A local charity will receive a substantial grant to pay for a key member of staff thanks to the Guernsey Community Foundation and a private charitable trust.
Autism Guernsey, an independent charity, supports Islanders who have an autism spectrum condition, helping them to lead full, positive, and inclusive lives.
The three-year grant, pledged by a trust on the Foundation’s recommendation, will secure the role of Autism Guernsey’s Office and Fundraising Manager, currently held by Mandy Rowlinson.
One of Autism Guernsey’s recent fundraising initiatives was the Golden Guernsey Goat Trail, a joint appeal run with Guernsey Adult Literacy Project which raised over £80,000 and which has been shortlisted for the Fundraising of the Year Award at the Foundation’s Community Awards.
Mrs Rowlinson, who has been in post for six years, said: “My latest event was coordinating a Wizard of Oz-themed tea party at Les Cotils. I also manage the office, act as front of house for our 200 clients, handle our HR and organise training programmes.”
Autism Guernsey had originally applied to the Foundation for two years’ funding. The Foundation recognised that the charity’s aims aligned with those of a private charitable trust with whom it works closely. After carrying out the necessary due diligence, the Foundation recommended that trustees award three years’ funding.
Foundation Chief Executive Jim Roberts said: “As well as running its own Grants Programme, we act as a gateway to other funds by helping private charitable trusts identify potential grant recipients. On behalf of the trustees we solicit applications, test the case for funding and generally ensure everything is in order before making a considered recommendation.”
Mr Roberts invited other private charitable trusts to get in touch. “The more trusts we work with, the greater the number of people who can be helped,” he said. “The Foundation can provide a service tailored to meet trustees’ needs, from creating bespoke application forms to carrying out impact assessments.”
Julia Watts, Autism Services Manager with Autism Guernsey, said: “It’s hard to express how grateful we are to the private charitable trust and to the Foundation for this funding. Our organisation would literally come to a halt without Mandy on board. She is a vital cog ensuring the smooth running of the charity. It was a huge sigh of relief to receive the good news that our application had been accepted.”
To find out more about the Foundation’s grant-giving services contact Jim Roberts by email [email protected] or call him direct on 259523.
