Anna, tell us more about yourself and how the Jersey Community Foundation journey began.
I was born and raised in Jersey, and after finishing school, I moved to France and Oxford before spending over 15 years working in London. I then moved back to Jersey and worked with a number of stakeholders to set up Jersey Community Foundation in 2020 during the pandemic. We started this journey with one vision for the organisation: In 2035, islanders will be healthy, included and engaged; and supported by a strong, efficient, impactful and thriving social community infrastructure. The Foundation was launched with an initial £2 million which came from “dormant accounts” – where contact with banking customers has been lost for over 15 years – awarded by the Government of Jersey.
What are the peculiarities of being an island-based community foundation?
Being an island-based community foundation comes with unique challenges. Higher costs for services can make delivering community programmes more expensive due to reliance on imported goods, limited local suppliers and a lack of economies of scale. In a smaller community, a foundation’s work also has greater visibility with its impact more noticeable to the public. Island governments can have fewer resources or different funding priorities when compared to mainland counterparts, therefore, funding is limited for the third sector and the foundation plays a role in filling gaps in essential public services.
These factors shape how an island-based foundation operates, requiring adaptability, strong local relationships and a strategic approach to long-term sustainability. Jersey also has specific attributes associated with being an international finance centre. Those who work in finance are generally high earners but can also be transient inhabitants they come and leave for professional reasons, often staying only for 3-5 years. This characteristic inspired me to examine four island community foundations from across the world as part of my Master’s degree at the Centre of Philanthropy at the University of Kent.
Perhaps somewhat surprisingly, I found that transient people often establish meaningful relationships with, and care about, their “hosting” community.
How is the relationship and collaboration with government and also with other islands (e.g., Guernsey)?
Along with Guernsey, Bermuda and Ireland, we are an overseas member of the UK Community Foundations Network. Whilst we are all at different stages of our development, it is great to be able to build relationships with other island community foundations through this network. We have been particularly interested in Ireland’s recent “National Policy on Philanthropy” and this is something we have had several discussions about with our local Government.
As a small Island community, our relationship with the local Government is strong. This is partly because we are not seeking direct government funding, focusing instead on philanthropy, capacity building and long-term community development, rather than direct service delivery. The relationship is strengthened by the close proximity and accessibility of our government. Unlike in larger nations where engagement may require navigating complex bureaucracies at the national level, we are able to work directly with local officials, fostering trust and more effective collaboration on issues affecting the island.
What are the topics and challenges you are currently addressing?
Our approach is very much data-driven and knowledge-based. We recognise the importance of fund development and the relationships with our donors, but we also want to address community needs. For this reason, we partnered with PwC to produce our Local Needs Assessmentc in 2022. We found the greatest priorities for Jersey to be:
- community inclusion and tackling inequality
- caring for an ageing population
- addressing the impact of the cost-of-living crisis and poverty
- promoting mental health and wellbeing
- and encouraging healthy living, including combating obesity.
In light of the impact of climate change, especially on islands, we also opened an Environment Fund, which along with our Science Fund, mostly supports work around marine and ocean culture. We also managed the Bailiff’s Emergency Fund in 2023 to support individuals and families who were displaced and suffered following Storm Ciarán.
Finally, we are making resources available for programmes dedicated to supporting migrants who come to the island for work or other reasons.
What are the next steps and ambitions for the future?
We are at a crossroads, both organisationally and in terms of the issues we address. Our team is expanding with a new member joining, and we have begun shaping our long-term strategy for endowment building. Currently, most of our funds are flow-through funds, which remain essential given the urgency of the challenges we tackle. However, we are also laying the groundwork to attract and receive legacy gifts that will help us build a sustainable endowment for the future.
We are also strengthening our support by awarding more multi-year grants, offering organisations greater financial stability to plan for the future. Recognising the power of collaboration, we are committed to connecting organisations facing similar challenges, enabling them to share resources, knowledge and best practices. By deepening these partnerships, we can better support charities facing increasing service demand, volunteer shortages and operational disruptions.
At the same time, we are optimising our role as a sustainable partner to key stakeholders – including donors, local companies and government – by developing strategic partnerships that align funding and resources for greater impact. Through these strategies, we aim to create a stronger, more resilient third sector and thriving and equitable island community.
To get more information on Jersey Community Foundation, check out their website here
