Welcome to our final E-news of 2020. We’d like to start with an introductory fanfare from our metaphorical and tinsel-adorned bugle to say thanks to you for reading! Whether you’re new to our communications or we feel just like old friends, thank you so much for your support and interest in the Foundation and our work.
In this December edition we’re letting our new publication do the heavy lifting of rounding up just what a unique year this has been for us and the Devon communities we support. We’ve also got some exciting glimpses into some of the developments we’re unveiling in 2021. We hope you’ll enjoy this look back and glance forward from what indeed, has been an exceptional year all round.
A Look Back
After an unparalleled and reactive six months, it was October when we were first able as an organisation to ‘breathe’ and reflect on the arrival of coronavirus and its impact. We considered that a document outlining our evaluation of this would be an incredibly important resource from which both we and others could learn. It would also tell the incredible stories of communities coming together during these most challenging times. You can read all about our response and that of the community & voluntary groups and charities we support in our recently published Covid Report here. Please do feel free to feedback on our findings or, as we are far from seeing an end to the impact of this virus, if you would like to talk to us about supporting our work going forward please contact scott@devoncf.com. Thank you.
What’s Coming…
E-News
In the New Year our current E-News is going to cease to make way for a new suite of Newsletters with content tailored specifically to four areas of our work.
This newsletter will provide regular updates and news on opportunities for those seeking funding both through DCF and other outside organisations.
This newsletter will provide regular news and updates on how, with help from our donors, we are using funds to change lives in Devon- including stories, quotes, feedback and photos from the groups we support through our grant-making and programme work.
Following on from the success of the weekly Briefings published by our Communities Team during the spring and summer in 2021 we plan to launch a brand-new newsletter with information specific to, and with input from the VCSE sector and its public sector partners.
This newsletter will be aimed at financial and professional advisors who are looking for the tools and benefits of talking to clients about philanthropic giving.
Anybody can subscribe to any or all of our newsletters so if you, or someone you know, would like to hear more from us sign up here.
Please note: If you have already expressed an interest in hearing about our grants or in supporting the Foundation your email preferences will be saved and you need not re-subscribe.
To ensure you don’t encounter any difficulties when signing-up please ensure you are using an up to date web-browser.
Website
Next year we are looking forward to unveiling our brand-new website. It will be designed to be the beating heart of DCF with everything anyone could want to know about what we do and why we do it. It will also tell the stories of the projects we’re currently working on, who we’re supporting and who is helping us to make it all possible. All that, and we’re promising beautiful design plus above all, ease of use – with whatever you’re coming to us for, within an easy click or two!
Grants
You may have read that our Grants Team, aside from managing a the usual volume of 12 months of grant-making in just six months this year, are currently reviewing our grants process. They’ve invited opinion about what’s working and what needs improvement via Grant Advisor UK and now they’re putting that together with research and imagination to create a process that saves our grantees time and is as productive as possible.
Programmes
We have such exciting funding news on the horizon that we can’t wait to share with you in the New Year! We’re in the infancy of a huge project that is Devon-wide and involves the whole DCF Team. Plus, in line with our grant review, we’ll be revealing some exciting changes to our usual grant-making.
25 Years and counting…
After this year we are keeping our fingers crossed that 2021 will bring more togetherness and more celebration. If getting back together isn’t cause enough to celebrate, next year at DCF we will also be commemorating 25 years since we began. We don’t know what that will look like yet but we hope you will enjoy our marvelling in all we have managed to achieve with our Devon communities and donors in the last two and a half decades!
You may be aware that for many years we have run a Surviving Winter campaign that focusses on supporting those made vulnerable by the cold weather. This was initially started when one pensioner in receipt of his winter fuel allowance felt he didn’t need it and wanted to donate it to others. This amazing gesture was soon echoed by hundreds of others and has continued year on year, nationwide, with people donating not just their winter payment, but whatever they can. We’d like to thank everyone who has already made a donation to our Surviving Winter campaign this year. For anyone wanting to make a contribution towards helping those affected by cold in Devon our donate page is open. Thank you.
Finally
All that’s left for us to say is that we know this holiday time will be very different and indeed difficult for many but we hope you all find some warmth, peace and that little bit of magic that this season brings.
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