Our Purpose
We amplify small, high impact and high potential charities by connecting them with responsible businesses, through funding, volunteering, and pro-bono support.
£'s Donated
Causes Supported
Member applications granted
£'s Granted via Amplify funding programmes
Films funded
How it began
The Matthew Good Foundation was the idea of Tim Good and Matthew Good, both sixth generation custodians of the Good family business – John Good Group. Passionate about the business being a force for good, Tim and Matthew agreed that every year the family business would donate a proportion of profits to the Foundation, so that employees could apply for funds to support the charities they care about.
Tragically, while creating the Foundation, Matthew passed away suddenly while taking part in the Humber Half Marathon while raising money for charity. In a tribute to Matthew, the Foundation was launched in his memory. Our first project funded research and promoted safety and best practice in race medicine and the treatment of illnesses commonly found during marathons and other similar events.
The John Good Group continues to support us in our growth by funding all of our core running costs and providing a wealth of pro-bono support through the skills and resources within the company. Supporting and growing the impact of the Matthew Good Foundation is a key part of the John Good Group’s own award-winning ESG programme. It also means that 100% of all donations received go directly to fully vetted good causes through Amplify Charity Grants and Amplify Charity Films programmes.
As well as setting up the Foundation and covering our operating costs, the John Good Group is also our biggest partner, enabling us to fund and develop our growing Amplify programmes. We also manage a bespoke Employee Giving package for the John Good Group that suits how the company would like to allocate funds and resources to support their employees to make a difference to the causes that matter to them, through both charitable giving and volunteering.
The Matthew Good Foundation provides funding to selected small charitable organisations that need longer-term unrestricted support with the core costs vital to running their organisation, but funds for which are harder to find in the funding sector. Funds are aimed at organisations that meet the Foundation’s target Sustainable Development Goals, and charities are selected and agreed privately by the Matthew Good Foundation team.
Often, charitable organisations are not just dealing with a funding gap, but also with an expertise gap when it comes to communicating their cause to a wide audience. As a foundation that has very close connections to the business world, this is something we have often found we are able to help fund and coordinate, and so our charity film offering has grown naturally as we worked with more organisations who we could see would benefit from this type of help.
We design and manage funding programmes that invite small charities, voluntary organisations, local groups and Community Interest Companies (CICs) to apply to us for funding packages which are provided by our partner businesses.
Our programmes are our unique way of connecting organisations that are doing amazing work in our communities, with businesses that want to make a meaningful social impact.
Timeline
2011
Matthew and Tim Good have idea to create a charitable foundation.
2011
Matthew passes away suddenly while running for charity.
2011
Foundation launched and named in memory of Matthew Good.
2012
Our first grassroots project – to promote safety and best practice in race medicine and the treatment of illnesses commonly found during marathons and other similar events.
2012
Employee Giving Programme launched for John Good Group and its operating companies.
2018
We complete our first film project for charity WaterHarvest.
2021
We open for external applications by launching John Good Group’s Grants for Good programme.
2022
We launch employee volunteering programme for John Good Group
2022
We formally launch Amplify Charity Films.
2023
Using our experience over the last 12 years, we launch Amplify Funding Programmes to make it easy for other responsible businesses to connect with and fund small, innovative charitable projects.
Our Trustees
Tim Good
Known for his energy, ideas and entrepreneurial spirit, Tim is passionate about the businesses he is involved in having a measurable purpose that makes a positive difference to the world.
Tim founded the Foundation in 2011 in his brother’s memory, and he plays an active role in many of our projects.
Kevin Harrison
Kevin is a leader in the Travel industry. He is a Director at John Good Group’s travel management company, and also a Board Director at the BTA.
With a passion for philanthropy and community service, Kevin is heavily involved with volunteering in the town where he lives, and has been a trustee since the Foundaton was first formed in 2011.
Emma Bryden
Emma Bryden is a customer and market intelligence consultant at Royal London. She has experience in the charity and environmental sectors through voluntary roles in Scotland’s Young People’s Forest panel, Nature Scot’s Future Routes Fund and Community Resilience projects.
Emma is the youngest member of our board, with a familial connection to the Good family and the John Good Group.
Jamie Lewis
Jamie is an active contributor to the charitable sector in Hull and East Yorkshire.
Motivated by his own experiences in the care system, he started his career in social care, and is currently the CEO of HEY Smile Foundation.
Jamie has also held a number of other appointments locally including Chair of Pride in Hull, Chair of City of Hull Street Angels and Trustee of Fitmums and Friends.
Jonathan Greenwood
Jonathon is very experienced in the fundraising landscape.
He is Trusts and Foundations Manager at the University of Hull. He is also Secretary at the Ferens Education Trust, Head of Grants for Two Churches One Town in Beverley.
Jonathan has also been a Trustee at Tigers4Ever and at RSPCA Hull & East Riding.
Niall McCann
Niall is a National Geographic Explorer, conservationist, and broadcaster focused on humankind’s relationship with nature.
He is a Director for National Park Rescue, a member of the Brecon Mountain Rescue Team, a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, Trustee of the Wallacea Trust and the Ecoflix Foundation, and Ambassador for the British Inspiration Trust, Smash Life and Millimetres2Mountains Foundation.
A seasoned adventurer, Niall has rowed the Atlantic, skied Greenland, and cycled the Himalayas.
Our Team
Kirsty Clark
Kirsty has 15 years of experience supporting vulnerable groups and driving social change. Her background in Social Work and leadership at a youth homelessness charity brings valuable insight to our next phase of growth, which aims to provide more support for small charities.
Jen Murden
Having worked in the creative and marketing industries, Jen loves to prove that creative projects can meet strategic goals. Now she is using her skills to benefit social enterprises by focussing on maximising and communicating the impact of charitable giving programmes.