Connecting businesses to meaningful charitable partnerships

We support businesses in achieving their aim of giving back and making a difference to society in a meaningful way. Many businesses run into problems when trying to connect with and donate to small charities, the lengthy administration process, the lack of knowledge and shortage of time are all examples of the typical barriers.

We’ve honed our skills over the last 12 years and know how to create meaningful charitable giving programmes that drive high impact for the business providing the funding and the charities they support.

Why Small Charities?

Thousands of innovative local charities and non-profit organisations make a huge difference to society. Yet many are underfunded, and need more support to deliver the impact they are capable of. Larger charities with an income of over £1m per year attract 83% of the charity sector’s total income*, yet, small charities have a tremendous impact, are innovative and well placed in communities to help those most in need flexibly.

By harnessing the desire of businesses to give back, we make it easy for companies of all sizes to find and fund small charities and not-for-profits in a meaningful way by delivering flexible charitable giving programmes that create personal connections, engage employees in decision making and empower small charity leaders, all while enhancing your ESG credentials.

*Source: NCVO Almanac 2023

Why your business should support small charities

Finding small, innovative projects that align with the areas your business wants to support is incredibly rewarding, but there are lots of other business benefits too.

Expertise and support

As a Matthew Good Foundation business partner, you’ll benefit from expert advice and access to a bespoke charitable giving programme that allows you to build charitable giving into your existing business processes seamlessly.

Build your reputation

87%* of businesses said CSR activity positively impacted their reputation with clients and customers. We’ll provide ready-made communications so it’s easy for you to share your impact. (Charities Aid Foundation)

Potential business growth

Purposeful brands grow twice as fast as their competition* (Kantar Purpose 2020 Study)

Increase customer loyalty

90%* of consumers surveyed indicated they would switch brands to support a specific cause when choosing between two brands of equal quality. (2015 Cone Communications Global CSR Study)

Talent acquisition and retention

64% of Millennials will only take a job if their employee has a strong CSR policy, and 83% would be more loyal to a company that helps them contribute to social and environmental issues. (The Cone Communications Millennial Employee Study)

Case Study – John Good Group

We’ve been managing John Good Group’s employee giving programme since 2011. It’s a bespoke programme that engages its employees in many ways and directs the majority of funds to small charities.

As well as supporting the company in achieving its ESG aims, John Good Group reports that its charitable giving programme helps with employee engagement, recruitment and retention of top talent, customer acquisition and loyalty and is a great way of seeing their values in action. Giving employees the opportunity to meet with and engage directly with the charities they support is incredibly rewarding for all involved.

Employee Giving

  • Monthly Draws
  • Doubling employee donations
  • Tripling employee fundraising efforts

Grassroots Project Support

  • Grants for small non-profits employees nominate
  • Support for employees starting or scaling their own grassroots community projects

Grants for Good

  • 15,000 shared between 5 micro charities every quarter
  • Employees vote to decide funding distribution.

Employee Volunteering

  • Unskilled and skilled employee volunteering programme. We source one-off volunteering opportunities that suit the employees’ interests to make it easy for employees to use their volunteer days.

Company pro-bono/discounted work

  • Putting the skills within the business to good use

John Good Group Projects

Will Garvey Trust Foundation

The Will Garvey Trust Foundation, based in Derbyshire, was established following the death of Will Garvey. Its mission is to create ‘talking communities’ to prevent youth suicide. Through Wellbeing Libraries, Workshops, and Care Packs, the Foundation supports young people facing mental health challenges. Their impactful initiatives offer vital resources

Dad La Soul

Dad La Soul is reshaping the narrative of fatherhood with its unique Trojan Horse approach. By providing dads with a kick-ass social life and a ready-made, expert, peer-led support network, they create a space for fathers to talk about what they usually ignore. Many dads feel isolated and overwhelmed,

Photograph of Coffee cups from above with patterns in the froth created by practicing students

Boss & Brew Academy

Boss & Brew Academy is a Cardiff-based social enterprise empowering young people through the art of coffee. Focused on boosting confidence, enhancing employability, and promoting diversity in hospitality, the charity offers free barista training and work experience opportunities to young people who might otherwise struggle to access them. With

Fair Feast

By addressing both food insecurity and deer overpopulation, Fair Feast is creating a sustainable and impactful solution for local communities in Scotland. They process surplus deer into nutrient-dense venison products, reducing waste while providing low-carbon, healthier, protein-rich food to food banks. Through strategic partnerships and innovative operations, Fair Feast

two dolphins jump out of calm seas

Sussex Dolphin Project

Based in Brighton, Sussex Dolphin Project is a dedicated marine conservation organisation committed to understanding and protecting local dolphin species. Through research, education, and community engagement, they work to safeguard Sussex’s marine life and coastal ecosystems. Their team, made up of passionate volunteers and specialists, actively collaborates with local

A panoramic view of the Sheffield Skyline

South Yorkshire Charity Mentors

South Yorkshire Charity Mentors (SYCM) provides free, tailored mentoring to leaders of small charities, helping them strengthen their strategic direction and operations. With a network of 41 mentors from diverse sectors, SYCM has supported 60 leaders since its pilot programme, delivering £66,000 worth of free mentoring. After a successful

Thousand Year Trust

The Thousand Year Trust is committed to restoring the UK's Atlantic temperate rainforests, which once covered 20% of the British Isles but now occupy less than 1% of their original extent. Starting at Cabilla in Cornwall, the charity is part of a wider movement to increase rainforest coverage, addressing

Feed the Birds

Loneliness and social isolation significantly impact the elderly and vulnerable, especially those housebound due to illness or age. These individuals often lose connection with their communities and nature, contributing to declining health and mental well-being. Feed the Birds combats this by having volunteers visit clients weekly to refill bird

Halifax Wheelchair Rugby League Club

Halifax Wheelchair Rugby League Club, established in 2005, is a leading UK wheelchair rugby league team with a history of multiple titles. Founded by Malcolm Kielty MBE, the club champions inclusivity and disability sport, offering competitive play and community outreach. Based at Calderdale College, it runs school programs that

Bethel Trust Baby Bank

The Bethel Trust Port Talbot, founded in 2014, is a charity dedicated to alleviating poverty in one of Wales' most deprived areas. Its Bethel Baby Bank provides essential items such as formula, nappies, and clothing to families in need, focusing on marginalised groups and domestic violence survivors. Beyond material

For Individuals

 

We don’t just work with businesses; we also support individuals and families with their philanthropy journey by managing a charitable fund on their behalf. Donor-managed funds act as a one-stop shop for your charitable giving, enabling you to make tax-efficient, irrevocable philanthropic contributions and then we support you in investing the fund and/or making grants to small charities and non-profit organisations over time.

We’ll support you in finding small charities and community projects that align with your interests, conduct due diligence, and manage your donations.