Wheel
Our support begins with the Pearce Foundation Charity Wheel, a diagnostic tool developed by our Founder, that helps our partners assess eight key areas and prioritise their focus.
This ensures our targeted financial and bespoke wrap-around support adds meaningful value and has greater impact.
By adopting a coaching approach, we can explore the details, identify goals and consider the most effective support activities to achieve those goals.
Governance Fundraising Impact People
Finance Comms Operations Strategy
_**The Pearce Foundation have adopted such a personal and supportive way of helping us on our journey so far. There is so much to learn as a young charity that it so often feels overwhelming. The Pearce Foundation has many resources to help you navigate those first steps and beyond.**_
Charity Partner, Flourish Mentors (November 2023 )
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## Building Strong Foundations
Identifying key focus areas and support activities with Flourish Mentor’s Directors
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11
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**----- Start of picture text -----**
Comms
Strategy
9%
17%
Governance
15%
Operations
19%
Fundraising
19%
People
21%
**----- End of picture text -----**
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Keyoutcomes;.,,,::,.
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## Operations
Enhanced project management and internal communication, resulting in more efficient workflows.
## Fundraising
Improved fundraising skills and a successful grant application, leading to increased funds.
## Communications
Improved online presence raising the charity's profile.
## Strategy
A refined strategic vision guiding the organisation's long-term planning.
## Governance
Strengthened team dynamics and clearer strategic direction from the board.
## People
Improved understanding of communication styles, fostering a more collaborative work environment, and feeling supported throughout the year.
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_**I can honestly say that the Pearce Foundation is now foundational in much of what we do. It has helped us refine our vision, systems and just about everything we do.**_ Frédérique Lambrakis-Haddad, Flourish Mentors
_**It's easy to just keep on going with your day-to-day schedule, but it's really good to reflect and acknowledge how far you've come. Through several meetings with the Pearce Foundation, we had the chance for this reflection, and I think that's invaluable.**_ Cathy Chesson, Flourish Mentors
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After one year, we reassessed Flourish Mentors progress using the charity wheel. The review showed significant improvements in competency across all areas, demonstrating the effectiveness of our support. This was further supported by feedback from evaluation forms and in-person reviews.
Competency levels in each support area increased by 10% to 60%.
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efO8nce
2022
2023
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The partnership between the Pearce Foundation and Flourish Mentors illustrates the significant value of bespoke wrap-around and financial support for charities in early development.
Our mission was to help our charity partners build stronger foundations, and we are delighted to have achieved this. This successful pilot highlights the potential of our support model and sets a positive example for future partnerships.
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## Reflections and next steps
A reflective session with the Directors of Flourish Mentors to Your paragraph text evaluate impact and discuss areas for improvement.
Streamline processes and consider onboarding one cohort at the beginning of each year Encouraging peer support by starting larger cohorts simultaneously Offer more personal support by offering coaching sessions, as well as regular check-ins
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Testing OurAssumptions:
Theoryof Change
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The Pearce Foundation's Theory of Change ITOCI
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CharityPartn$rsworklO
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CharityPartn8rsconneciwlth
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Leaders haveimproved
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empowered
LÈadersobt8in
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Leadersh8ve
capacity
Organi53tionswork
coll8b0rate&
Stren9thened
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ieamwoiks niore
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streTrgtheTred
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roadmap
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teams
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have8
delinedvision
& strategy
have a define
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Organisations
3re Imp8¢tfI
income
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& increased
Organisations, theirleadersand thecharity sectorinsussexhavethe resources, connections and skillsto growsustainably, efficientlyandlhrive
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Our Theory of Change is a valuable tool that clarifies our goals, identifies the activities needed to achieve them, and establishes methods to measure progress. It helps us to communicate our work to others, including trustees, partners and agencies such as The Charity Commission. Most importantly, it helps us stay focused on our mission.
The key problem that The Pearce Foundation seeks to solve is: ‘small charitable organisations often lack the resources and skills necessary to grow sustainably, efficiently and thrive.’
By delivering our activities, our aim is that organisations, their leaders and the charity sector in Sussex have the resources, connections and skills to grow sustainably, efficiently and thrive.
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## Activities & support
After identifying short and long-term goals, a wide range of tailored support activities are provided to help Charity Partners meet their goals. Across the 5 charities, in 2023, these included:
**----- Start of picture text -----**
Skill-sharing sessions in Trello & Strategy
HR support Skill-sharing sessions in Fundraising
Trustee’s strategy session Coaching sessions
Coaching sessions Buying a new printer
Your paragraph text
Funding promotional film for a charity partner
Team building afternoon Stakeholder strategy day
Skill-sharing sessions in Social Media
**----- End of picture text -----**
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## Our skill-sharers
Our skill-sharers are professionals with extensive experience and expertise in their fields. They share their time, skills, and knowledge whilst working alongside our partners in a friendly yet professional manner. By actively listening to our partners' needs, they can provide tailored support and help build confidence.
## Rich James
## Caz O’Kane
Zoya Rasul
Fundraising, strategy, and Fundraising and strategy communications
Digital communications and social media strategy
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## Impact delivered in 2023
## Impact delivered in 2023
Informed by our Theory of Change, we focussed on achieving the following outcomes for the five organisations we supported. Data was collected by in-person interviews, questionnaires and reassessment of the charity wheel.
Leaders feel more connected and supported
Leaders have improved confidence and feel empowered
Leaders obtain new skills and knowledge
Leaders have greater financial capacity
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Outcomes
rs
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## Leaders feel more connected and supported
Our holistic approach has empowered charity leaders, fostered a supportive community, and helped them feel less isolated and more capable of navigating their challenges.
_**It can be hard for others to understand the level of juggling that it takes sometimes. To have your level of understanding to know what a charity at this stage of setup does has been really invaluable. The level of compassion that Jane, Rich and Zoya have offered us has been deeply touching, - humbling and motivating.**_ Wellbody Wellmind Wellbeing
_**The personalised support we've received from the Pearce Foundation has helped to highlight our strengths and shown us where we need to grow.**_ Flourish Mentors
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## Leaders have improved confidence and feel empowered
_Thank you for meeting with me last week, I came away feeling a lot more positive about the possibilities of the charity and where I think we can take it_
Lindsay, Community Supporters
_The Pearce Foundation has given us the empowerment to talk through how to manage challenges effectively, with positive results. The empathy and understanding of our/my personal situation was crucial to this process_
Kayla, Andy’s Angels
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## Leaders obtain new skills and knowledge
_The Pearce Foundation not only successfully matched us with someone with a skill set we were lacking, but the tone of the meeting was open, nonjudgemental and very conducive to deep thinking and learning. Overall the experience was both an awakening yet nurturing experience. This balance is often hard to strike but the Pearce Foundation managed to do it beautifully._
Cathy, Flourish Mentors
_The session with Rich was really helpful. The contact with you and those around you is always good and makes me think differently about things._ Zoe, Pass it on
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## Leaders have greater financial capacity
_“The £2,000 is more akin to £10,000. Apart from financial help The You not only strengthened us but also Pearce Foundation has made me equipped us with the skills needed for focus more on individual issues replication in the future. It was and think about the future of essentially an investment in us, Pass it on rather than just today. ensuring we can move forward independently.”_ Zoe, Pass it on Community Fridge Frederique, Flourish Mentors
_We have been lucky to have had the support from The Pearce Foundation, not only have we received financial support with funding a video to share with the world the fantastic work but we have also had amazing guidance and support through having to navigate the charity through tricky times in the current economic climate._
Kayla, Andy’s Angels
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## Organisational updates
We are delighted to develop Zoya Rasul’s role from a voluntary to paid position as Communications Officer. She oversees our social media management and website, and plays a crucial role as a sounding board for Jane, contributing significantly to the early development of the Pearce Foundation.
## Thank you to....
Community Works in Brighton for welcoming Jane into their 6-month mentoring programme. Special thanks to mentor Ronald Olufunwa for his invaluable support during this time, which greatly helped to focus and refine The Pearce Foundation’s strategy and approach, as well as develop Jane's leadership skills and confidence.
Jake from Plus Accounting for providing accounting support. Also to Benita Matofska for generously contributing her time and expertise to help shape and document our impact.
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## Declaration
The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.
Jane E Robbie
Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees Full name Jane Robbie
Date 01/07/2024
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Charity Number:1198611
www.pearcefoundation.org.uk
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The Pearce Foundation 1198611
Receipts and payments accounts CC16a
For the period 01/01/2023 31/12/2023
To
from
Section A Receipts and payments
Unrestricted Restricted Endowment
Total funds Last year
funds funds funds
to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £
A1 Receipts
Investment 585 - - 585 -
Donations - - - - 130,001
- - - - -
- - - - -
- - - - -
- - - - -
- - - - -
- - - - -
Sub total (Gross income for
AR) [ 585 ] - - 585 -
A2 Asset and investment sales,
(see table).
Transact investments 120,000 - - 120,000
- - - - -
Sub total 120,000 - - 120,000 -
Total receipts 120,585 - - 120,585 -
A3 Payments
Charity partner grants 4,567 - - 4,567 343
Self-employed payment 3,735 - - 3,735 -
Admin costs 877 - - 877 630
- - - - -
- - - - -
- - - - -
- - - - -
- - - - -
- - - - -
Sub total [ 9,179 ] - - 9,179 973
A4 Asset and investment
purchases, (see table)
- - - -
- - - -
Sub total [ - ] - - - -
Total payments 9,179 - - 9,179 973
Net of receipts/(payments) 111,406 - - 111,406 - 973
A5 Transfers between funds - - - - -
A6 Cash funds last year end 9,028 - - 9,028
Cash funds this year end 120,434 - - 120,434 - 973
**----- End of picture text -----**
CCXX R1 accounts (SS)
17/09/2024
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## **Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period**
|**Categories**
Signed by one or two trustees on
behalf of all the trustees
**B5 Liabilities**
**B3 Investment assets**
**B2 Other monetary assets**
**B4 Assets retained for the**
**charity’s own use**
**B1 Cash funds**|**Details**
**Details**
**_Total cash funds_**
(agree balances with receipts and payments
account(s))
Banks
**Details**
**Details**
**Details**
Jane Waller
Signature
Jane E Robbie|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**Restricted**
**funds**
**to nearest £**
**to nearest £**
**120,434**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**120,434**
**-**
OK
OK
**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**Restricted**
**funds**
**to nearest £**
**to nearest £**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
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**-**
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**-**
**-**
**Fund to which**
**asset belongs**
**Cost (optional)**
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**-**
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**Fund to which**
**asset belongs**
**Cost (optional)**
**-**
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**Fund to which**
**liability relates**
**Amount due**
**(optional)**
**-**
**-**
**-**
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Print Name
Jane E Robbie
Jane Waller|**Endowment**
**funds**
**to nearest £**
**-**
**-**
**-**|
|---|---|---|---|
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||||OK|
||||**Endowment**
**funds**
**to nearest £**
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**Current value**
**(optional)**
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**When due**
**(optional)**
Date of
approval
17/09/2024
17/09/2024|
CCXX R2 accounts (SS)
17/09/2024
2